This is another recipe from Stephanie at Joy of Baking. I must admit this is the first site I go to whenever I crave something sweet. Her recipes are very detailed and the cakes or cookies always turn out great so I am one happy costumer:-)

The only change I made to this recipe was to use some caster sugar in cupcake batter because I didn't have enough light brown sugar, I don't think it changed the taste that much. Brown sugar definitely gave it more texture.

Ingredients:

Chocolate cupcakes:

• 210 g (1.5 cup) plain Flour
• 100 g (1/2 cup) Caster Sugar
• 100 g (1/2 cup) light brown Sugar
• 2 tbsp unsweetened Cocoa powder
• 1 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 6 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 240 ml (1 cup) water
• 1 tbsp white Vinegar
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract

Cream cheese topping:

• 227 g (8 ounce) Cream cheese
• 4 tbsp Caster Sugar
• 1 large Egg
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 200 C/Gas mark 6/400 F
• Lightly grease a cupcake tray with a little butter or oil spray

To make cream cheese topping:

• In a large bowl beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.
• Add sugar to the cheese, mix a bit more and then add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth. Cover and set aside.

To make chocolate cupcakes:

• In a large bowl mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt and bicarbonate of soda together. mix until combined.
• In a separate bowl or jug mix the water with oil, vinegar and vanilla extract.
• Mix the wet ingredients with the dry mixture until smooth.
• Pour the batter into cupcake tins until 3/4 full.
• Add a couple of table spoons of cream cheese topping over the cake batter until almost full.
• Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until soft cheese is lightly golden and cupcakes are cooked.
• Leave to cool for 5 minutes before removing the cupcakes from the tray.