Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes

Really can't go wrong with cupcakes.  Especially if they're chocolate.  Throw a little cream cheese in the middle and you've got a perfect grab-and-go treat to celebrate any occasion--small or big.

I like these cupcakes because they are extremely appealing to both the eye and the palate.  The dollop of cream cheese filling in the middle of the cake is pretty enough that you don't need to decorate the dessert with frosting, as you would with most cupcakes.  The flecks of chocolate in the cream cheese from the mini chocolate chips provide a nice color contrast and speckled design to the creamy white center.

The cream cheese filling also provides a slight savory flavor dichotomy compared to the sweetness of the surrounding chocolate cake.  The dense filling in the center pairs well with the airy cake on the outside.  Overall, the contrasting aspects of this dessert work well together to create a tasty treat for any cupcake lover!

Filling Ingredients

Cupcake Ingredients

Filling Mixture

Cupcake Mixture

Hollowed Out Close Up

Hollowed Out Not So Close

Filled with Cream Cheese Filling-Before Oven

Done!

Cut in Half

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes
Filling:
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
1 large egg
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cupcakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped, melted, warm
1/2 cup whole milk

1.) Filling: Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in medium bowl.  Add egg, sugar, salt and vanilla and beat until almost smooth.  Fold in chocolate chips

2.) Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line standard muffin pan with 12 paper liners

3.) Whisk first 5 Ingredients in small bowl.

4.) Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy.  Beat in eggs, stir in vanilla and chocolate.  Beat on high speed for 5 seconds.  Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk.  Beat on high for 5 seconds.

5.) Divide batter among cups filling 1/3 full. Using tablespoon, hollow out center of each cupcake.  Place one heaping tablespoon of cream cheese filling in each center.

6.) Bake cupcakes until toothpick inserted into center (but not cream cheese filling) comes out clean, about 20 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes in pan.  Remove from pan, cool completely on rack.