Chocolate Cupcakes with Banana-Cream Cheese Filling

I first made these cupcakes as an experimental birthday treat for my roommate Hillary, and now they've become a birthday present staple. I made them for my best friend Tiffany on her birthday, and currently have a batch in the oven for my friend Kristine. The recipe came about as I was stuck babysitting all day and wanted to kill some time. Sooo... what better to do than bake... kids are happy, I'm happy. These cupcakes are chocolatey and rich, with a gooey center made of cream cheese, mashed banana, and chocolate chips. Not the most beautiful things that have ever come out of an oven, but the taste is incomparable. Sprinkle them with a dusting of powdered sugar if you wish, and serve with a cold glass of milk.

Ingredients:

Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1 ripe banana, mashed
1/3 cup white sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup miniature chocolate chips
* if you don't have miniatures choc chips on hand just throw some regular sized chips in a food processor and grind until broken up into smaller pieces

Cake batter:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coffee, cooled or at room temp
* you cannot taste the coffee, it just brings out the flavor of the chocolate. You can substitute water if you like.
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Begin by placing the cream cheese in a bowl on the counter, and allow it to soften for a couple hours at room temperature. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a cupcake pan with foil liners. 

*I recommend using liners over spraying the pan because the cream cheese mixture can make them difficult to remove.

Once the cream cheese is soft, add the sugar, banana, and the 1/8 teaspoon salt to the bowl. Beat everything together until combined, then stir in the chocolate chips. Set aside. 

Now make the cake batter. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in the center of the bowl and pour in the coffee, vegetable oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix everything together until evenly blended.

Fill the muffin tins 1/3 of the way full with the batter, then place a big spoonful of the cream cheese mixture over each one. 

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. 

Let cool completely in the pan before removing.

*The cupcakes are best after they have set completely. I recommend making them a day in advance as  they taste best after sitting overnight. Microwave for 15 seconds to warm up before eating. 

A birthday morning is not complete without cupcakes and flowers : )