Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes

From the March 2009 issue of _Bon Appetit_ as reprinted by Grace Kang at the Serious Eats site. Ms Kang notes that the recipe actually makes too much, by more than a third. If you have an extra cupcake tin, consider prepping it and making 15-18 cupcakes out of this recipe, rather than trying to force 12 and making a mess when they overflow the cups.

• Ready In: 30 mins
• Serves: 12-18

Ingredients

• Filling

• 1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese
• 1  large egg
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1⁄4 cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Cupcakes

• 1  cup all-purpose flour
• 3  tablespoons  unsweetened cocoa powder, heaping
• 3⁄4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄8 teaspoon baking soda
• 3⁄4 cup sugar, plus
• 2  tablespoons sugar
• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
• 2  large eggs
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3  ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped melted and kept warm
• 1⁄2 cup 2% low-fat milk

Directions

1. Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in medium bowl. Add egg, sugar, salt, and vanilla and beat until almost smooth. Fold in chocolate chips. Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F Line standard muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until fluffy. Beat in eggs. Stir in vanilla and melted chocolate; beat at high speed 5 seconds. Beat in flour mixture alternately with milk. Beat on high for 5 seconds to blend.
3. Divide batter among cups, filling 2/3 full. Place 1 heaping tablespoonful cream cheese filling in each center and swirl with a toothpick.
4. Bake cupcakes until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean (disregard cream cheese filling that sticks to the toothpick), about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove from pan; cool completely on rack.