What could be more delicious than my black and white muffins? Warm from the oven the rich chocolate muffin filled with cheesecake is a great way to say to good morning to loved ones. You can even set them up to bake the night before to make life easier.
Sunday Morning I woke up craving chocolate, I new I must be feeling better! I haven’t made anything for breakfast for the past few weekends so it felt good to get up with enough energy to bake. I try to find recipes that don’t take a lot of time to make, I get up earlier than Lisa and that usually gives me enough time to get something in the oven.
This morning I knew exactly what I wanted to make, years ago one company I worked for had a coffee shop and I had to officially become a Barista to oversee the operation, along with the coffee end of the operation, there were incredible baked goods daily, and one of my favorites was always a black and white muffin! Rich moist chocolate with creamy cheesecake filling….sigh
I haven’t made these in years and couldn’t find my recipe, but did find one from King Arthur’s Flour, and since that is my all time favorite flour, I thought I would give it a try. I have to say that I was not disappointed, the muffins were rich, moist and oh so chocolaty, the perfect base for my cheesecake filling.
I would recommend mixing the dry ingredients beforehand. In fact, make two, store them in ziplock bags, date them and then in the morning when you get up it’s almost no work at all to have freshly baked muffins! I did not add the espresso powder to the muffins because I wanted the chocolate flavor to be the focus of the muffin.
If the cream cheese filling isn’t for you, but you’d love a good chocolate muffin this recipe is for you, just add some chocolate chips and walnuts and they come out like brownie muffins. I only made half a batch of the cream cheese filling and made some smaller muffins with white chocolate chips and walnuts, they were delicious, like a cakey brownie!
- 2/3 cup Dutch-process cocoa
- 1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon espresso powder{optional}*
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (8 ounces) milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 teaspoons vinegar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- 2- 8 oz packs of cream cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Line a large muffin pan with paper or use a vegetable spray to coat the cups.
- In the bowl of your mixer, whip the cream cheese until smooth.
- Add the eggs, vanilla and sugar and whip until smooth and creamy.
- Place Cheesecake filling in a pastry bag, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cocoa, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, espresso powder, salt.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla and vinegar.
- Add the wet ingredients, along with the melted butter, to the dry ingredients, stirring to blend; don't over mix the muffins, its okay if there are some lumps.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin.
- With your pastry bag full of cheesecake filling, place the tip of the pastry bag into the top of the batter and squeeze in enough to increase the volume of the muffin by about a quarter of the original size.*
- Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Remove the muffins from the oven, and allow to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before serving.
*I did find the muffins a little sweet, which takes away from the chocolate flavor, I would cut back the sugar to one cup. *I didn't add the espresso powder, with the cream cheese filling I wanted the chocolate to be the only other flavor, If I omitted the cheesecake filling I would have definitely used the espresso powder. *you can smooth over the chocolate muffin batter to completely enclose the cheesecake filling or leave it open at the top the way I did.
Delicious! who doesn’t love chocolate and cheesecake together?! I’m glad you’re feeling better and a big cup of coffee with these muffins would be delicious!
Cream cheese is a great addition to muffins, I actually made some pumpkin recently which were supposed to have cream cheese and I thought I’d be smart and use mascarpone…epic fail 🙁 Next time I’ll stick to the cream cheese.
Take care…
I’ve never heard of this muffin. I’m sure glad I like to try new things though! 🙂
This reminds me of my recipe for black bottom cupcakes, which I absolutely love. Your recipe sounds incredible…love the idea of chocolate and cheesecake for breakfast!
These looks fabulous! Love your recipes and blog – such inventive and delicious looking recipes. 🙂
Wow, I have to say, that cheesecake filling looks incredible. Moist and cheesy… and encased in chocolate goodness. I’m going to have to search these out!
Ooh! Filled with cheesecake! I’m in! Looks lovely D! Are there any leftovers?
I love this cream cheese filling…and chocolate for breakfast sounds heavenly. It’d be a special treat in my house 🙂 Hope you’ve had a great weekend!
this looks sooo yummy! thanks for sharing the recipe Chef! i’ll definitely do this sometime 🙂
I do like the flavor combo in these muffins. Funny that we always fill cupcakes-very creative that you decided on filling muffins. This is a must try and I am glad you posted this. Well done.
Ooooo! I’m already thinkin’ Thanksgiving and Christmas morning. 🙂
Wow! What a way to start the day. Lisa is a lucky lady! Glad to hear you’re getting the energy back and way to go with these cheesecakey muffin winners.
These would go so great with the pumpkin-caramel coffee I’m drinking right now. I like the idea about mixing the dry ingredients ahead of time. Do you think the finished product would freeze well or get too dry?
I think if you wanted the cheese filling to stay moist, I would keep it covered, not let any of it show, the air is what’s going to dry it out, but if its fully enclosed it should hold up better.
Oh yeah the creamy filling is for me.
These muffins look so great. I bet they taste even better.
Wow these muffin look so fun and amazing 🙂 I will definitely try this 🙂
The muffins look great.
“If cream cheese filling isn’t for you”..PISH POSH! How could it not be?! This is an AMAZING breakfast…wow. Who wouldn’t want to wake up to these? They are so yummy looking and I am sure they taste even better!
These look delicious, wish I had one right now 🙂
What a decadant breakfast! King Arthur has never let me down yet; I’ll have to try this soon!
These look so delicious!!
