Sweet treats: black bottomed cupcakes

I never need an excuse to eat chocolate, but what better reason than Valentine's Day? My mother was recently telling me about cupcakes she made, she got the recipe after a patient brought them in for my brothers office, and I guess he wanted them again. Wait, my Mom made cake from a recipe? Cakes made at home have always been from a box, wow retirement is agreeing with my Mom! When I overheard my nearly 3 year old nephew asking for a cupcake for breakfast, I thought it would be worth a try.

The cream cheese topping is divine, and the chocolate cake is moist and delicious. I may even make a few of these without the topping for a friend of mine with a lactose intolerance.

Recipe:

Topping

8oz cream cheese, softened
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup sugar (I used icing sugar)
1 egg beaten
6oz chocolate chips (I used Cadbury buttons)

Cream together cream cheese, sugar, and salt until well blended
Add egg and beat well
Stir in chips/buttons and set aside

Cake
2-1/4 cups flour
6 TBS cocoa
1-1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups water
1/2 cup oil
1-1/2 tsp white vinegar

Sift dry ingredients
Add water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla and mix well

(mommy's version- cream sugar with wet ingredients, then add flour...)

Fill cupcake liner 3/4 full with chocolate batter, then top with cheese mixture. (Mine overflowed a bit, but my liners were much taller than my cupcake tin, I would do half way with the chocolate cake then a bit of the topping)

Bake at 350degrees for 20 minutes.

Well it's Saturday and the cupcakes are gone, so they must have been good!