Black-Bottomed Cupcakes

I love cupcakes. It would be unhealthy if I had easy and/or constant access to them, but since I don't, I'm safe. What's fun about cupcakes is that they're like cakes...for your hand! So cool.

These cupcakes are really dense and almost just as rich, so they're probably not your third grade class birthday party cupcakes, but they're still really good.

I got it from Smitten Kitchen, and since I'm feeling lazy and don't really have anything to add to her instructions, I'll just post it right in here.

Black-Bottomed Cupcakes

from Smitten Kitchen

Yield: 12 full-size or approximately 30 mini cupcakes

For the filling: (It was more like a topping for me, but it's still tasty)

8 ounces cream cheese, regular or reduced fat, at room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

For the cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

5 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1/3 cup unflavored vegetable oil

1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the filling: Beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg until smooth. Stir in the chopped chocolate pieces. Set aside.

Make the cupcakes:

1. Adjust the rack to the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 12-cup muffin tin, or line the tin with paper muffin cups.

2. In a medium bowl sift together the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix together the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla.

3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients, stirring until just smooth. Stir any longer and you will over mix the batter and end up with less-than-tender cupcakes.

4. Divide the batter among the muffin cups. Spoon a few tablespoons* of the filling into the center of each cupcake, dividing the filling evenly. This will fill the cups almost completely,** which is fine.

5. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the tops are slightly golden brown and the cupcakes feel springy when gently pressed. These moist treats will keep well unrefrigerated for 2 to 3 days if stored in an airtight container.

Two notes:

* If you choose to go mini for these, keep the filling at a tablespoon or less, lest you run out, as, ahem, someone else may have.

** Though I’ve only made this recipe one, and therefore don’t think you should take my input as absolute authority, I’ve got to advise against actually letting these guys fill up. Not an issue if you’re going full-size, but if you go mini, aim for 90 percent full.