Cream Cheese - Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

The cheesecake like topping bakes right into the cupcake so you can decide whether or not frosting is required!

Makes about 18 cupcakes

FOR THE CHOCOLATE BATTER:

1 1/2 cups unsifted all-purpose flour

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

1/4 cup unsifted unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup water, at room temperature

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 1/4 teaspoons distilled white vinegar

FOR THE CREAM CHEESE - CHOCOLATE CHIP TOPPING

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened at room temperature

1 extra-large egg, at room temperature

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

1. Lightly butter and flour eighteen muffin cups or line them with paper liners; set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt and baking soda into a large mixing bowl. Whisk together the water, oil, vanilla and vinegar in a small bowl. Make a large well in the sencer of the dry ingredients, pour in the liquid ingredients and stir both together with a whisk until a batter if formed. Fill each muffin cup a little more than half full with batter.

3. For the topping, beat the softened cream cheese with egg, sugar and vanilla in a small bowl, using a hand-held beater. Blend well for 2 minutes, then stir in the chocolate chips. Spoon a heaping Tablespoon of topping on top of each cup of chocolate batter.

4. Bake the cupcakes on the lower-third-level rack of the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until nicely risen; a wooden pick inserted into the center of a cake should come out clean and dry.

5. Let the cakes stand in the tins on the wire rack for 1 minute and then remove them to a second cooling rack.

6. Serve the cupcakes at room temperature.

From Country Cakes by Lisa Yockelson