Stuffed Cupcakes

ValkyrieQueen's Note:

A not so sweet chocolate cupcake with a sweet cream cheese filling. We have made this per the recipe and made numerous tweaks (lemon cupcake- adding a little strawberry preserves to the filling). We have also made this with Hershey's Dark cocoa which made the cupcakes a bit more rich. For those not wanting to cook with butter, margarine is fine. This was originally given as a 'child-friendly' recipe and has never failed to delight.

• Total Time: 35 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 12 cupcakes

• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons nuts, chopped (any are tasty)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Line muffin pan with 12 baking cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, 1/4 cup of sugar, nuts and 1/2 tsp vanilla until well blended (set aside).
4. In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa and baking powder.
5. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy.
6. Stir in egg and 1/2 tsp into the butter/sugar bowl.
7. Stir in about 1/2 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture.
8. Slowly stir in milk until smooth.
9. Stir in the remaining flour and mix until smooth.
10. Spoon about 1 Tbs of batter into each baking cup. Add about 1 tsp of the cream cheese/nut mixture. Finish filling with batter.
11. Bake for 20 minutes - Cool on rack.