chocolate surprise cupcakes with "perfectly chocolate" chocolate frosting

Oh my, this is a good cupcake...the best in all the world.  My mom made this cupcake when I was a little girl and it was always my very favorite.  Somehow she got the "surprise" to stay in the middle (I think I'm pretty generous with the surprise!)

chocolate surprise cupcakes (my mom)
Mix together:
3 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
Add:
2/3 cup oil
2 cups water
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla


Fill cupcake papers 2/3 full of above mixture (I filled 1/2 full).
Mix together until fluffy:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 egg
1 package chocolate chips
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt


Drop one heaping teaspoon of cream cheese mixture into each cupcake (I dropped 1 tablespoon!).  Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.  Frost with chocolate frosting when cool. (I was able to make 32 cupcakes.)


"perfectly chocolate" chocolate icing (Hershey's)
1 stick butter
2/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


Melt butter.  Stir in cocoa.  Alternatley add powdered sugar nad milk, beating with a hand mixer to spreading consistency.  Add small amount of additional milk, if needed.  Stir in vanilla.  Makes about 2 cups frosting.


What I have to say- if you want to frost the cupcakes all fancy like I did, double the recipe!