Rich Chocolate Cupcakes topped with Chocolate Chip Cheesecake frosting! Decadent, from scratch, and totally delicious. Moist and delicious with a tangy cream cheese frosting that is loaded with chocolate chips!
Can’t get enough chocolate and cheesecake? Bookmark these Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars for later! Or try our stuffed chocolate chip cheesecake cookies for an on the go treat!
Why this Recipe Works
This decadent dessert is the combination of two all time favorites: my richest chocolate cupcake recipe and my famous cream cheese frosting.
Putting them together creates a decadent cupcake that tastes eerily similar to a chocolate cheesecake! Only, it’s even easier to make and you don’t have to worry about a cracked top.
I added chocolate chips on top for an eye catching and delicious finish! Make these Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cupcakes now. You can thank me later!
Ingredient Notes
- Coffee. Brewed hot coffee is my secret ingredient for creating the most chocolatey cupcakes! It adds an added dimension of flavor that makes the chocolate stand out.
- Buttermilk. Use a store bought variety or try homemade buttermilk for making moist cupcakes.
- Bittersweet chocolate. The higher quality the chocolate, the better the cupcakes turn out. I use Ghirardelli brand.
- Cream Cheese. Don’t even think about using anything other than full fat here!
Easy Instructions
For the cupcakes:
Pour hot brewed coffee over cocoa powder and chopped chocolate squares. Stir until the chocolate is melted.
Add the remaining ingredients and beat to combine. Scoop the batter into a lined cupcake pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
For the frosting:
Beat the butter and cream cheese, then add remaining ingredients. Fold in chocolate morsels.
To assemble:
Pipe cream cheese frosting onto cupcakes using frosting bags. Sprinkle more mini morsels on top and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- How to prevent chocolate from settling. The cocoa solids will naturally settle and cling to the sides of the bowl as you make the cupcake batter. Stay on top of it by regularly scraping down the sides of the bowl as you mix.
- How to tell if cupcakes are done. Press your finger to the center of one of the chocolate cupcakes. If it springs back right away, the cupcakes are done. If an indentation remains, they need a few more minutes in the oven.
- Use a cookie scoop. To ensure evenly sized cupcakes, use a cookie dough scoop to divide the batter. Fill each cavity of the tin about 2/3 of the way full.
- More Chocolate. Swap out the frosting for our ultra creamy chocolate sour cream frosting!
Recipe FAQs
Yes, I recommend keeping them chilled if not eating right away, due to the cream cheese frosting.
You can make the cupcakes ahead of time and freeze them before adding the frosting. Seal in freezer bags and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, let the cupcakes thaw then add the cream cheese frosting.
The answer is a resounding NO! You can’t taste the coffee at all. The bitterness merely serves to deepen the cocoa flavor in your chocolate cheesecake cupcakes.
You can use milk, but the results will not be as thick and creamy.
More Easy Desserts
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes
- White Chocolate Cupcake with Peanut Butter Frosting
- These Pineapple Orange Cupcakes are an easy, light dessert idea that are nearly guilt free! Less than 75 calories per cupcake!
- Skinny No Bake Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Rice Krispie Treats
Favorite Cupcake Recipes
See all Cupcake recipes
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 4 ounce bittersweet chocolate squares chopped
- ⅔ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 ½ cups hot brewed coffee
- 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ¼ cup buttermilk
For the frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 package cream cheese, softened 8 ounce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 ½ cup mini chocolate morsels divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Prepare cupcake tin with cupcake liners. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add chopped chocolate and cocoa powder. Pour hot coffee over both, then stir until chocolate is melted.
- Add granulated sugar, flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Add in the vanilla extract, eggs, vegetable oil, and buttermilk. Beat for about 4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl several times (and the bottom too to make sure the chocolate doesn’t settle).
- The batter will be thin, that’s okay! Using a large cookie scoop, spoon batter into prepared cupcake tins, about ⅔ full. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean, or the cupcake springs back from a touch of your finger. Remove and cool completely on wire rack.
