Chocolate Cupcake w/ Chocolate Cream Cheese Filling

This cupcake recipe is perfect fodder for a creative imagination, since the filling can be adjusted to suit all sorts of holiday or theme party preferences. For example, you can add 4-5 drops of red food coloring for Valentine's Day or Christmas. Or, you can add 2 teaspoons grated orange peel, 4 drops yellow food coloring and 3 drops red food coloring to the filling for Halloween. Try your own variations and see what you can come up with! And as always, feel free to share them below:

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup cocoa
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups water
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips or mini-chips

Directions:

For the filling, combine cream cheese, sugar, egg and salt in small mixing bowl; beat until smooth and creamy. Stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

For the cupcake batter, preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla; beat on medium speed 2 minutes or until well combined. Fill paper-lined muffin cups (2 1/2 inches in diameter) 2/3 full with batter. Spoon 1 level Tbsp. filling into the center of each cupcake. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in cake portion comes out clean. Cool and serve. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes.