These decadent chocolate Halloween Cupcakes are filled with bright orange pumpkin-shaped mini cheesecakes. Each cupcake is topped with a big swirl of chocolate ganache frosting and Halloween sprinkles.
In my last post (published back in 2013), I promised you I'd share a surprising way to use the Mini Cheesecake Pumpkins that I made using silicone molds. Did you have any idea I would stuff these creamy little bites of Halloween goodness into a cupcake? I just know you are going to love these chocolate cheesecakes stuffed with cheesecake.
What's not to love?
Each cupcake is rich and chocolatey and has a cheesecake pumpkin inside.
As soon as I popped the tiny cheesecakes out of the pumpkin molds, their size and shape made me think of all the surprise Halloween cupcakes that you cut into to reveal bats, ghosts, and pumpkins.
All of those Halloween cupcakes are created by making a cake, cutting it into slices, then cutting it into the shape of a ghost, bat, or pumpkin. Then those shapes are arranged in a cupcake tin and cake batter is poured around them. Once baked, the shape inside remains intact and surprisingly also remains moist and tender.
I used that same technique to make these cheesecake-stuffed cupcakes. So, let's get baking!
Ingredients
cheesecake-stuffed chocolate cupcakes:
Mini Cheesecake Pumpkins (recipe, here)
semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
Dutch-processed cocoa - Darker cocoa will give your cupcakes a deeper black color.
hot coffee - The coffee enhances the chocolate flavor. Use weak coffee if you do not want to taste the coffee at all. Use strong coffee to give your cupcakes a mild coffee flavor.
vegetable oil
eggs - It is always best to use room-temperature eggs when making cake batter.
white vinegar
vanilla extract
granulated sugar
bread flour - Definitely use bread flour. If you use all-purpose flour, the cupcakes won't hold together as well. You need the extra gluten in the bread flour to keep the structure of the cupcake.
baking soda
table salt
ganache frosting and decorations:
semi-sweet chocolate
heavy whipping cream
optional: Halloween sprinkles or candy
Supplies
whisk
greaseproof or tin foil Halloween cupcake wrappers
cupcake pan
large pastry bags
optional: food processor
hand mixer
large star pastry tip
Items used to create this project are available on Amazon.com. I earn a small commission when you make a purchase using the links below at NO extra cost to you.
The silicone molds that I used to create my cheesecake pumpkins have been discontinued. I have included links below to some of the silicone pumpkin molds that will work for this recipe. I've also shared links to some fun cupcake wrappers.
Chocolate Candy Molds, Hall...Shop on Amazon
Orange Silicone Pumpkin Hal...Shop on Amazon
Halloween Cupcake Liners - ...Shop on Amazon
Wilton Sprinkles Halloween ...Shop on AmazonInstructions
Make Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes
- Make Mini Cheesecake Pumpkins (click here for the recipe) and keep them frozen until needed.
- When you paint in the green filling, be sure to fill the entire stem area, so that when you cut into the cupcakes you have a nice pumpkin shape.
Make the chocolate cupcake batter.
- Pour finely chopped chocolate and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl.
- Add hot coffee and stir until the chocolate melts.
- Place in the refrigerator to cool for about 20 minutes.
- Once cooled, whisk in oil, eggs, white vinegar, and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Add it to the chocolate bowl and whisk until smooth.
Fill the cupcake liners.
- Place cupcake liners in the cupcake pan.
- Pour a thin layer of batter into each of the cupcake liners.
- Remove the Mini Cheesecake Pumpkins from the freezer.
- Un-mold them, and stick 2 cheesecakes together (put their backsides together) then place them in the center of each cupcake liner.
It is very important that you know which way your cheesecake pumpkins are facing. Later when you cut into a cupcake to reveal the pumpkin, you want to cut across the front, not the side.
Pipe cake batter over mini pumpkin cheesecakes.
- Fill the cupcake liners up over the cheesecake pumpkins. I felt it was easiest to put my batter in a large disposable pastry bag and pipe it into the cups.
- Once all the cups are filled allow them to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
- While you are waiting, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Bake Cheesecake Stuffed Cupcakes
- Bake the cupcakes for 20-22 minutes until they are set around the edges and puffed in the middle.
- As the cupcakes cool, they will sink a bit in the center.
- Allow them to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, make the chocolate ganache frosting.
Make chocolate ganache frosting.
- Place chopped chocolate in the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse until the chocolate is fine crumbs.
- Heat heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- Stir often until it just comes to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, put the lid on the food processor bowl, and let sit for 2-3 minutes.
- Pulse for 3 seconds.
- Remove the lid and scrape down the sides and bottom of the food processor bowl.
