Vanilla Choc Cup Cakes

Recipe:

Ingredients for the Cup Cake Batter:

1. 250g of Sugar.
2. 250g of All Purpose Flour.
3. 250g of Unsalted Butter.
4. 4 Large Eggs.
5. 1/4 Cup of Milk (Can be Whole \ Semi Skimmed \ Skimmed based on your preference.)
6. 1 Tea Spoon of Baking Powder.
7. 1/2 Tea Spoon of Baking Soda.
8. 1/2 Tea Spoon of Cream of TarTar.
9. 15g of Cocoa Powder.
10. 1 Tea Spoons of Vanilla Extract.

Ingredients for Frosting:

1. 250g of Butter
2. 500g of Icing Sugar (You may know it as confectionery sugar or Powdered Sugar etc)
3. 2 Table Spoons of Milk.
4. 15g of Cocoa Powder.
5. 1 Tea Spoon of Vanilla Extract.

Yield: 20 Cup Cakes.

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and line 20 muffin cups with paper liners.

Step1: In a bowl add the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.

Step2: In a separate bowl whisk or sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and cream of tartar. Idea is to get all the dry ingredients mix together well. If you don't have baking soda and cream of tartar, you can replace these with 1/2 a spoon of baking powder and 1/4 tea spoon of salt.

Step3: Add the flour mixture prepared in step 2 with milk alternatively in about three batches to the butter and sugar mixture prepared in step 1. Make sure to mix in everything well between each addition. Your main batter is now ready.

Step4: Divide the batter in to two equal portions and mix in the 15g of cocoa to one portion of the mixer, so now you have a portion of vanilla batter and a portion of chocolate batter.

Step5: Evenly fill the muffin cups with the batter. Fill half of each muffin cup with the vanilla batter and the other half with chocolate batter, and if you like to see a ripple effect like you see in marble cakes just lightly mix the batter in muffin cup with a tooth pick or with a spoon.

Step6: Bake for about 15 -20 minutes or a toothpick inserted into a cupcake comes out clean. (Always check a few minutes before the stated baking time. Do not over bake or the cupcakes will be dry.)

Tip: When filling the batter to muffin cup it is easier to use a ice cream scoop, so it will be easy fill the muffin cups without much of a mess.

Step 7: Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool. 

Frosting:

Step1: In an electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, cream the butter until smooth and well blended and add the vanilla extract.

Step2: With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the icing sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the milk and beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Add a little more milk or sugar, if needed. 

Step3: Divide the frosting into two parts and mix in 15g of cocoa powder to one portion.

Step4: Once the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost with icing.  If you want to pipe the frosting, I like to use a large Wilton 1M star decorating tip. Cupcakes are best eaten the same day they are made, but they can be covered and stored for a few days.