Oh my… I love these! Especially the filling! 🙂
Sometimes I look at your recipes and not only are they good as they are but they have a tendency to set me thinking about all kinds of possibilites.
Thank you, that’s a great compliment!
These muffins are just fabulous! Chocolate and cheesecake has to be one of the best combinations ever!
how cool!! love this!
Any day that started with one of these muffins would have to be an awesome day 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe!
These are some fancy looking muffins! I find your notes very helpful- I have been trying to make chocolate muffins/ brownies for a while now but a lot of recipes call for espresso powder which I don’t usually have at home. Now that I have an amazing recipe to turn to, I might never get around to purchasing espresso powder!! 🙂
I’d faint if my hubby had something baking in the oven when I got up 🙂 He’s still a keeper…just much better at dishes than cooking. Your muffins look incredible…the cheesecake filling pushes these over the top. Bravo, my friend~
Who can deny a chocolate muffin right and specially when you fill it with a cheesy filling. Looks so delicious.
Oh I so love cream cheese surprises! Great idea to mix up the dry ingredients to have on hand!
Oooh I may have to borrow this one Chef. I haven’t made a muffin in too long and these look like they could really hit the spot!
Chocolate and cheesecake together… great combo.
these look great… nice pictures as well… i will give them a try over the weekend
Dennis, these sound amazing! Definitely deserving of the top nine that they got! My family loves muffins and well, I am a chocolate addict so I will be trying this recipe for sure! Thanks 🙂
Congrats on the top 9 today! Your muffins look so good, especially with the cream cheese filling. I have filled muffins with jam before, but never cream cheese. thanks for the tip to mix the dry ingredients beforehand. makes for a quicker breakfast!
Oink Oink…I want some !!! trottering around and around in hunger 🙂
Have KIV this mmmm can’t wait for the Piggies to be back so that I can bake these mouthwatering muffins for them. One loves chocolate and one loves cheese so these black and white muffins will suit them both :)Have a nice day Piggy Chef 🙂
Regards,
Elin
Congratulations Chef!
These are so beautiful and the flavors… mmmm…. King Arthur has always been great so I’m glad their recipe worked out for you!
You got my vote! Cheers!
Chef Dennis,
These cupcakes touched my soul!!
J
I’m cheesecake and chocolate obsessed so I just LOVE these muffins. I wish I had one or two of three for breakfast right now. They look incredible! 🙂
Congrats on the nominations and on Top 9! 🙂
thanks Lindsey, and congratulations on your nomination for best baking, you certainly deserve that award!
Okay so I’ve been M.I.A. lately so here goes:
Congrats on your foodbuzz nominations.
Congrats on top 9!
Am in love with this muffin. Gorgeous and tasty is the best combination in my book. Glad you are doing better. I’ve never checked out the King Arthur Flour site before so I now have it bookmarked. Have a great week Chef Dennis!
Now that’s a muffin! Cheesecake in a muffin sounds so extravagant I might have to eat it for dessert.
I am such a sucker for muffins! I can’t wait to try these, they sound amazing! I know my 6 year old will love them too! Voted for you!
Wow, Dennis! These muffins look incredibly delicious, especially with that cheesecake filling! What a wonderful recipe and piece of nostalgia for you. Thanks for sharing!
Chef, I have never seen a black-and-white muffin before and I’m glad you’ve shared a recipe here. I also appreciate the notes you provided regarding your experience in making them.
You are a generous and gifted man…I’m so happy for your double Foodbuzz nominations because they are well-deserved. I’ll be looking for the boxes to tick next to your name on the ballot. Best wishes good man!
Even as a non-chocolate person I am drawn to these because of the cream cheese in the center. They look rich and decadent for sure. I think I’d leave the espresso in there. I love the combination of coffee and chocolate and cream cheese. Fantastic baking, Chef.
these look so decadent…i’m craving some chocolate too 🙂 and I loved the flan and gelato post….do you know I have NEVER had gelato before???? I know, it’s a crime, one might even consider it cruel and unusual punishment…..sending warm wishes your way sweet friend
Congrats on Foodbuzz top 9!
HI Dennis – I can’t decide, brownie muffins or cheesecake filling. Oh goodness. ~ Amazing. Yum. Can’t stop drooling.
deliciously done black and white muffins looks neat
Fresh muffins are my favorite way to wake up! Anyday of the week… congrats on your nominations – already voted for you! x2!
These muffins look awesome. With the cheesecake, I’m thinking they definitely qualify as a dessert for me. (Not that it would stop me from loving them for breakfast!)
I just voted for you in both categories. You are definitely one of my favorite blogs!
thanks for sharing the recipe – looks delicious!!!! You have one for me, of course 🙂 !!!
lovely idea – congratulations !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My kind of breakfast! Wow. Great recipe and how lucky are you guys to enjoy to kick start your day!!!
Cheesecake and chocolate…oh, goodness! Love that combination. BTW, congrats on your nomination! Very exciting. 🙂
Dennis, I just had to “Pin” this to Pinterest….they looks so delicious! My daughter loves cupcakes so this will be fun to make for her and anything that involves cream cheese and chocolate are right up our alley.
Wow-wow-wow…..looks good and I love sweet things for breakfast!
These are super cute! I love black and white cookies. I couldn’t think of a better way to start off the day.
I’ve never seen anything like this before! They look gorgeous!
Very nice..i lovethem..
Oh my goodness… cheesecake filling? You have my heart!! Glad you are feeling better.
It such a nice combination Kim, I hope you give it a try!