Chocolate Filled Vanilla Cupcakes

I got a request this week for some going-away party cupcakes for my mom's work. Of course, everyone requested the Chocolate Xtreme Cupcakes, but my mom is a vanilla-lover so I had to make some of those too.

Well, I thought vanilla on vanilla was too plain, so I searched the web for a chocolate filling that looked like it wouldn't be too sweet or too chocolaty. And I stumble on the below filling recipe from EvilShenanigans.

Now, these only turned out kinda ugly because I spent all my energy on these pretty little things:

Vanilla Cupcakes (from Cupcake Project)
Yield: 16 cupcakes

• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 1 T vanilla bean paste 
• 1 3/4 cake flour 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/4 unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 2 large eggs, room temperature 
• 1/3 cup full-fat sour cream 
• 1/4 cup canola oil 
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract 
• 2/3 cup whole milk 

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. In a small bowl, combine sugar and vanilla bean paste
3. Mix together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Add the vanilla sugar and mix until well combined.
5. Add butter and mix on medium-low speed for three minutes.
6. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
7. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined.
8. Slowly add milk and mix on low speed until just combined.
9. Fill cupcake liners 1/4 of the way up. Place a mini-cupcake on top, cover with additional batter.
10. Bake for 14 minutes
11. When the cupcakes are done, remove them immediately from the tins.

Chocolate Filling (from EvilShenanigans)
This makes enough to fill about 18 cupcakes, even though it doesn't look like enough after you mix it all up.

• 1 teaspoon water, hot
• 3 1/2 ounces marshmallow fluff
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. 
2. Use a cupcake corer to remove the core. If you don't have a corer, use a paring knife to cut a cone out of the center. 
3. Spoon some chocolate filling into the cored cupcake. 
4. Frost and enjoy!

Filling them was kinda messy! (I blame marshmallow fluff...so sticky!)

Vanilla Frosting (from Cupcake Project)
If you like a lot of frosting, you will need to double this as it barely frosted 15 cupcakes.

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar (add more until it reaches your preferred consistency) 
• 1cup unsalted butter, room temperature 
• 4 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (add more to taste) 
• 2 tablespoon milk 

1. Mix together sugar and butter until they are blended and creamy.
2. Add vanilla bean paste and milk and continue to beat for another minute.
3. If desired, add more vanilla bean paste to taste, or more confectioners' sugar to make it stiffer

The Finished Product

Overall, this cupcake was delicious! And everyone loved them! The chocolate filling was perfect, just enough chocolate flavor to kick the plain old vanilla cupcakes up a notch!