- For the frosting, beat butter and cream cheese for 3 minutes until fluffy. Add in vanilla, powdered sugar and cream and beat an additional 3-5 minutes.
- Fold in 1 1/4 cup mini chocolate morsels. Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Sprinkle with remaining morsels if desired.
Notes
- You can use hot water instead of hot coffee if preferred. The coffee enhances the chocolate flavor without adding a coffee flavor to the dessert.
- How to tell if cupcakes are done. Press your finger to the center of one of the chocolate cupcakes. If it springs back right away, the cupcakes are done. If an indentation remains, they need a few more minutes in the oven.
- Use a cookie scoop. To ensure evenly sized cupcakes, use a cookie dough scoop to divide the batter. Fill each cavity of the tin about 2/3 of the way full.
- Store. Keep frosted cupcakes in refrigerator. Or freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Love chocolate cheesecake? These chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting will dazzle your taste buds!
Oops, i meant ‘delish’…… NOT ‘selfish’…….though if I make these I might end up being selfish by keeping them all for myself…..hee-hee!!
Oh my YUM!!! These look selfish. Can’t wait to try them!
Looks delicious ? can’t wait to bake some!
Chocolate cupcakes are my favorite. I like all the cupcakes because they are delicious and are very easy in baking. I use the same recipe and cupcakes are always extremely tasty! My family asks me to bake them every week.
Whoohoo. So glad you love this recipe! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Now that looks like a frosting I could eat by the spoonful!
ooohhhh these look wonderful!! Chocolate, cheesecake! Now you just need a cup of coffee and you are good to go with these!
Coffee is always brewing at my house!!! C’mon over!
The frosting is always the best part. I’m good with having a smaller dome on the cupcakes in order to pile on the frosting. It’s a sacrifice worth making. 🙂
I need to move into your neighborhood! I’ll take the extras! These really do have the perfect amount of frosting on top!
normally I prefer cupcakes unfrosted, just because they feel gritty and don’t have flavor other than butter, but this frosting definitely sounds like something I’d love! I’m on board with the extra chocolate chips, too!
Unfrosted cupcakes? Can we even be friends? I’m not sure anymore…
Cheesecake frosting? Now we are talking! 🙂 They look so wonderfully rich and those liners – so pretty!
I had to laugh at your 1:1 cupcake-to-frosting ratio. Now, that’s my kind of cupcake! And now, I can have a cupcake and cheesecake all in one dessert? Almost too good to believe!
I’m a genius. I know!
I like mine at a 1:1 ratio, too. I’ll probably bury it under a huge mound of chocolate chips, too – love this! 🙂
I know, I was being conservative in my chip-use.
These are gorgeous cupcakes, Aimee! You can’t go wrong with chocolate and cheesecake!
I love every thing about this cupcake. Including that decadent frosting. Yum!
These look incredible! I have a weakness for chocolate chips, cupcakes and cheesecake so this is all my fave’s all in one bite! 🙂
Thanks Jennifer! And thanks for all the twitter love too 🙂
I am sooo on board with your frosting ratio, Aimee!
It’s a good plan. I know 🙂
A break from pumpkin? What??? Haha! I have a non pumpkin recipe for Thursday too, so I get it 🙂 You know I love your cupcake to frosting ratio so much! And I love the extra chips on top!!!
Thanks girl. Don’t worry, pumpkin will be back soon. I do have a case of 24 cans to use 🙂
These look almost too pretty to eat…almost. 😉
hi…. those are lovely cupcakes…. I just wanna ask, what if I don’t want to use coffee? Can I replace it with another ingredient? thanks 🙂
You can use water. The coffee doesn’t change the flavor of the cupcakes, it just enhances the chocolate. But if you absolutely don’t want to use it, just replace with an equal amount of water!
I absolutely disagree with the flavor of coffee not coming through in the chocolate. It does come through and I don’t particularly care for the taste of the coffee in my cake!
These are GORGEOUS!
Thanks Dorothy!
That frosting looks like I want to just eat it with a spoon! Mmmm, so good! And mini chips in frosting sounds great to me!
Thanks Averie! Mini chips make everything better 🙂