Cafe Metro's Chocolate Cupcakes with Coconut Filling

Filling:

8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)

Chocolate batter:

1½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup baking cocoa (Hershey's is recommended)
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Garnish:

Powdered sugar for sifting

Before starting: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with paper cups.

To make filling: Beat together cream cheese and sugar. When smooth, beat in egg. Stir in coconut and almond extract (if using). Set aside. Leftover filling can be refrigerated at least 1 week (for another batch later).

To make chocolate batter: Stir together flour, granulated sugar, baking cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add water, vegetable oil, white vinegar and vanilla.

Fill paper cups a little less than half full. Top with a spoonful of coconut filling. Top again with a spoonful of chocolate batter. Bake 25 minutes, or until done.

Sift powdered sugar over tops.

Makes 18 cupcakes.

Note: This simple, unusual recipe looks as if it won't work. But it will. (Just please resist the temptation to tamper with the written directions.) The eggless chocolate cake is tender, thanks to the acid from the vinegar, and the cream cheese filling is sweet, but not too sweet.