These Marble Cupcakes are easy to make yet look so impressive! They are made with just a few simple ingredients, and save time using only one batter. Swirled with a marble frosting these cupcakes look like they came straight from a bakery!
½cup(113.5g)unsalted butter, (113g) softened to room temperature
1cup(200g)granulated sugar, (200g)
1(1)egg, (50g)
2(2)egg white, (70g)
2tsp(2tsp)vanilla extract
1/2cup(120g)buttermilk, at room temperature (118mL) plus 2 tsp, separated
2 ½tbsp(2.5tbsp)Unsweetened cocoa powder
Vanilla frosting:
1/2cup(113.5g)butter, softened or margarine or butter substitute
1 1/2cups(180g)confectioners sugar
1/2teaspoon(0.5teaspoon)vanilla extract
1teaspoons(1teaspoons)cream, or milk
Chocolate frosting:
1/2cup(113.5g)unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2cup(180g)confectioners sugar
⅓(⅓)rd cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2tsp(0.5tsp)heavy cream, or milk
1/8tsp(0.13tsp)kosher salt
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350F and line a muffin tin with 12 cupcake liners.
In a medium size bowl combine the 1 ¾ cup cake flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda, and ¼ tsp kosher salt. Whisk until combined.
In the bowl of a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream the ½ cup butter for 1 minute on medium speed. Scrape down the bowl and add 1 cup sugar.
Mix on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
Scrape down the bowl and add the egg, 2 egg whites and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Mix for 1 minute on medium speed.
Add in 1/3rd of the dry ingredients, then half of the 1/2 cup buttermilk and alternate, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
Mix only until combined. Do not overmix.
Remove 1 cup of the vanilla batter and put it in a small bowl. Add the 2 ½ tbsp cocoa powder and 2 tsp remaining buttermilk into the separated vanilla batter (the one cup) and stir to combine.
Fill the muffin liners half way full with the vanilla batter, then add ½ tbsp of the chocolate batter.
Swirl the batter with a skewer, toothpick, or thin knife to make a swirl effect.
Bake for 18-19 minutes and cool.
For the marble frosting:
First make the vanilla frosting. Add the 1/2 cup butter and 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low-medium speed for 1 minute.
Move to high speed for 2 minutes, stop, then add in the 1/2 tsp vanilla and tsp creamer. Mix again on high for 1 minute.
Remove as much frosting as you can from the bowl and paddle but dont wash the bowl, there’s no need.
Make the chocolate frosting. In the same bowl add the 1/2 cup butter, 1 1/2 cup confectioners sugar, and ⅓ cup cocoa powder and mix on low speed working your way up to medium as the mixture combines.
Stop the mixer and add the 1/2 tsp cream, and 1/8 tsp of kosher salt. Mix again on medium speed until the chocolate is mixed throughout and the frosting is fluffy.
Using a piping bag fitted with a tip, fill up one side with vanilla frosting, and the other side with chocolate frosting. Make sure both frosting flavors are able to reach down to the tip. Do not top one frosting on top of the other, more like side by side in the piping bag.
Swirl the frosting over the cupcakes for the marble effect!
Notes
I like to use a piping bag and large star tip to frost the cupcakes.