Black Bottom Cupcakes

Black Bottom Cupcakes are my favorite cupcakes of all time.  A decadent dark chocolate cupcake is filled with a cheesecake/chocolate chip center and topped with pecans.  Make them a day before you plan to serve them, because they're even better the next day!

A 12-oz. bag of chocolate chips is shown, but you will only use half of it.

Black Bottom Cupcakes

Filling:

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/3 cup sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Batter:

3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

2 cups water

2/3 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. vinegar

2 tsp. vanilla

Topping:

Chopped pecans (if desired)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare muffin pan by lining with muffin liners or by spraying with cooking spray.  With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Beat in the egg, sugar, and salt until it is as smooth as possible.  Fold in chocolate chips, and set aside.

In a large bowl (I use a 4 qt.), mix together the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, and baking soda.  Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, and add the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. With a whisk or wooden spoon, mix together the dry with the wet ingredients until well combined.

Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full of batter, and top with a heaping teaspoon of filling onto the center of each cupcake.  If desired, sprinkle filling portion with desired amount of chopped pecans.

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cake portion comes out clean with a toothpick.  Let cupcakes cool in pan for 5 minutes before removing and transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

YIELD:  30 cupcakes

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My mom discovered this recipe after I was an adult, but since it became my favorite cupcake recipe, she always made them for my birthday.  Some of my fondest memories are of going to Mom and Dad's house for my birthday and having these cupcakes for dessert.