Easter Dessert Goes Browniebabes!

I've done a little post editing - I pulled these brownie cupcakes out of the Easter Post and gave them their own entry, and I'll tell you why!

I stumbled across Once Upon a Tart yesterday, and she's hosting a food-blog event - Brownie Babe of the Month. Considering I made these this month, and we really adored them, I thought I'd submit them to her. Wish me luck! :)

The cupcakes were a nice mix of creamy cheese and moist chocolatey goodness.


Black-bottom Cupcakes
http://www.leitesculinaria.com/recipes/pdfs/black_bottoms.pdf
By David Lebovitz
From The Great Book of Chocolate

8 ounces cream cheese, regular or reduced fat, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 ounces bitter- or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 ½ all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
5 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa power (not Dutch-process)
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup unflavored vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white or cider vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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

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

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.

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.

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.

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 at room temperature for 2 to 3 days, if store in an airtight container.