Marvelous Marble Cream Cheese and Chocolate Muffins

Last Thursday morning we woke at 5:00 a.m. ready to head to the airport and were greeted with the disheartening news that our early flight to a family wedding had been cancelled. After missing all kinds of celebrations for the last two and a half years, I refused to accept that reversal lying down. We raced to Pearson in the predawn hours, whispering quiet prayers for success. With the assistance of a sympathetic booking agent, we boarded the next outgoing flight and breakfasted on these decadent marble cream cheese and chocolate muffins at 32,00 feet, gazing at the clouds below.

Marvelous Marble Cream Cheese and Chocolate Muffins

The recipe for these muffins is by Marcy Goldman, a beloved Montreal-based cookbook author, published in her cookbook, A Passion for Baking. Rich, dark, chocolate muffins are marbled with a creamy, vanilla cream cheese topping and dotted with a generous sprinkle of mini chocolate chips. They are the perfect small indulgence to be savored on days when you need a little extra pampering.

Assemble your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F. with the oven rack set in the middle position. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. This recipe yields 15 muffins so you will have to reuse your muffin pan or use 2 muffin pans.

For the cream cheese topping: Place the cream cheese, egg, sugar, flour, and vanilla into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S-blade and process until smooth. 

For the muffin batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla on medium speed. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the cup of coffee. You should have 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 additions of coffee. Blend until smooth.

Using a spring-loaded ice cream scoop, divide the chocolate batter among 15 muffin liners. Using two spoons drop equal portions of cream cheese batter onto the chocolate batter. Using a knife, gently swirl the topping into the batter. Top each muffin with a tablespoon of mini-chocolate chips. Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan.

Print Recipe

Marvelous Marble Cream Cheese and Chocolate Muffins

Breakfast, Bread and Muffins

By Marcy Goldman, A Passion for Baking – Serves: 15

Prep Time: 20 minutes – Cooking Time: 25-30 minutes – Total Time: 50 minutes

Rich, dark, chocolate muffins are marbled with a creamy, vanilla cream cheese topping and dotted with a generous sprinkle of mini chocolate chips

Ingredients

• Cream Cheese Topping
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup sugar
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips (for sprinkling on top of muffins before baking)
• Muffin Batter
• 1½ cups sugar
• ¾ cup vegetable oil
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• 1 cup mild brewed coffee

Instructions

1

Center a rack in the oven and preheat it to 350 F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. This recipe yields 15 muffins so you will have to reuse your muffin pan or use 2 muffin pans.

For the cream cheese topping:

2

Place the cream cheese, egg, sugar, flour, and vanilla into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the S-blade and process until smooth. Set the cream cheese mixture aside.

For the muffin batter: 

3

In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla on medium speed. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the cup of coffee. You should have 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 additions of coffee. Blend until smooth.

4

Using a spring-loaded ice cream scoop, divide the chocolate batter among 15 muffin liners. Using two spoons drop equal portions of cream cheese batter onto the chocolate batter. Using a knife, gently swirl the topping into the batter. Top each muffin with a tablespoon of mini-chocolate chips. Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan.

Notes

If you dislike using more than one appliance to make a recipe, beat the cream cheese mixture in the bowl of your stand mixer. Remove the cream cheese mixture and set it aside. Using the same bowl without washing it, prepare the muffin batter. You're welcome! These muffins freeze very well wrapped individually in plastic wrap.