Comfort Food: Breakup Cupcakes

Last night, my sisterhood of girlfriends came together to console and comfort our beautiful, talented and divine friend after a recent breakup. Over wine and Thai food, we listened to her talk about the man who had recently been a force – and then a huge absence—in her life. She deserves so much more in her life than he could ever offer her, we reminded, and told stories and helped to lift her spirits as we nursed her bruised heart.

We offered to have her over for dinner over the holiday weekend, and it got me thinking about the foods I was drawn to when I was broken-hearted. My breakup comfort food usually involved chocolate in large quantities—rich, dark, creamy and delicious. As it turns out, there is something healing…and certainly very comforting, about nursing a broken heart with chocolate.

According to ask.com, chocolate mimics the feeling in the body that we get when falling in love via phenylethylamine, a drug created by our bodies that is similar in nature to amphetamines. As well, dark chocolate has been found to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of some cardiovascular issues because of its naturally occurring flavonoids.

So when my lovely friend comes over this weekend, I will treat her to a delicious plate of Breakup Cupcakes. Known in some circles as Black Bottom Cupcakes, these devilishly delicious chocolate cakes have it all—a dense chocolate cake with a dollop of cheesecake baked into the middle. But wait—there’s more—since the cheesecake is dotted with rich dark chocolate chips. One bite of this dense, creamy, rich and chocolatey morsel and you will be ready to forget all about him…and remind yourself that there are better things waiting for you out there than someone who doesn’t love you for all of the wonderful things that you are.

Cream Cheese Filling

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1/3 cup white sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Cupcake Batter

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup white sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin tins with paper cups.

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese, egg, 1/3 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the chocolate chips and set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, 1 cup sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Make a well in the center and add the water, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Stir together until well blended. Fill muffin tins 1/3 full with the batter and top with a generous spoonful of the cream cheese mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.