Marbled Cupcakes

Whilst away I made two recipes midweek to try and catch up after my illness and keep on track of the two every weekend needed. I made the Hot chocolate cupcakes the day before we went away, then the two whilst on the boat, so when we got back on Saturday I was still due to make one more to complete my quota.


As cupcakes are my favourite and I have the main sponge ingredients always stocked in my cupboards, I set upon making the Marbled cupcakes.


Had to divide the sponge measurements in half, one for the chocolate and one for the vanilla. Only difference is the chocolate has the cocoa powder added to the dry mixture and the vanilla sponge has the vanilla essence added to the egg and milk mixture.


Instead of making one up at a time I measured out both bowls of sugar, flour and butter one after another. I luckily have two sets of whisk attachments so used one in the chocolate sponge and then removed those and put a clean set on for the vanilla so as not to get any of the mixtures in one another.


All worked out well so far except when I halved the mixture of 240ml of milk, I poured 120ml into the vanilla sponge from the measuring jug and the rest into the chocolate sponge batter, forgetting the eggs would have added more volume. This meant my vanilla batter was quick firm whilst the chocolate came out runny. I added a little more flour to the runny mix but decided not to medal too much further in case it made a drastic difference and just put the firmer mix into the cases first.


When putting the end of the teaspoon in to create the marbled effect, I again did so carefully as was worried the runny chocolate mixture might meant they actually just ended up mixing together than than swirling through. I needed have worried as it seemed to work out okay and into the oven they went to cook.


Due to the difference in batter thickness, I haphazardly placed them in the cases so was expecting some to come out a little wonky and raised more on one side which happened. Even so they were being iced so didn't matter too much.


Made up the icing, halving the quantities for both the vanilla and chocolate. Made a mistake with the milk quantity again. The recipe called for 25ml of milk in both, so in my head i somehow managed to half that to 17.5ml for the vanilla icing, which came out looking lovely and smooth. It then dawned on me it should have been 12.5ml so that us the amount that went into the chocolate icing, which turned out smooth but thicker than the vanilla, but as all the icing on the Hummingbird cupcakes are. Wasn't too much of an issue when decorating the cakes, it just meant it again didn't swirl as well as the vanilla was lighter than the chocolate. I just put a tablespoon of each flavour either side of the cupcake top and then used a palette knife to smooth and marble them together. It didn't come out quite like the photo in the cook book, but I am still rather pleased with the effect and they look scrummy still.


My husband tasted one of the cupcakes before they were iced and said they were delicious. I had one with my tea on Monday morning and I wholeheartedly agree with him. I though the hot chocolate was creeping up the list of tastiest cupcakes but these have just over-taken them. They now rank second under the famous Red Velvet cupcakes. By far one of the best. Who knew mixing simple vanilla and chocolate would be so divine.