Every year the DC Phi Mu Alumnae Chapter has an annual Summer Soirée (in the afternoon mind you — love the event, but soirée is French for evening!) . . .

Anyways, one of the lovely ladies who has been a member longer than I have generously hosts the get together at her house on capitol hill. It’s always so delightful! We have sangria and everyone brings a little something — potluck style! Being at the end of the alphabet I was asked to bring something sweet in addition to a drink.

For my drink I chose to make Iced Wild Berry Zinger Herbal Tea since I knew most everyone else would be bringing alcoholic beverages. And then of course my something sweet was the black bottom cupcakes!

A few things about the Black Bottom Mini Cupcakes before I dive in . . . I am really surprised when I make them how much people like them! I got the recipe from my sister (who got it from the internet – shh 😉 don’t tell anyone – but we made a few adjustments to that recipe anyways). And it’s really my mom and sister who are the master bakers of the family! Case in point — here are the fabulous Passover desserts my sister made this year:

I made these same black bottom mini cupcakes back in February for my “apartment-warming” party — I would say house-warming, but I live in an apartment, so there ya go! (Though really it was a hey-friends-come-and-meet-Ben-party! 😉 ) Those black bottom cupcakes were eaten up then as well! Almost none were left over!

Well, on to the recipe . . .

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Items you will need:

• muffin tins
• paper muffin tin liners or cooking spray

 
Ingredients – For the Cream Cheese Topping:

• 1 (8 ounce) package Neufchâtel cheese, softened
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

 
Ingredients – For the Cupcakes:

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar (from Trader Joe’s)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

The two things I subbed out were the Neufchâtel cheese for regular cream cheese and the white balsamic vinegar from Trader Joe’s for cider vinegar because it’s what I had on hand and my sister said I could because I didn’t want to go buy a whole bottle of vinegar that I would never use for only 1 tablespoon.

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Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Line muffin tins with paper cups OR lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray.

 
Preparing the Cream Cheese Topping:

1. In a medium (or smaller) bowl, Crack the egg and beat it a little bit

2. Beat the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 c. sugar and 1/8 teaspoon salt until light and fluffy.

3. Stir in the chocolate chips

4. Set the bowl aside for later

 
Preparing the Chocolate Cupcakes:

1. In a large bowl, mix together the flour (1 ½c.), the sugar (1c.), cocoa (¼c.), baking soda (1 tsp) and the salt (½ tsp).

2. Make a well in the center and add the water (1 c.), oil (1/3 c.), vinegar (1 tsp) and vanilla (1 tsp). Stir together until well blended.

3. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with the batter

4. Top the chocolate mixture with a dollop of the cream cheese mixture.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 – 30 min.