—–FILLING—– 8 Ounces Cream cheese — softened
1 Egg
1/3 Cup Sugar
Yellow and red food coloring 6 Ounces Chocolate chips
—–CUPCAKES—– 3 Cups Flour
2 Cups Sugar
1/2 Cup Cocoa
2 Teaspoons Baking soda
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Water
1/2 Cup Plus 2 tablespoons vegetable — oil
2 Tablespoons Cider vinegar
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
Measuring cups and spoons, cupcake baking pans, paper cupcake liners, two small mixing bowls, electric mixer, mixing spoon, large mixing bowl, oven mitts.
Preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake baking pans with paper cupcake liners.
In small mixing bowl, use electric mixer to combine cream cheese, egg and sugar. Blend in 2 drops yellow food coloring and 1 drop red food coloring, adding more coloring if necessary to reach desired shade. Use mixing spoon to stir in chocolate chips; set filling aside.
In large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In second small mixing bowl, combine water, vegetable oil, vinegar and vanilla. Add contents of small mixing bowl to large mixing bowl and stir with mixing spoon to combine.
Using mixing spoon or soup spoon, fill cupcake liners half full with cupcake batter, then place 1 teaspoon filling at center of each. As cupcake bakes, the batter will rise to surround the filling.
Wearing oven mitts, place cupcake pans in oven; bake approximately 25 minutes or until cupcakes test done.
When done, wear oven mitts to remove pan from oven and turn off oven.
If desired, frost with orange icing–or just let the orange filling ooze out as a surprise.