Marbled Cupcakes

My friend knows how much I love baking, so she knew I would be happy to make a batch (and a half) of cupcakes for a James Bond-themed party. Marbled Cupcakes were the request- perhaps a nod to the tuxedo was the reasoning behind it... or the fact that they should please both those who prefer vanilla and those who prefer chocolate.

The recipe is from the Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days book. These are actually the first cupcakes I made from the book, and I was very pleased with them. They are light and fluffy in texture, but I did find that there was more frosting than I needed. I made one and a half times the  amount listed, but the amount of frosting for a single batch would have been enough.

Marbled Cupcakes

Makes 12- 16

Ingredients:

For the chocolate sponges

40g unsalted butter

140g caster sugar

120g plain flour

½ tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

20g cocoa powder

1 egg

120ml whole milk

For the vanilla sponges

40g unsalted butter

140g caster sugar

120g plain flour

½ tbsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 egg

120ml whole milk

½ tsp vanilla extract

For the chocolate Frosting

200g icing sugar

50g cocoa powder

80g soft unsalted butter

25ml whole milk

For the vanilla frosting

250g icing sugar

80g soft unsalted butter

25ml whole milk

¼ tsp vanilla extract

     

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/mark 5 and line a muffin tin with muffin cases.

2. For the chocolate sponge batter, beat together all of the ingredients apart from the egg and milk.

3. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk together the egg and milk. Once the other mixture resembles breadcrumbs, beat in three quarters of the egg and milk mixture until the batter is smooth. Add the remaining quarter of the egg and milk and mix until smooth and thick.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for the vanilla sponges, adding the vanilla extract to the egg and milk mixture (no cocoa powder is used here).

5. Distribute the chocolate batter evenly amongst the muffin cases, filling 1/3 of each case. Add some vanilla batter on top and swirl with a knife tip or teaspoon handle.

6. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes away clean. Leave to cool a little, remove from the muffin pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

7. For the chocolate frosting, mix together the icing sugar, cocoa powder and butter until the butter is evenly distributed. Pour in the milk and continue to mix until fluffy.

8. Repeat step 7 for the vanilla frosting, adding the vanilla extract to the milk (and omitting the cocoa powder). Ensure the two frostings are of the same consistency by adding milk where required.

9. Frost the cupcakes, once completely cooled, with some of the chocolate frosting and some of the vanilla frosting. If piping the frosting, fill one side of the piping bag with chocolate frosting and the other with vanilla.