- Return the lid and pulse for 5 more seconds or until the mixture, which is called ganache, is smooth.
- Don't over-mix your ganache or it will turn grainy as it sets up.
No food processor? Use this microwave method.
A food processor makes easy work of creating a chocolate ganache. If you don't have one there is another way to make your chocolate ganache frosting.
- Finely chop your chocolate and put it in a microwave-safe mixing bowl.
- Boil cream as above and pour over chocolate and let sit for 2-3 minutes.
- Use a whisk to create an emulsion.
- Begin by stirring just in the center of the bowl, then slowly bring the whisk out to the edge of the bowl.
- Stir just until combined and the ganache is smooth.
- If you have chunks of chocolate remaining, place the entire bowl in the microwave and heat on high for 10 seconds.
- Stir until melted.
Whipping your Ganache Frosting
- Pour ganache into a mixing bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, then remove and stir.
- Refrigerate for 15 more minutes.
- Then use an electric mixer to beat the ganache until it's lighter in color.
- The frosting will not hold stiff peaks at this point, it should fall off the beaters.
- Allow it to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes, but no more.
- Beat for 5 more seconds and it should now hold stiff peaks (right photo.)
If you have more time and patience, you can simply allow your chocolate ganache to cool at room temperature. Keep an eye on it so that you can whip it just as it starts to thicken.
Pipe Frosting onto Cupcakes
- Immediately spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Pipe big swirls over cooled cupcakes.
This frosting is rather stiff and will actually harden slightly much like a chocolate truffle. You can easily bite into it and it has an intense chocolate flavor, but it is not soft like a buttercream-style frosting.
Decorate your cupcakes.
- Decorate with Halloween sprinkles or candy, if desired.
- I found it helpful to just sprinkle the front side of each cupcake. That way when I went to cut into them, I knew which direction the pumpkin would be facing.
Storage
- Keep your cupcakes stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Allow them to come to room temperature before serving so that the ganache frosting and the cheesecake are smooth and creamy and will melt in your mouth.
When you cut into them, use a sharp knife to cut across the front of the cupcake about ¼th of the way into the cupcake for the best results.
These pumpkin-stuffed cupcakes would also make a wonderful Thanksgiving dessert. Just decorated them with fall-colored sprinkles or candies instead.
Variations
You can make green Christmas tree cheesecakes and stuff then inside chocolate cupcakes. Add a swirl of green frosting and decorate the frosting to look like a Christmas tree using nonpareils and a gold star sprinkle.
Related Recipes
Check out my Vampire Cupcakes, Werewolf Cupcakes, and Black Cat Cupcakes.
Be sure to check out all the Halloween recipes here on Hungry Happenings.
Recipe
This recipe was originally published on September 19, 2013
Creamy pumpkin-shaped cheesecakes are stuffed inside the most amazing chocolate cupcake topped with a swirl of chocolate ganache frosting and Halloween sprinkles.
- 3 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 ounce Dutch-processed cocoa (approximately ⅓ cup)
- ¾ cup hot coffee*
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup bread flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 22 mini pumpkin cheesecakes
- 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate finely chopped
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- optional: Halloween sprinkles or candy
-
Pour finely chopped chocolate and cocoa powder into a large mixing bowl.
-
Add hot coffee and stir until chocolate melts.
-
Place in the refrigerator to cool for about 20 minutes.
-
Once cooled, whisk in oil, eggs, white vinegar, and vanilla extract.
-
In a separate bowl whisk together the sugar, flour, baking soda, and salt.
-
Add it to the chocolate bowl and whisk until smooth.
-
Place cupcake liners in cupcake pan.
-
Pour a thin layer of batter into each of the cupcake liners.
-
Remove the Mini Cheesecake Pumpkins from the freezer.
-
Un-mold them, and stick 2 cheesecakes together (put their backsides together then place them in the center of each cupcake liner making sure all the pumpkins are facing the same direction. (Mark your pan so you know which way they are facing.)
-
Fill the cupcake liners up over the cheesecake pumpkins.
-
Once all the cups are filled allow them to sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes.
-
While you are waiting, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
-
Bake the cupcakes for 20-22 minutes until they are set around the edges and puffed in the middle.
-
As the cupcakes cool, they will sink a bit in the center.
-
Allow them to cool completely.
-
Place chopped chocolate in the bowl of a food processor.
-
Pulse until chocolate is fine crumbs.
-
Heat heavy whipping cream in a small saucepan over medium heat.
-
Stir often until it just comes to a boil. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, put the lid on the food processor bowl, and let sit for 2-3 minutes.
