Starbucks Black Bottom Cupcakes

The cream-cheese filling used here is also available as a standalone recipe: Black-Bottom Cupcake Cream-Cheese Filling.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces (225 g) cream cheese, room temp
• 1/3 cup (80 ml) sugar
• 1 large egg
• dash salt
• 1 small bag milk chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) cocoa
• 3 cups (720 ml) flour
• 2 cups (480 ml) sugar
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) salt
• 2 cups (480 ml) water
• 2/3 cup (160 ml) oil
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) vinegar
• 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (175°C).
2. To make the filling, cream the sugar and cream cheese. Mix in the egg and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips. Set the filling aside.
3. To make the cake batter, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Add the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix well.
4. Fill the cupcake liners a little more than half full with chocolate batter. Drop a generous teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture onto the middle of each.
5. Bake in a 350 degree (175°C) oven for approximately 20 minutes. About 10 minutes into baking, sprinkle some extra chocolate chips on top of each cupcake.