Cream Cheese-Chocolate Chip Filled Cupcakes

Nothing says happy birthday like cream cheese and chocolate chip-filled cupcakes with butter cream icing.

INGREDIENTS

Cupcakes

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I like the mini ones)
1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix

Preheat the oven to the temperature recommended on the cake mix package.

Prepare chocolate cake mix according to package directions, but do not bake. In separate bowl cream together cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg until well blended, then stir in chocolate chips.

Line cupcake tins with cupcake papers. Fill 2/3 full with chocolate cake batter. Add 1 teaspoon cream cheese mixture to the center, and top with more cake batter.

Bake according to package directions for cupcakes. Cool and frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  1 pound cream cheese, softened

• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sugar and on low speed, beat until incorporated. Increase the speed to high and mix until very light and fluffy.