These Easy Cream Cheese Filled Cupcakes are such a simple dessert to make! I love the hint of the sweet cream cheese mixture that's in every chocolatey bite!
These cream cheese filled chocolate cupcakes start with a simple mix but add a decadent cream cheese filling, frosting and other toppers to make a cupcake that's out of this world!
Love cupcakes? If yes, then you've got to try these cupcake cones or these amazing Andes Mint cupcakes or our delicious reese’s cupcakes You won't be disappointed.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Each bite is magical! The magic happens when you bite into the tasty pocket of sweet creamy, cheesy goodness stuffed into each cupcake.
- Easy to prepare cupcake recipe that uses a store bought cake mix but tastes homemade!
- Versatile recipe. You can choose any flavor cake mix you desire for the cupcake batter and can easily switch up the fillings or toppings based on your personal taste.
- Crowd-pleasing dessert! These cupcakes are bound to impress at parties, gatherings, or even as a special treat for your family.
Ingredients
With a combination of moist cake and rich, creamy filling, these easy cupcakes are sure to satisfy your cravings.
- Cake Mix and Required Ingredients: In addition to the box of cake mix you also need the ingredients to prepare the cake. This usually includes water, oil, and eggs, but check the box.
- Cream Cheese: You can use plain or flavored cream cheese
- Sugar and Large Egg: Mixed with the cream cheese to sweeten and lighten the mixture.
- Vanilla extract: Vanilla is a universal crowd-pleaser, but feel free to add a teaspoon of your desired extract flavor to your cupcake batter. Use almond, coconut, peppermint, lemon, banana, maple, orange, or rum extract instead, depending on which flavor of cake mix you're using.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: These are optional so you can use them, leave them out, or swap them for caramel, peanut butter, butterscotch, mint or other flavored chips.
See the recipe card below for the exact quantities of each ingredient.
Substitutions and Variations
By experimenting with different ingredients, you'll discover exciting and new combinations and flavors to take your dessert to the next level.
- Vanilla extract: Experiment with fruit-flavored cupcakes, with raspberry or lemon extract instead of vanilla to create a unique combination with a different flavor of cake mix.
- Go Nuts: Add your favorite chopped nuts like peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pecans, walnuts or toasted coconut to the batter or cream cheese filling for added crunch.
- Add Fruit or Fruit Preserves: Add raspberry, strawberry, blueberry or lemon to the cream cheese filling to change up the filling flavor.
- Cake Mix: Chocolate cake mix works best for these cupcakes, but feel free to choose your preferred flavor. There are so many...like red velvet, carrot cake, vanilla, marble and pumpkin spice, just to name a few.
How to Make Cream Cheese Stuffed Cupcakes
These cupcakes are so easy to make that they'll be your go-to dessert for functions or special occasions. Only a few steps and you'll have perfection on your hands.
- Make the cream cheese filling by being the cream cheese, sugar, salt, vanilla, and egg together. If you're adding chocolate chips or mix-ins fold them in here.
- Mix the cake using the package instructions or make homemade chocolate cupcakes from scratch.
- Mix the cake batter until it's smooth and creamy.
- Line the cups in your muffin tin and fill each opening up halfway full with your cake batter.
- Create a small dent in the center and carefully place a spoonful of cream cheese filling into it. You can either let the mixture sink in as it bakes or swirl it in with a knife or toothpick to create a marbled effect.
PRO TIP: Don't add too much filling. It may cause the cupcakes to overflow or the filling to spill out during baking.
- Add sprinkles, a pinch of ground nuts, and one Reeses, Rolo or Caramilk piece into the center of the cream cheese mixture.
- Place a spoonful of batter on top of the cream cheese mixture and bake in the oven.
- Mix together the frosting ingredients while the cupcakes cook.
- Remove the cupcakes the oven and transfer them from the pan to a wire rack. Allow the cupcakes to completely cool before icing them.
- Cover with as much frosting as desired and add a pinch of sprinkles and/or nuts.
- Place a mini peanut butter cup on top and enjoy!
Hint: Always preheat your oven to the recommended temperature to ensure that your cupcakes will bake evenly and rise properly.
If you love recipes like this, you may also enjoy our cream cheese stuffed French toast, Cream Cheese Brownies or our lemon cream cheese pie.
