Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Filling

These are the most delicious cupcakes you will ever taste. I adapted the recipe from "Black Bottom Cupcakes" in the book, Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey, by Jill O'Conner.

Ingredients:
Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Batter:
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup boiling water
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract

Chocolate Glaze:
1/2 cup store-bought chocolate frosting
miniature chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper cupcake liners.
For Filling:
With an electric mixer, cream together the cream cheese and egg. Gradually add the powdered sugar. Mix in the salt and vanilla.
For batter:
Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt in a large bowl. Combine the boiling water, oil, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, and pour in the wet ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Fill each cupcake liner about 1/4 inch full of batter. Then, top with about 1 tablespoon of the filling. Top with the remaining batter, and bake for about 25-28 minutes.

Heat the chocolate frosting in a microwave safe bowl for about 45 seconds, or until melted. After cupcakes have cooled completely, spoon the melted frosting onto the top of each cupcake. Spread a handful of chocolate chips on a plate, and dip each glazed cupcake into the chocolate chips. Serve or refrigerate immediately to prevent the chocolate chips from melting.

Source:
O'Conner, Jill. Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 2007. Page 44.