Nibby Cream Cheese Brownie Cupcakes

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped (I used Scharffen Berger 62%)
5 T unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
3 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar, divided
3 eggs, room temperature1/2 cup + 1 T AP flour, divided
1 1/2 t vanilla, divided
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 cup cacao nibs
Preheat oven to 350 F.

Butter your muffin tins--the standard size tins were more likely to stick, so butter them extra well. I doubled this recipe and used a mini muffin tin and a standard muffin tin--I am uncertain how much each tin holds, so I am not sure if a single batch of this recipe will perfectly fit either tin. My advice is to just go for it--and be prepared to either fill some muffin wells with water or bake a few mini loafs in addition.

Melt the chocolate and 3 tablespoons of butter in the microwave at 50% power in 30 second intervals. Whisk smooth when it is melted. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter with the cream cheese. Gradually add in 1/4 cup of sugar, beating until fluffy. Blend in one egg, a tablespoon of flour, and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat two eggs until they are light colored and slowly beat in the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar until the mixture thickens. Add the baking powder, salt, and 1/2 cup of flour. Blend in the chocolate mixture and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Fold in the cacao nibs.

Dollop chocolate batter into each muffin well, aiming to use between 1/2 and 2/3 of the chocolate batter. Gently shake the pan to even out the batter and then divide the cream cheese batter between the muffin wells, again gently shaking the pan to spread the cream cheese batter evenly over the chocolate batter. (The batter will nearly fill the muffin wells.) Spoon the remaining chocolate over the tops and run a knife or toothpick through the batter to marble it--I found the chocolate batter to be much thicker than the cream cheese batter, and hence the marbling was not so easy, but do not worry about it as it will all look ok in the end. Bake for 20 minutes (or so) for a standard size muffin tin and 12-15 minutes for a mini muffin tin--be sure to use your nose and a toothpick test (when the toothpick comes out clean) as well. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan and then gently pry out of the pan to cool on a cooling rack.

Nibby Cream Cheese Brownie Cupcakes 1324716874261