Storage
Wondering how to store these tasty cupcakes? Well folks, read on...
- Refrigerate: Since these cupcakes are filled with cream cheese, they need to be stored in the fridge for up to three days. Place your cupcakes in an airtight container to help maintain their freshness while in the fridge.
- Freeze: Allow the cupcakes to cool completely after baking. Freeze for an hour or two on baking sheet, wrap individually with plastic wrap and place inside resealable freezer-safe bag or airtight container. When you're ready to enjoy your frozen cupcakes, simply remove them from the freezer and let them thaw in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Frost as directed if not already.
Serving Suggestions
These cupcakes are perfect for all types of parties or for anytime you are craving something sweet!
They're cute enough for a kid's birthday party but delicious and elegant enough for adults!
You can serve these cupcake with some of our other favorite desserts found on a dessert tray such as donut hole cake pops or other potluck desserts.
Tips
These cupcakes are super easy to make, but to make your baking experience even better, we're included some tried and true tips.
- To ensure your cupcakes are done, insert a toothpick near the center and make sure it comes out clean (with maybe a crumb or two). This helps you avoid under or over-baking.
- Don't overfill the cupcake liners! Overfilling may cause the cupcakes to overflow while baking.
- Use cream cheese at room temperature. It's easier to work with and creates a smooth and creamy filling,
- Use a piping bag or resealable bag with the corner cut off to create a professional-looking cream cheese filled cupcake, This will help you distribute the frosting evenly and create a neat appearance.
- Allow your cupcakes to cool in the muffin tin for at least 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting and watching frosting melt.
FAQ
In case you have any questions about our cream cheese stuffed cupcakes, here's some frequently asked questions for you to have a look at. If your question isn't listed below, feel free to drop me a line and I'll get back to you.
Cream cheese frosting is a spreadable mixture typically made from cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla extract. It is used to decorate the top of cupcakes and cakes. On the other hand, cream cheese filling is a thicker, less sweet mixture used as an internal layer within cupcakes. It typically contains cream cheese, sugar, an egg, and vanilla extract.
To add filling to already-baked cupcakes, you can use a piping bag fitted with a long, narrow tip. Insert the tip into the center of the cupcake and gently squeeze the filling into it. Alternatively, you can use a sharp knife to create a small hole in the center of the cupcake before filling it with cream cheese mixture. If filling after baking, make sure to leave the egg out of the filling.
Easy Cream Cheese Stuffed Cupcakes Video
I love these cupcakes so much I had to make a video! Check it out below.
More Cupcake Recipes
Do you like cupcakes? Here some recipes you may also like to try.
Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.
Easy Cream Cheese Filled Cupcakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Cupcakes
- 1 pkg (15.25 oz) chocolate cake mix
- ⅔ cup chopped pecans or walnuts To help prevent the cream cheese from sinking and visible on top of cupcakes.
Cream Cheese Filling
- 1 brick (8 oz) cream cheese, softened divided
- 3 tablespoons icing or powdered sugar divided
- 1 large egg white
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ⅔ cup chocolate chips
Frosting
- ½ brick (4 oz) cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 2 tblsp salted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 cups powdered or icing sugar use more if you want frosting to be stiffer
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Using a medium size mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese for a minute or so with the electric hand mixer. Add the vanilla, lemon juice and egg white and beat in till blended (1 minute). Add the icing sugar and beat in. Fold in the chocolate chips. Mixture will be fairly stiff. Place bowl in refrigerator while making the cupcake batter.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line your muffin pan (12 hole) with baking cups or grease with butter and flour.
- Prepare your cake mix according to package directions. Fill baking cups approximately ½ full with your batter. Divide your cream cheese mixture amongst your cupcakes, on top of the batter. Press one Mini Rolo or Mini Reese's piece into the center of the cream cheese mixture if desired.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in cake portion comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool in the muffin pan for 5 or so minutes or until set. Carefully remove the cupcakes to the cooling rack, beginning with the outside muffins and inner muffins last (they take a bit longer to set up).
- Once cupcakes are cool, prepare frosting by blending ingredients together using your electric mixer.
- Frost cupcakes and top with a mini peanut butter cup or rolo and/or sprinkles, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published March 2018. It has been updated with new images and content.
Colleen says
Very good.
Karin and Ken says
I make them every chance I get. All the best. Karin