Best-Ever Black Bottom Cupcakes

Why I Love This Recipe
One of my favorite treats as a child were Black Bottom Cupcakes, which we called 'Volcanos.' This recipe is even better than the ones I remember from back then! Amazingly moist and tender cake with a fluffy, tasty filling. Remember that you must use mini chocolate chips; the normal ones would sink to the bottom.
Ingredients You'll Need
16 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
13/4 cups sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites at room temperature
2 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
1/3 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/3 cups water
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Line two standard muffin tins with cupcake liners.
WIth electric mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in medium bowl until smooth, about 30 seconds. Beat in egg whites nd 2 tablesoons sour cream until combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and set aside.
WHisk remaining sugar, remaining salt, flour, cocoa, and baking soda in a large bowl. Make a well in the center, add remaining sour cream, water, butter, and vanilla and whisk until just combined. Divide batter evenly among 24 cupcake liners ad top each batter with rounded tablespoon cream cheese mixture.
Bake until tops of cupcakes just begin to crack, about 25 minutes. Cool cupcakes in tins for 10 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.
Cupcakes can be refrigerated in airtight container for up to two days.