Every amazing day on the ocean aboard the Schooner Heritage, just about mid afternoon, around comes someone from the galley with a fabulous sweet treat, baked from scratch, still warm from the galley woodstove. Some days it's blondies, or cashew cookies, or 7-layer bars.... it changes from week to week and year to year, but it's tradition to have Uglies once.
Despite vowing at lunchtime that we are so stuffed we will never be able to eat again, our willpower is weak when faced with such treats. These Uglies may look like your average black-bottom cupcakes but they are in fact gooey-er and richer and cream-cheesier. This recipe makes about 18 muffin-sized treats. There should be about equal amounts of both batters in your cupcake papers. You can skip the papers of course but they are a tad gooey to eat without them. Maybe it's because they are not being enjoyed on the ocean in the sunshine off the Maine coast as we sail, but they seem only 85% as good when I make them at home. You owe it to yourself to sail on the Heritage anyway, and then you too will get to enjoy them alfresco! http://www.schoonerheritage.com/
Despite vowing at lunchtime that we are so stuffed we will never be able to eat again, our willpower is weak when faced with such treats. These Uglies may look like your average black-bottom cupcakes but they are in fact gooey-er and richer and cream-cheesier. This recipe makes about 18 muffin-sized treats. There should be about equal amounts of both batters in your cupcake papers. You can skip the papers of course but they are a tad gooey to eat without them. Maybe it's because they are not being enjoyed on the ocean in the sunshine off the Maine coast as we sail, but they seem only 85% as good when I make them at home. You owe it to yourself to sail on the Heritage anyway, and then you too will get to enjoy them alfresco! http://www.schoonerheritage.com/
Combine 1 1/2 c flour, 1 c sugar, 1/4 c cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp baking soda. Then add 1 c water, 1/3 c veg oil, 1 TB vinegar and 1 TB vanilla. In a separate bowl mix 8 oz room-temperature cream cheese ( not the tub variety) with 1/ c sugar, 2 eggs, and 12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips. Preheat the oven to 350 and grease your cupcake pans or use cupcake papers. Fill about halfway with the chocolate batter, then top with the cream cheese mixture. If you happen to have a little more cream cheese mixture left, just pop it into a cupcake paper by itself. Bake about 30-35 minutes. Centers may slump and may not seem quite done. If you make mini's or use mini chips in either size, reduce the amount of chips to 1/2 cup. There will be plenty. For a mocha spin on uglies, just replace the water with strong coffee.
