• Servings: 24-30
• FILLING INGREDIENTS:
• 4 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 t. vanilla
• CUPCAKE INGREDIENTS:
• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 2 cups sugar
• ½ cup cocoa
• CHOCOLATE GLAZE INGREDIENTS:
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Line (2) 12 cup cupcake pans with cupcake liners.
3. In large bowl, combine all of the cupcake ingredients and mix until well-blended. Fill each cupcake liner ¾ full and bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until cupcakes spring back to touch. Remove cupcakes from pans and allow to cool on wire racks.
4. In small pan, whisk 4 tablespoons flour with 1 cup milk. Heat over medium heat, whisking constantly, until mixture is thick. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
5. Combine 1 cup butter and 1 cup sugar in large mixing bowl. Fit mixer with paddle and beat butter and sugar several minutes until fluffy. Add cooled flour/milk mixture and continue to beat until mixture is creamy. Add vanilla and mix until just combined.
6. Fit a pastry bag with a long narrow tip and fill with buttercream filling. Insert tip about 1/2 inch deep into the top of each cupcake and fill cupcake with buttercream. Set aside any unused filling.
7. Place the chocolate chips in a small bowl. Heat the heavy cream over low/med heat until it just starts to simmer. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips and let it sit for 2 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir the chocolate chips and the cream until well-blended.
8. Swirl the top of each cupcake into chocolate glaze, coating the top of each cake. Let the glaze harden for a few minutes (you can chill them, if desired), then, using leftover filling, pipe a swirl of buttercream on top of each cupcake.
10. Any leftover filling is good on graham crackers!

As the daughter of a baker I was rarely allowed to eat commercially prepared treats. I had to eat my favorite cream-filled cupcakes at my friends' homes. Unfortunately, I didn't appreciate my father's baking skills until after he was gone. I like to think that this recipe was inspired by him. Makes 24 to 30 cupcakes I have also used mini-muffin pans to make a smaller ( and much more adorable) version.