You will need
For the chocolate and vanilla sponges:
80g unsalted butter, softened
280g caster sugar
240g plain flour
1tbsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
20g cocoa powder
2 large eggs
240ml whole milk
½ tsp vanilla essence
For the chocolate frosting:
200g icing sugar
50g cocoa powder
80g unsalted butter, softened
25ml whole milk
For the vanilla frosting:
250g icing sugar
80g unsalted butter, softened
25ml whole milk
¼ tsp vanilla essence
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C/gas mark 5, and line a muffin tin with muffin cases.
2. First make the flavoured sponges, beginning with the chocolate one. Using a hand-held electric whisk or a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat together half each of the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt, along with all of the cocoa powder, on a low speed until resembling fine breadcrumbs.
3. Whisk the eggs with the milk by hand in a jug, then pour half of this mixture into a second jug and set aside for the vanilla sponge.
4. Take the first jug with the egg mixture, pour three-quarters of it into the dry chocolate sponge ingredients and mix on a low speed to combine. Adjust the speed to medium and continue mixing until smooth and thick. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the remaining quarter of egg mixture from the first jug and continue to mix on a medium speed until all the ingredients are incorporated and the batter is smooth once again.
5. For the vanilla sponge, repeat step two with the remaining half of the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt, but this time no cocoa powder. Take the second jug of egg mixture, whisk in the vanilla essence, then repeat step four, pouring it into the dry vanilla sponge ingredients and mixing as described.
6. Divide the chocolate batter between the muffin cases, filling each by about a third. Top with the same quantity of vanilla batter and use a teaspoon handle to swirl the two mixtures together. If any batter remains, use it to fill more cases in a separate muffin tin.
7. Place in the oven and bake for 18–20 minutes or until well risen and springy to the touch. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and leave to cool completely before you frost them.
8. To make the chocolate frosting, whisk the icing sugar with the cocoa powder and butter on a low speed in the freestanding mixer with the paddle attachment, or using the electric whisk, until the mixture is sandy in consistency. Pour in the milk, still mixing on a low speed, then increase the speed to high and whisk the frosting until soft and fluffy.
9. Repeat this step for the vanilla frosting, but omitting the cocoa powder and mixing the vanilla essence with the milk before adding it to the frosting.
10. When the cupcakes have cooled, spread one tablespoon of each frosting on to each cake using a palette knife, then swirl the two for a marbled effect.
Recipe, The Hummingbird Bakery Cake Days (Collins)
Click here to go to the original article on Red Online
Click here to see Best Gordon Ramsay recipes
Click here to see The Hummingbird Bakery’s marbled cupcakes
Click here to see Hot chocolate and brandy soufflé
