Vanilla - Chocolate Swirl Cupcakes

Years ago (I think I was 14 or 15), I tried making marble cupcakes and they turned out terrible! Because of that major flop I have been so intimidated to try marble cupcakes again! I finally worked up some courage and tried them again 2 weeks ago and they turned out so good! Not only did they turn out well but they were easy as can be!

Everything about these cupcakes were half chocolate & half vanilla - I'll share every little detail about how I did that. But first - I finally have a great vanilla cake recipe to share! I have been on the hunt for one forever. I have tried so many that I just didn't love! You probably already know that I am madly in love with my chocolate cake recipe, because it's so reliable! I found away to transform my beloved chocolate cake recipe into vanilla cake! How amazing is that!? I was so excited! And I am so happy to finaly have a great vanilla cake recipe to share!

I know, I've shared my chocolate cake recipe a million times! But I'm going to share exactly what I did to make these cupcakes. if you are totally bored of reading about my chocolate cake then keep scrolling! I made a half recipe of chocolate cake and a half recipe of vanilla cake - so technically, one whole recipe. Just half of each flavor!

Start by mixing 1 cup of all purpose flour, 1 cup of granulated sugar, 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons of cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt together in a medium mixing bowl.

Then, mix in 1/2 cup of milk, 1/4 cup of vegetable oil, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1/2 cup of boiling water. Once the chocolate batter is combined, set it aside and start on the vanilla cake...

In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 2/3 cup of granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.

 Mix 1 cup of milk, 1/2 cup of melted butter, 1 egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

In case you are trying to track my changes - I reduced the amount of sugar by 1/3 cup, I took out the cocoa powder completely (no replacement!), I replaced the boiling water with milk and I replaced the vegetable oil with butter. Easy, right?

Prepare a muffin tin by filling it with cupcake liners or lightly spraying it with cooking spray. This recipe makes 24 cupcakes - so prep 2 muffin tins with 12 cups.

Fill the muffin tins to be 3/4 of the way full - I alternated between adding a spoonful of chocolate batter and a spoonful of vanilla batter. Once the cups are full, use a toothpick to swirl the 2 different batter together until a swirl forms. Do not over mix them! Just mix until you see a little swirl form in the top.

Bake the cupcakes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes. Mine are always in for exactly 30 minutes and they come out perfect every time! Have I mentioned I love these cupcakes!?

And, guess what!? I took absolutely no pictures of the finished cupcakes & the beautiful swirl that turned out on top! I almost always bake cakes the night before, which means I forget which pictures I took the night before and which pictures I should be taking the day of! I'm working on this! One day I'll have it all figured out!

I like making cakes and cupcakes the night before, because I know they will be cool the next day when I need to frost them. I let them cool in the muffin tin for about 10 minutes. Then, I transfer them to a wire cooling rack and cover them with a dish towel to leave them over night.

When you are ready to frost the cupcakes, make a half recipe of my favorite buttercream frosting by combining 1/2 cup of softened butter, 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and 1 Tablespoons of milk or heavy cream. I always mix frosting using an electric mixer.

Then, I made a third recipe of chocolate frosting by combing 1/2 cup of softened butter, 1/3 cup of cocoa, 1 2/3 cup of icing sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 1/2 Tablespoons of heavy cream or milk.

When both of the frostings are done, transfer them from the bowl to a piece of saran wrap. Use a separate piece of plastic wrap for each flavor. Roll the saran wrap around the icing to seal it into a log and twist the ends of the saran wrap so that you have a sort of string on each side.

Prep your piping bag - I used a star shaped tip. And put both logs of wrapped icing into the piping bag. The 'string' end of each will show through the tip of the piping tip. Pull both as far out as they will go and cut them off so that there is no longer saran wrap hanging out. Then, use the piping bag normally to frost the cupcakes. The icing might come out as perfectly half and half at first, but it will get there eventually!

I used a start tip to pipe frosting on my cupcakes in a circular motion - they were definitely not all perfect! But they still looked great!

CHOCOLATE & VANILLA SWIRL CUPCAKES
yield 24 cupcakes

ingredients
for the chocolate cake...
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water

for the vanilla cake...
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
 
for the chocolate frosting...
1/2 cup softened butter
1/3 cup cocoa
1 2/3 cup icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk

for the plain buttercream frosting...
1/2 cup softened butter
2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoons milk or heavy cream

directions
1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the chocolate cake (flour, cocoa, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt).
2. Once the dry ingredients are combined mix in the wet ingredients (milk, vegetable oil, egg, vanilla extract and boiling water) and stir until the batter is well mixed. Set the chocolate cake batter aside.
3. In a separate medium mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the vanilla cupcakes (the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt).
4. Then, mix in the wet ingredients (the milk, butter, egg, and vanilla).
5. Prepare a muffin tin by lining it with cupcake liners or spraying it with cooking spray. 
6. Alternate between adding a spoonful of chocolate cake batter and a spoonful of vanilla cake batter until the cups are 3/4 of the way full.
7. When each cup is full, use a toothpick to swirl the batters together. Mix only until a swirl forms in the top.
8. Bake the cupcakes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-3 minutes. Check them with a toothpick - it should come out clean!
9. Leave the cupcakes to sit in the muffin tin for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack and leaving them to cool completely.
10. When the cupcakes are cool, make the chocolate and vanilla icing.
11. In a small bowl combine the butter, the vanilla and the cocoa with an electric mixer then gradually add in the icing sugar. Finally, add in the milk or heavy cream. Set aside the chocolate frosting.
12. In a separate small bowl, combine the butter and the vanilla using an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the icing sugar and finally, add in the milk or heavy cream.
13. When both of the frostings are done, transfer them from the bowl to a piece of saran wrap. Use a separate piece of plastic wrap for each flavor. Roll the saran wrap around the icing to seal it into a log and twist the ends of the saran wrap so that you have a sort of string on each side.
14. Prep your piping bag - I used a star shaped tip. And put both logs of wrapped icing into the piping bag. The 'string' end of each will show through the tip of the piping tip. Pull both as far out as they will go and cut them off so that there is no longer saran wrap hanging out. Then, use the piping bag in a circular motion to frost the cupcakes.

See you tomorrow!