Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes with Chocolate Ganache Frosting

Ingredients


1 C all purpose flour
1/2 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
6 T butter, softened
3/4 C sugar, plus 2 T
1 egg, room temp
2/3 C milk, at room temp
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 T mini semisweet chocolate chips
2 T chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
Ganache frosting, recipe follows

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, set aside. Using mixer, cream the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until pale yellow, about 1 minute. Add the egg and stir just until combined. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix together the cream cheese, 2 T sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
Fill prepared cupcake liners with enough chocolate batter to just cover the bottom. Add a dollop of the cream cheese filling to each, then top with remaining batter (cream cheese filling should not be visible).
bake for 17 - 20 minutes. Let cupcakes stand in the pan for 3 min, remove and allow to cool completely on rack.

Chocolate Ganache Frosting

3/4 C semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 C heavy cream
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder, optional

Place heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water, and whisk together the chocolate chips, cream and espresso powder. Continue whisking until chocolate is melted and the mixure is thick, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. You can dip the cupcakes in the ganache or spread it on the tops. This recipe will frost 12 cupcakes, but can be doubled.