Now don't go calling PETA on me now, no penguins were injured to bring you this recipe. (I'm a Dork, not a monster!). The original recipe called them something bland like "Black and White muffins", but after doing a bit of tweaking on the recipe I figured the name needed to be cooler, may be ice cold, or even "chilly". Well, penguins and chocolate always make me smile ;)
So without further ado...
Dreary Weather Penguin Muffins
Ingredients:
filling:
8 oz. Cream Cheese
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 tbsp. Milk
2 tbsp. raw White Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. Corn starch
muffin base:
1 5/8 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup Corn starch
2 1/2 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
2/3 cup packed dark brown Muscovado sugar
1 Egg (Large)
1 tsp. Vanilla extract
1/3 cup Vegetable oil
1 cup Buttermilk
Dark chocolate candy bar chopped in chunks 2.6 oz. (73g)
1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease the muffin form with butter, lard, or if it has to be shortening :)
2. In a large bowl, mix softened cream cheese, vanilla extract, white sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. corn starch and milk. Mix until creamy (Clump free). and set aside.
3. In a second bowl mix flour, 1/3 cup corn starch, sifted unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda and mix thoroughly. and set aside.
4. In a third bowl, beat with an electric mixer the Muscovado sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, egg, and oil. Increase speed and continue to beat until fluffy.
Reduce speed and add buttermilk. When the buttermilk has been mixed in well, add the flour/cocoa mix.
Increase the speed gradually until thoroughly mixed. With a wooden spoon, stir in about 2/3 of the chocolate chunks to the mixture.
5. Fill the muffin form cups with the muffin base mixture about 3/4 full. Add 1 tbsp. from the cream cheese filling to each cup. Distribute the rest of the chocolate chunks on top of the cream cheese mixture.
6. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
In my opinion, these are perfect muffins to make on those dark dreary days as a pick-me-up. But don't take my word for it, give them a try yourself :)
Enjoy!
Please be sure to recommend!
