Marvelous Marble Cream Cheese-and-Chocolate Muffins

Hm. I think you're finding I'm on a chocolate kick. Seems to happen in the winter. I love these muffins because they are "muffins." Outrageously decadent "muffins" with enormous tops just asking to be broken off and eaten with fingers. Then devour the cheesecakey chocolate swirled base as if it's just another breakfast. Only you will know the truth.
Marvelous Marble Cream Cheese-and-Chocolate "Muffins" (print recipe)
Cream Cheese Topping:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup coarsely grated or finely minced semisweet chocolate

Muffin Batter:
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch ground cinnamon
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup mild brewed coffee or cola (I didn't have either, and didn't want so much caffeine, so I used hot water)

1. Preheat to 350. Line a large 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. If you have extra batter, use another muffin pan, filling up empty muffin cups with water (mine made about 16.)

2. For cream cheese topping, put all topping ingredients except grated chocolate in a food processor and process until smooth.

3. For muffin batter, in a mixer bowl, blend sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cocoa. As you are blending, stir in coffee/cola/water. Blend until smooth (this is a loose batter.)

4. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups. Top each with portion of cream cheese topping and sprinkle on some grated chocolate. Using a knife, gently swirl topping into batter.

5. Bake until done and cream cheese topping seems set to the touch and edges of exposed muffins seem firm to the touch, about 18 to 25 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before removing from pan.Recipe adapted from A Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman