Recipe for Surprise Cupcakes

 Surprise Cupcakes

1 package chocolate cake mix
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1/3 cup sugar
dash of salt
1 egg
1 cup of chocolate chips (mini's work well)

Prepare cake mix according to directions. Place paper liners in muffin tins. Fill each 2/3 full with batter.

Beat cream cheese and sugar together, then mix salt and eggs. Add chocolate chips and stir well.

Drop one rounded teaspoon of cheese mixture into batter of each muffin cup.

Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes or until done.

Cool and frost with chocolate cream cheese frosting (my favorite recipe follows).

Makes about 26-30 cupcakes

I was given this recipe from my Sister-in-law, Jenn.
Upon further inspection, I had also been given this recipe about 2 years ago from my friend Heidi. It had been lost in my recipe archives....so glad that Jenn reintroduced it as it is now a family favorite! Thanks girls!!!

My Favorite Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

• 1 8 oz package cream cheese at room temperature
• 1/4 C butter (1/2 stick) at room temperature
• 4 C sifted powdered sugar (You can decrease this amount if you don't care about it being as stiff for piping)
• 1/2 C cocoa powder

1. Mix cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
2. Mix in powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
3. Mix in cocoa powder.

To cover this many cupcakes with as much frosting as I did in the picture you will have to double this recipe! I then filled up a ziplock baggie, cut a diagonal snip on one of the corners and piped away! I made sure the frosting was REALLY thick so that it would stay like that!

When they are all finished and cool, store them in the fridge....they are even yummier that way!