-
Pulse for 3 seconds.
-
Remove lid and scrape down the sides and bottom of the food processor bowl.
-
Return lid and pulse for 5 more seconds or until the mixture, which is called ganache, is smooth.
-
Pour ganache into a mixing bowl and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, then remove and stir.
-
Refrigerate for 15 more minutes.
-
Then use an electric mixer to beat the ganache until it's lighter in color.
-
Immediately spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip and pipe big swirls over cooled cupcakes.
-
Add sprinkles on top if desired.
Store your chocolate cheesecake-stuffed cupcakes in an airtight container for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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Marsha says
I absolutely ADORE all you posts and have used many of your ideas with great results! Thank you so much for all your hard work and you generosity in sharing your amazingly creative ideas!
I REALLY want to make your cheesecake stuffed cupcakes but the pumpkin mold that you used is no longer available. Could you tell me the dimension of the pumpkin part of the mold so I can attempt to find a similar sized mold?
Thank you in advance for you assistance.
😊
Beth says
Hi Marsha,
Thank you so much for the kind words. I am so happy you have made some of my recipes. The mold I used is approximately 2 inches across. I have seen similar pumpkin molds sold at craft store. Wilton still has some pumpkin molds that are similar in size and shape to the mold I used. You can find them on amazon here - https://amzn.to/2CggoHx
Vanessa says
Hello! These cupcakes look so awesome! Is there anything else that would take the pumpkin shape instead of cheesecake inside the cupcake?
Beth says
You can bake little cakes or cookies in the mold instead of the cheesecake.
Anonymous says
Dear Beth,
What a great idea!!! I live all the way in the Netherlands, and Halloween is getting more popular here every year. So I was looking for some good recipies... great website of yours.... with much more ideas than just Halloween.
Glad I've found you, thanks for explaining everything, there's a lot I want to trie!
Happy Halloween and greets from Holland,
Michelle
beth says
Hi Michelle, I'm so happy you are enjoying my Halloween ideas. I visited the Netherlands this summer and had a wonderful time. We traveled there with our German exchange student and her father and they were great tour guides. I can't wait to go back.
I love that Halloween is becoming more popular in other parts of the world. It is such a fun holiday!
Enjoy,
Beth
Emily Nadeau says
Would it work to just put one pumpkin cheesecake in the middle instead of two?
beth says
Yes, Emily, it will work, you just need to cut directly in the middle of the cupcake to be sure you see a nice shaped pumpkin. Also you'll make probably one fewer cupcake, maybe even two.
Cyndi says
Can I use a no bake cheesecake recipe for the cheesecake that goes inside the cupcakes?
beth says
I have not tried that before, but would think it the cheesecakes are frozen, they should hold their shape in the oven. I would probably make the cheesecake without whipped topping (Cool Whip) just use cream cheese, sugar or powdered sugar and vanilla. You could also use marshmallow cream in place of the sugar. I just don't know how well whipped topping would do in the oven. It's usually in the no-bake cheesecakes just to give them volume anyway, and wouldn't be needed in these.
Good luck. I'd love to hear how it turns out.
Vera Zecevic says
What a great idea! i love that adorable mini pumpkins baked inside yummy cupcakes.
I've featured this recipe on my blog, hoping that you don't mind, but if you do, please contact me and I'll remove it. All the best.
beth says
Thanks for featuring these cupcakes on your blog. I appreciate you sharing them with your readers. Have a sweet day!
Anonymous says
The first commenter said it all: you are blowing my mind!
The Cake Lovers says
Chocolate cake is the best cake ever. Beside Vanilla.
Prairie Echoes says
Wow. I absolutely need to make these cupcakes. A friend of mine and I have a YouTube vlog based around cooking interesting things...we should attempt this!
beth says
I'd love to see a video tutorial for these. If your friend does one, let me know and I'll link up to it.
elisabeth says
In the process of making these cupcakes right now! Those cheesecake pumpkins were absolutely heavenly.
beth says
Oh, I'm so happy to hear you say that. Wait until you try the entire cupcake. I'm sure you will love the. Be sure to snap some pictures. I'll share them on Facebook and in my readers' gallery. Have fun!
Anonymous says
Wow..!! Totally mouth watering. I just can't control myself. These are really so beautiful. Reading this I feel they are easy to make also but will get to know when i will try actually. 😛 This is the best Diwali gifts idea. Would like to make this for my family this year. Thank you so much for this delicious post. 😉
ingrid@nowathomemom says
WOW! I am really impressed with your cupcakes! thanks so much for taking time to write all about it! they look delicious and perfect! 🙂
visiting from Krista's Halloween link party! 🙂