• 1 1/4 C. flour
• 1 C. sugar
• 1/3 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2/3 C. buttermilk
• 1/4 C. vegetable oil
• 1/4 C. butter or margarine, melted and cooled
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/3 C. chocolate chips
• 2 3 oz. pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1/4 C. slivered almonds

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups. In a large bowl, stir together flour, 3/4 C. sugar, the cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl stir buttermilk, oil, melted butter, 1 beaten egg, and 1 tsp. of vanilla together. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients, add buttermilk mixture and stir to combine the mixtures. Stir in the chocolate chips then spoon batter into prepared muffin pans.

In a medium bowl, make topping by combining cream cheese, the remaining 1/4 C. of sugar, the 1 beaten egg and remaining 1/8 tsp. vanilla. Stir in almonds. Spoon mixture over chocolate batter in muffin cups and swirl slightly with a knife.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes, then serve immediately.