How to Bake Chocolate Filled Valentines Day Cupcakes

Valentine's Day is a day for love. So why not show your family how much you love them by whipping up a batch of these delicious chocolate filled cupcakes. Or you could kiss up to your co workers by bringing these tasty treats to work with you. Your co workers will be in awe of how much you care for them by bringing them something made from scratch and with your own two hands.

Things You'll Need

• 3 Cups of all purpose flour
• 2 Cups of sugar
• 2/3 Cups of Hershey's Cocoa
• 2 Teaspoons of baking soda
• 1 Teaspoon of salt
• 2 Cups of water
• 2/3 Cups of vegetable oil
• 2 Tablespoons of vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons of vanilla extract
• 1 8 Ounce package of softened cream cheese
• 1/3 Cup of sugar
• 1 Egg
• 1/8 Teaspoon of salt
• 1 Cup of Hershey's Semi Sweet Chocolate Chips or Mini Chips
• 3 3/4 Cup of sifted confectioner's sugar
• 4 Tablespoons milk
• 2 Teaspoons of vanilla extract
• 1/2 Cup of softened butter
• Red or pink liquid food coloring

Instructions

Cupcakes

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.

3. Add the water, oil, vinegar, and vanilla into the flour mixture and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes or until it is well mixed.

4. Fill paper-lined muffin tins 2/3 full with batter.

5. Take the 1 level tablespoon of filling and spoon it into the center of each cupcake.

6. Bake the cupcakes for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the cake portion comes out clean.

7. Let cool. Yield 2 1/2 dozen cupcakes.

8. Ice the cupcake using the icing recipe from section 3. Be sure that cupcakes have completed cooling before icing them.

Filling

1. Combine the cream cheese, sugar, egg and salt in a small mixing bowl, beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

2. Stir in the chocolate chips.

3. Add 4-5 drops of red food coloring to the mix and stir well.

Icing

1. Beat in a large mixing bowl the butter with an electric mixer on low speed for about 30 seconds or until light and airy.

2. Add the sugar, milk and vanilla to the butter and beat that mixture on low speed for about one minute.

3. Turn the mixer to medium speed and continue beating until the frosting is fluffy or for about one minute.

4. Drop in the food coloring a couple of drops at a time while beating the mixture, until you get the color you desire.

Tips & Warnings

• For frosting that is too thin add more confectioner sugar one tablespoon at a time until you get your desired consistency.

• For frosting that is too thick add more milk one tablespoon at a time until you get your desired consisency.

• Yield 3 cups of icing.