If you are torn between vanilla chocolate cupcakes decision, make these moist swirled cupcakes that are best of the world – chocolate and vanilla with just perfect swirl of chocolate and vanilla icing. These visually stunning cupcakes are not only a treat for the eyes but also for the tastebuds.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe?
When a cake or cupcake has oil and butter both along with some form of dairy like milk, yogurt or sour cream, I can guess it will be a winner.
It is simple and quick to make and yields a delicious, not so sweet, tender crumb.
If you wish you can skip the frosting and serve it as muffins.
Ingredients at a glance
For the Cupcakes
Butter – unsalted, melted butter, can be warm but not hot
Oil – use any neutral flavored oil like canola, corn etc.
Egg – room temperature egg is important to make a nice smooth batter and to avoid curdling
Sugar – use castor or grinded sugar that can be made at home easily
Vanilla essence – use any form of vanilla available, essence, extract or even seeds from the bean
Milk – room temperature, full fat milk
Yogurt – room temperature full fat yogurt
Flour – regular all purpose flour
Baking powder – always check for expiry of it
Cocoa Powder – the best quality you can get
For the Buttercream
Butter – soft unsalted butter
Salt – a generous pinch
Icing/Powdered/Confectioner’s sugar – please sift if it has lumps, commercially available, homemade not recommended
Whipping/Heavy cream – use cold if summers, use room temperature or slightly warm if winters
How to make swirled marble cupcakes?
For the Cupcakes
This is a very simple recipe and doesn’t require hand mixer. Just a whisk to mix all the wet ingredients and then add in all the sifted dry ingredients.
Step 1 – Whisk melted butter, oil and sugar really well.
Step 2 – Add in egg and vanilla and whisk.
Step 3 – Add in milk and yogurt and whisk.
Step 4 – Lightly whisk in sifted dry ingredients – flour and baking powder.
Step 5 – Separate 1/3 of the batter and add in cocoa powder, whisk.
Step 6 – Pour the mixture dividing into 12 lined muffin pan. You can weigh each muffin batter or estimate it (2 tablespoon vanilla, 1 tablespoon chocolate batter approximately)
Step 7 – Swirl with a skewer and bake.
For the Buttercream
Step 1 – Sift the icing sugar if lumpy
Step 2 – Cream butter and salt really well for approximately 3-5 minutes using a hand beater or stand mixer
Step 3 – Add in icing sugar and 1/2 of the cream, mix well. Beat again with the mixer.
Step 4 – Check for the consistency before adding more cream.
Step 5 – Divide the buttercream in half and add 1-2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and beat well.
Step 6 – Place the buttercream separately in plastic wraps and then in a large piping bag fitted with large open star tip.
Related Recipes
If you love making these sweet little versatile treats then you might enjoy making these ultimate moist vanilla cupcakes and these decadent chocolate fudge cupcakes.
You can also head over and check my cupcake and muffin collection here.
Variations and Substitutions
- If you are not planning to frost these marble cupcakes, you can add some chocolate chips on top.
- You can use sour cream in place of yogurt.
Storage
- For short term – refrigerate the frosted cupcakes or if no frosting you can keep them at room temperature in an air tight box for upto 3 days.
- For long term – You can totally freeze the unfrosted cupcakes and frosting separately in an airtight box up to a month. Thaw them overnight in fridge covered, bring them to room temperature and then frost as usual.
Recipe
Swirled Marble Cupcakes
These visually stunning swirled marble cupcakes are not only a treat for the eyes but also for the tastebuds.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) Butter - melted, unsalted
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) Oil
- 1 cup sugar (100 grams) Sugar - grinded/caster
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 3/4 cup (120ml) Milk
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) Yogurt
- 1 2/3 cups (200 grams) Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 tablespoon Cocoa Powder
- Chocolate Chips (optional)*
For the Buttercream
- 1 cup (175 grams) Butter - soft, unsalted
- 3 cups (325 grams) Icing/Powdered/Confectioner's Sugar
- Salt a pinch
- 1/4 cup or less Whipping/Heavy Cream
- Vanilla 1 teaspoon (optional)
- Cocoa Powder 1-2 tablespoons
Instructions
For the Cupcakes:
- Melt the butter over low heat or in microwave.
- Whisk oil and butter along with sugar really well until slightly pale.
- Add in egg and vanilla.
- Add in yogurt and milk, whisk well.
- Sift in flour and baking powder and whisk until a smooth lump free batter is obtained.
- Roughly remove 1/3 of the batter into another bowl.
- Add in cocoa powder to it. Whisk.
- Divide the vanilla and chocolate batter equally into 12 lined muffin pan.
- Bake in a pre-heated oven for 15-18 minutes until slightly domed and when touched lightly springs back.
- Cool while you prepare optional frosting.
For the Buttercream:
- Cream butter and salt really well, for approximately 3 minutes using an electric or stand mixer until pale and fluffy.
- Add in icing sugar and half cream and mix well with spatula.
- Beat well again for 3-5 minutes until light, fluffy, smooth and creamy.
- Optionally add a dash of vanilla.
- Divide the buttercream in half.
- Add 1-2 tablespoon cocoa powder and mix well.
- Place the buttercream in a plastic wrap separately and then place in a large piping bag, fitted with open star tip.
- Pipe on cooled cupcakes.
Notes
All the temperature should be at room temperature specially egg, milk and yogurt.
* If using chocolate chips, sprinkle a few on each muffin just before baking.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 213Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 84mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 0gSugar: 32gProtein: 1g
FAQs
Muffins are meant to be eaten for breakfast or brunch and often are healthier version of cupcakes specially by adding fruits, nuts and some flour replacement like oats and whole wheat.
Cupcakes are usually richer and paired with some sort of frostings for more decorative look and feel and generally served as themes for special occasions.
The ingredients and method are essentially same but the real difference is the size of both and based on that the time they take to bake differs greatly.
If you do not wish to frost on domed cupcakes (it is a personal preference, otherwise no harm) then you can slice the dome off horizontally ever so thinly and then proceed with the frosting.
Tip : Save the scrapes to make cake pops.
Leave a Reply