Sweet Treat: Black and White Cupcakes

Does anyone remember the Black and White cookie episode from Seinfeld? What about Sex and the City - you know, the cookie is so good that Carrie forgot to have kids??

This isn't a cookie - but it is delicious and different. I made these for the clinic staff this Valentine's Day.

Ingredients for 12 cupcakes:

Cream Cheese Layer:

8 oz cream cheese softened

1/4 c sugar

1 large egg

Cake Layer:

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 c sugar

1/4 c plus 1 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1 t baking soda

1/2 t salt

1/2 c water

1/3 c vegetable oil

1 large egg

1 t vanilla

1/2 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 F, line 12 muffin cups with the liner of your choice.

Prepare cream cheese layer: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Beat in sugar and egg until well blended.

Prepare cake layer: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, beat the water, oil, egg, and vanilla. Add to flour mixture and mix until just blended. Stir in 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups half full of cake mixture. Using the remaining cake batter and all of the cream cheese mixture, spoon equal amounts on top - creating a half chocolate-half cheesecake layer. Sprinkle the tops with chocolate chips.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until tester is inserted and comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.