Chocolate Cream Cups

These little treats were staples of a dessert catering business I ran with a friend in the 80s. The star of the business was a cheesecake recipe handed down from my mom, but we expanded to include baked goods culled from our own families, or from published baking books. These mini-cupcakes (also from my mom) were one of our most requested items, and mega-popular with friends and family.

I haven’t made these in quite a few years, but having just gone through (and still going through) a life changing event, I felt the need to bake something that takes me back to my roots. So for me these are special. But for you, these will just be a delicious, scrumptious, little treat that you can add to your own family’s recipe box.

They are super easy to make, but they do require mini-cupcake pans and papers so plan ahead. The recipe makes about four dozen, but doubles easily. When I made them this week, I doubled it to have enough for gifts, and they freeze perfectly (actually, they are fabulous eaten straight from the freezer — try it!).

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy New Year!

Stay warm, eat well, be happy.

Chocolate Cream Cups

Cream Cheese Mixture:

1 8oz package cream cheese (softened)

1 egg

1/3 C sugar

1/8 t salt

6 oz package chocolate chips

Whip first four ingredients together until creamy, then stir in chocolate chips. Set aside.

Chocolate Mixture:

1–1/2 C AP flour

1 C sugar

1 C water

1/3 C neutral vegetable oil

1 TB apple cider vinegar

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1/4 C Hershey’s cocoa

1 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°

Beat all chocolate mixture ingredients until smooth.

Place mini-cupcake papers in tins. Fill each tin with chocolate mixture approximately 1/3 full. Then add about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese mixture on top.

Bake 15 minutes. Remove pan to rack to cool completely before removing individual cupcakes.

Store in refrigerator or freeze.