Frosted Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes

These Frosted Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes are made with chocolate cake, chocolate chip cheesecake, chocolate frosting and topped with chocolate candy. They are decadent, delicious and easy to make!

These Frosted Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes are the ultimate dessert to celebrate Valentine’s Day or any occasion where you want something a little extra special.  These cupcakes have it all – chocolate cake, chocolate chip cheesecake, chocolate frosting and chocolate candy. And while they may appear semi-complicated, these cupcakes are actually very easy to make.

First I start with one of my favorite cupcake recipes – Black Bottom Cupcakes.  Black Bottom Cupcakes are chocolate cupcakes filled with a chocolate chip cream cheese filling. (I used Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Baking Chips).   What I love most about the Black Bottom Cupcake recipe is that it features an easy method for “filling” the cupcakes by simple dropping a dollop of the filling over the top of the cake batter before baking. (Or when you have a 4 year old helping with the “filling” it becomes more of a topping, but I digress…tasty either way!)  While I usually serve these cupcakes without frosting, since I am attempting to make the ultimate Valentine cupcake, frosting is definitely in order!

I made the Black Bottom Cupcakes the night before so they would have ample time to cool completely before frosting and decorating. For the frosting, I made the recipe from my Red Wine Chocolate Cookie Cups using milk instead of wine.  This is such an easy chocolate frosting recipe and so, so good!  I piped the frosting over the cupcake with a little swirl using a 1M tip.

For the final touch, I topped each cupcake with a Ghirardelli Valentine’s Day Impressions Chocolate.  These candies looked so adorable and truly turned this dessert into the perfect Valentine dessert!  These premium chocolates come in two flavors – Milk & White Chocolate and Milk & Dark Chocolate and feature four Valentine’s Day messages: “Love,” “XOXO,” “Sweet,” and “Be Mine.”  So fun and festive!

With chocolate cake, chocolate chip cheesecake, chocolate frosting and chocolate candy, these Frosted Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes are the ultimate dessert for chocolate lovers, Valentine’s Day or just for a special treat!

Frosted Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes

 

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Author: Alida Fischbach

Yields: 18 cupcakes

Ingredients

FILLING:

• 8-ounce block Neufachtel cream cheese (1/3 less fat), room temperature
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Baking chips)

CAKE:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
• 1 cup water
• ⅓ cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FROSTING:

• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ⅓ cup milk (I use skim)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 18 Ghirardelli Valentine's Day Impressions Chocolate, unwrapped

Instructions

1. Prepare filling: In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, egg, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners and set aside.
3. For the CAKE: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa and baking powder.
4. In a small bowl, stir water, oil, vinegar and vanilla until combined. (Note: I just mix everything in my liquid measuring cup...one less dish to wash).
5. Add liquid mixture to dry ingredients and fold gently until well blended.
6. Divide cake batter evenly among prepared muffin cups. Then divide the filling evenly over cake batter by spooning a dollop of the cream cheese filling over the cake batter.
7. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until cake is set. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. For the FROSTING: melt butter and then stir in cocoa powder until combined. Using an electric mixer, alternately beat in powdered sugar and wine until desired frosting consistency. Stir in vanilla extract. Pipe over cooled cupcakes.
9. DECORATE: Top each frosted cupcakes with a Ghirardelli Valentine's Day Impressions Chocolate, making sure to press the candy into the frosting to it stays up. (Note: After this step, I put the cupcakes in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to set the frosting and secure the candy)

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I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.