Zebra Cupcakes
My husband does not particularly have a sweet tooth, but he is a fool for cupcakes. The odd thing about this is that when it comes to cake, Michael can take it or leave it. He can't explain this to me. When I ask him about it, he gets frustrated. "Cupcakes are smaller," he informs me. Oh. "Cupcakes just taste better, I don't know why, and please don't ask me again."
Kids love the important added attraction of two different colors of batter.
For the cupcakes:
2 cups (8 ozs.) cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick (4 ozs.) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup (5 1/4 ozs.) sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups buttermilk, divided
1/3 cup (1 oz.) cocoa
For the icing:
6 ozs. bittersweet chocolate, melted
4 ozs. cream cheese, room temperature
-- Sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Set oven rack to upper middle level and preheat oven to 350°.
-- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Alternating between the two, beat in 1 cup only of the buttermilk and all of the flour mixture until both are thoroughly incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl and beat again briefly.
-- Divide the batter in half. Into one half, beat in the cocoa and remaining 1/3 cup of buttermilk. Put 18 muffin cups into two muffin pans. Add the batters in thin alternating layers among the 18 cups until batter is used up.
-- Bake on upper middle oven rack at 350° for 16 to 20 minutes, or until cupcakes spring back when lightly pressed in the center. Remove from pan and cool the cupcakes completely on a wire rack.
Cream together the chocolate and cream cheese and spread thickly over the cupcakes. Dive right in.
Storage
These are best eaten the day you make them. If you want to freeze them, do so without first icing them, and allow them to thaw at room temperature for at least 2 hours before icing and serving.
OTHER BISCUIT, TEA CAKE AND MUFFIN RECIPES
Catherine S. Vodrey is available for freelance writing, editing, fundraising/development, and photography projects at:
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East Liverpool, Ohio 43920 USA
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