A Yum in my Tum Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcake Recipe!

Apparently, my website is turning into a regular food blog!  What can I say; I’ve been enjoying baking and food photography quite a bit.  Don’t worry, I don’t plan on making the switch to a food blog; I enjoy writing about an assortment of topics too much to make a switch.  Besides, I don’t always have the time to cook something new every day.  I don’t know how these food bloggers do it (God bless ‘em)!  Although, with the holidays quickly approaching, I thought what better time than now to start baking!

If you missed my previous recipe posts, all from either the Taste of Home magazine or their Bakeshop Favorites book, feel free to catch up.  My favorite, so far, have been the frosted banana bars.  The frosting is to die for!

Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake
The Best Frosted Banana Bar Recipe
Easy Peasy Cookie Cupcakes
Peppermint Biscotti with Chocolate Drizzle
Easy Banana Coconut Muffins (this one’s my own recipe)

And here’s another fabulous recipe!  Don’t let all the ingredients scare you; these weren’t hard to make at all.  This is coming from an inexperienced cook, so if I don’t think it’s difficult, then you can trust me.  Of course, I’m not sure I can reference myself as “inexperienced” anymore; I have come a long way in only a couple of months!  And I hate to say this being superstitious and all, but, so far, my end results have been a success every time.  I can’t even begin to explain how excited that makes me!

Anyhow, moving on…

CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE CUPCAKES
(Click here for the PRINTABLE version)

PREP TIME: 30 min. / BAKE: 25 min. + cooling / MAKES: 20 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS:
1 package (8 ounces) of cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups of sugar, divided
1 egg
1 teaspoon of salt, divided
1 cup (6 ounces) of semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/4 cup of baking cocoa
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup of water
1/3 cup of canola oil
1 tablespoon of white vinegar

FROSTING:
3 3/4 cups of confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons of baking cocoa
1/2 cup of butter, melted
6 tablespoons of milk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/3 cup of chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:

1. For filling, in a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup of sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and 1/2 teaspoon of salt until combined. Fold in chocolate chips; set aside.

2. In a bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, remaining sugar and salt. In another bowl, whisk the water, oil, and vinegar; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

3. Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full with batter. Drop filling by heaping tablespoonfuls into the center of each. Bake at 350 degrees for 24-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

4. For frosting, in a large mixing bowl, combine confectioners' sugar, cocoa, butter, milk, and vanilla; beat until blended. Frost cupcakes; sprinkle with pecans. Store in the refrigerator.

So, what do you think? Doable? Feel free to drop me a comment if you try making them; I’d love to hear how they turned out!

On a final note, if you missed my previous post, Parenting like the Parisians, by Jen at Drinking the Whole Bottle, you should definitely check it out.  You may have a little French in you and not even know it!

As a reminder, The PINcentive Blog Hop, goes live tonight at 11:00PM EST, so we hope to see you there! 

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