Cream-Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

This recipe is a rerun on my food blog, but it's been a couple years since I posted it and I had such a hard time finding it here that I thought I'd repost it.

 I brought these cupcakes to a family get-together on Easter Monday (hence the candy egg-topped frosting) and my father-in-law later said they were the best thing he ever tasted. Ever! He cracks me up. He is either a total brown-noser or he just loves sweets too much! I suspect it's the former, but he does have a sweet tooth.

 The cake part of these cupcakes is a really yummy cake recipe and would be wonderful even without the cream filling. They dome very well for a scratch cupcake and are moist and tender. I find that chocolate cupcakes really are superior to white in the moist and tender department.

 The cream filling part is easy peasy. I fill a decorator bag (with a star tip), and then push a sharp-tipped knife through the cupcake paper on the bottom, stick the point of the bag in and squeeze to the count of three. No need to cut away the cake, the cream just oozes in and makes a little pocket. Lovely!

 The frosting is a soft, chocolate buttercream, just the right topping, but they are also yummy with this Vanilla Buttercream on top.

The recipe makes a lot so they are perfect for a bake sale, scouting get-together, or just a family party!

Chocolate Cream-Filled Cupcakes

makes about 30

3 c. all-purpose flour

2 c. sugar

⅓ c. cocoa

2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 eggs

1 c. milk

1 c. vegetable oil

1 c. water

1 t. vanilla extract

~~~~~

Filling

¼ c. butter, softened

¼ c. shortening

2 c. confectioners' sugar

3 T. milk

1 t. vanilla extract

pinch salt

In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients.

Add eggs, milk, oil, water and vanilla.

Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups half full.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

In a mixing bowl, combine butter, shortening, confectioners' sugar, milk, vanilla and salt; beat until fluffy, about 5 minutes.

Fill a decorator bag, fitted with a star tip, with filling. Slit the paper on the botton of the cupcake just slightly. 

Insert tip and squeeze to the count of three.

Frosting

1/4 c. butter, softened

2/3 c. cocoa

3 c. powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

about 1/3 c. milk

In a mixing bowl, whip butter. Add cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Stir in vanilla. Add small amount additional milk, if needed.

(If you are going to frost cupcakes using a decorator bag and tip,

 you will want to make more frosting -- 1.5 or 2 times the recipe)