Black-Bottom Cupcakes

8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, full- or reduced-fat, at room temperature	beat until smooth	stir	divide into cups	bake for 25 minutes at 350°F (175°C)
⅓ c (65 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 oz (60 g) bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1½ c (210 g) all-purpose flour	sift together	stir just until smooth
1 c (240 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
5 T (30 g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1 t baking soda
¼ t salt
1 c (250 ml) water	mix
⅓ c (85 ml) unflavoured vegetable oil
1 T white or cider vinegar
1 t vanilla extract

Butter a 12-cup muffin tin, or line with paper muffin cups.
For the filling:
1. Beat together the cream cheese, granulated sugar, and egg until smooth.
2. Stir in the chopped chocolate pieces.
3. Set aside.
For the batter:
1. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, brown sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, mix together the water, oil, and vanilla.
3. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir in the wet ingredients, just until smooth. Do not overmix.
Divide the batter among the muffin cups, and spoon a few tablespoons of filling into the center of each cupcake, dividing the filling evenly. The cups will be almost completely full.
Bake for 25 minutes at 350°F (175°C), or until the tops are slightly golden brown and the cupcakes feel springy when gently pressed.

Makes about 12 cupcakes.

Shamelessly stolen from David Leibowitz's The Great Book of Chocolate