Farm Cakes
Submitted by frick on March 25, 2010 at 3:13 pm

I love these rich and very moist cupcakes with a chocolate chip cheesecake filling. Because they need no frosting, they transport well and keep well (I have never refrigerated them and have taken them to Yosemite where they stayed a couple of days). The recipe was clipped from Bon Appetit many years ago.

Cake
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 tbsp. cider vinegar
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Filling
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 egg, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
6 ounces chocolate chips

1) Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease 2 muffin tins.

Make the Filling
2) In a large bowl with a wooden spoon (or mixer) cream the cream cheese; add the egg, sugar and salt and beat until smooth and thoroughly combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Set aside.

Make the cake
3) Sift together flour, sugar, cocoa, soda and salt into large mixing bowl. Add water, oil, vinegar and vanilla and beat at medium speed until well combined.

Assemble the Farm Cakes

4) Pour the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling about 2/3 full. Spoon 2 tsp of the filling into the center of each muffin cake, pushing it down a little. It does not need to be completely submerged as the cake will rise up around it.

5) Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cakes spring back when lightly touched. Serve warm or at room temperature.