Chocolate Cream Cups

Greetings, Dear CT Readers!

This holiday season sort of crept up on me! We were away in beautiful Hawaii over Thanksgiving (more about that in a later post) and now Christmas is only two weeks away (aaaaahhhhh!). Additionally, Hannukah is happening right now. So I am WAY behind on holiday baking, but starting to catch up with this delicious little recipe. Read on!

Chocolate batter

I’ve been making these Chocolate Cream Cups for as long as I can remember. My mom made them when I was growing up and they became a family and friend favorite. I have no idea where she got the recipe because I’ve seen similar recipes online but this one is definitely a winner. These adorable little cupcakes were also a top seller when my friend, Phyllis, and I ran I Love Cheesecake (local NJ dessert catering company) many years ago. We baked hundreds of these darlings for our customers because, not only are they yummy, but they are bite-sized. 

Cream cheese chocolate chip filling

Mini cupcake tins ready to go!

Ready for baking!

They are easy to whip together, make enough to feed a crowd (one recipe yields approximately four dozen cupcakes but you can easily double the recipe), freeze well (in fact, they are terrific eaten right out of the freezer, not that I would know anything about that...), and really, what more do you need to know except dark, moist chocolate cake with a luscious cream cheese-chocolate chip filling?! Helllooooo! These are a terrific addition to your holiday dessert table and because they freeze so well, you can bake them now (and cross one thing off your baking to-do list). 

Wishing you & yours a happy and bright Hannukah and a very Merry Christmas!

Terry’s Mom’s Chocolate Cream Cups

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine:

1 8oz pkg cream cheese

1 egg

1/3 c. sugar

1/8 t. salt

Whip until creamy; then stir in 6 oz pkg chocolate chips (I use mini chips).

In another bowl, combine:

1-1/2 c. flour

1 c. sugar

1 c. water

1/3 c. oil

1 TB vinegar

1 t. baking soda

½ t. salt

¼ c. Hershey’s cocoa powder

1 t. vanilla

Beat until smooth. Line miniature cupcake tins with gem-size cupcake papers. Fill each muffin tin about 1/3 with chocolate mixture & then spoon about ½ t. cream cheese mixture on top of chocolate.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes.

Makes approx 4-1/2 dozen miniature cupcakes. Store in refrigerator. Cupcakes freeze well (in fact, they are wonderful right out of the freezer...).

“Eat Well, Stay Warm, Be Happy”