I think I've finally

come up with a good compromise with my chocolate cream cheese cupcakes.  I've always loved the taste, but have never loved how they usually sunk in the middle.  For my own benefit, I am writing exactly what I used to make them work and also display well.

First  of all, I bought higher wrappers at a restaurant supply store.

This helped them to rise more evenly and not create a muffin top.

(6"  2 1/4 high x 1 7/8 high)

I filled them 2/3 full (in the actual muffin tin, not 2/3 up in the wrapper).  Then I put about a tablespoon of the filling in each one.  It is smart to start with smaller amounts of the filling, because you can always add more But, it is hard to take filling out of the cupcake batter if you run out before all the cupcakes have filling.

As I was 6x the recipe, Gary came into the kitchen and I asked him to please leave, as he was making me nervous.   He claimed it was the other way around, but gladly left.

Then the one other change I made was to add 1/4 more cup flour than I have been using before.

Here is adapted recipe:

Chocolate Cream Cheese Cupcakes  Yield:  34 cupcakes

~~ -- FILLING -- ~~

8 ounce cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

~~ -- BATTER -- ~~

2 cups Sugar 

2 cups Flour
3/4 cup Hershey's cocoa
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon Baking powder
1 teaspoon Salt
2 Eggs
1 cup Buttermilk or sour milk
1 cup Boiling water
1/2 `cup Vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Vanilla

1.  For filling, in a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs until combined. Fold in chocolate chips; set aside.  2. For Cake stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Add eggs, buttermilk, boiling water, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes (batter will be thin).  Pour batter in prepared tins (approximately 1/2 full) 3.  Drop 1 Tablespoon of filling into each cupcake.  4.  Bake at 350 for 17 to 19 minutes.   Let cool before frosting.  5.  When cool, frost with chocolate frosting.                                             

~~ -- Chocolate Frosting –

1 cup Butter ; (2 sticks)
5 tablespoon Hershey's Cocoa
5 cups Powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 cup Milk ; (can use evaporated)