Cream Cheese Cupcakes

What a strange winter it has been!

It's been much too warm for Rachel and me to ice skate for over a month and, although we are promised temps in the 40's this afternoon, we are home bound this morning waiting for extremely icy roads to melt.

Winter, as you know, always puts me in a baking mood.  While I decide on what to bake this morning, I will share what Rachel and I cooked up last week!

Growing up, these cream cheese cupcakes were a special treat.  My mom's recipe took some planning, since the homemade cake contained Baker's chocolate, which I never seem to have (or the right amount of) on hand.

My aunt shared this recipe in her workplace's cookbook a few years ago, so I gave them a try.  I think the cupcakes are just as delicious with a boxed mix.

I hope you like them, too!

Easy Cream Cheese Cupcakes

1 box chocolate fudge cake mix + (water, oil, and eggs)
1 8 oz. package cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Mix cake mix according to directions on box. Mix softened cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and 1 egg; beat until smooth. Hand-mix in chocolate chips. Fill lined cupcake tins 1/2 full with cake mix and add 1 tsp cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 for 21-25 minutes. Test with toothpick.