Okay, so I’ve been craving cupcakes lately, the kind that just hits the spot, you know? I decided to whip up some chocolate cream cheese cupcakes, and let me tell you, it was a journey. I didn’t want to go full homemade from scratch, so I thought, why not use a box mix? Best decision ever.
First things first, I grabbed my favorite chocolate cake mix from the pantry. I always have one lying around for baking emergencies. Then, I preheated the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit like the box instructed. While the oven was heating up, I lined my muffin tins with some cute paper liners. I got these ones with little hearts on them, super adorable.
Next up, the cream cheese filling. This is where the magic happens. I took a block of cream cheese, softened it up a bit – you don’t want it cold or it’ll be clumpy. No one wants lumpy cream cheese, right? In a bowl, I mixed the cream cheese with some sugar, an egg, and a splash of vanilla extract. I just eyeballed the vanilla, honestly. I mixed it all up until it was smooth and creamy, like a sweet cloud.
- Grab your favorite chocolate cake mix.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line muffin cups with paper liners.
- Mix softened cream cheese with sugar, egg, and vanilla.
Now for the cake batter. I followed the instructions on the box mix. Usually, it’s just adding eggs, oil, and water. Easy peasy. I mixed it all up until it was just combined. Overmixing is a no-no, it makes the cupcakes tough. We want fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth goodness.
Bringing It All Together
With both the batter and filling ready, it was time to assemble. I filled each liner about halfway with the chocolate batter. Then, I scooped a dollop of the cream cheese mixture right in the center. I topped it off with a little more chocolate batter, just enough to cover the cream cheese. You want that surprise in the middle!
I popped them in the oven and baked for about 18-20 minutes. The box mix usually has the time on it, but I always check with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, they’re done!
Once they were out of the oven, I let them cool in the tin for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. Patience is key here, but it’s so hard when they smell this good.
Finally, once they were completely cool, I whipped up a quick chocolate frosting, because why not? You can totally use store-bought, I won’t judge. I slathered that on top and added some sprinkles for fun. And voila, chocolate cream cheese cupcakes made with a box mix, but tasting like a million bucks!
They were a hit! Everyone loved the surprise cream cheese center. And honestly, using a box mix made the whole process so much easier and quicker. I’ll definitely be making these again, maybe with a different flavored cake mix next time. The possibilities are endless!
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