Ingredients
For the filling:
1 egg, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, at room
temperature
2 1/4 cups cold water
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
5 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two muffin pans with paper liners.
Beat together the egg, sugar and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes.
Using a spatula, scrape the filling mixture into a pastry bag. Set the filled pastry bag aside.
In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the water, oil, vanilla and balsamic vinegar. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, sugar and salt until evenly blended. Slowly pour the water mixture into the flour mixture, stirring with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth.
The cupcake batter will be quite runny. If your bowl has a spout, you can pour the batter directly into the muffin cups. Fill each lined muffin cup three-fourths full. Do not fill them any fuller than that or there will not be anywhere for the filling to go when the batter rises!
Using one hand to guide the tip and the other to squeeze the top of the bag, insert the tip of the pastry bag into the center of one of the cupcakes. Gently squeeze a small amount of the cream cheese filling into the batter.
Squeeze a small amount into each one.
Sprinkle the top of each cupcake with the chocolate chips.
Put the pans in the oven and bake until a skewer inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean, 26 to 28 minutes.
Remove the pans from the oven. Let the cupcakes cool in the pans for 20 minutes, then lift out the cupcakes and put them directly on the racks. Let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
