The Patron’s Marbled Cupcakes

The Patron’s Marbled Cupcakes

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks)
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup milk
1½ teaspoons vanilla (Matt Jones uses Madagascar)
2½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch salt
3 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper cups.

Using a mixer (paddle attachment if you have one), beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and continue to mix well. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after each addition until incorporated.

In a bowl, whisk together the milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

Reduce the mixer’s speed to low. Alternately add the flour and milk mixtures until a smooth batter is formed. Transfer one-third of the batter to a bowl and whisk in the cocoa powder.

Fill about 1½ dozen cupcake liners a little less than two-thirds full with the vanilla batter. Drop spoonfuls of chocolate batter randomly into the vanilla batter. Run a knife through the batters, gently cutting the flavors together to create a marbled effect. (Do not stir.)

Fill about 9 to 12 cupcake liners a little less than two-thirds full with chocolate batter. Drop spoonfuls of vanilla batter on top. Use a knife to swirl the flavors.

Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a cupcake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.

Let the cupcakes cool in their pans.

Makes about 2½ dozen, or a little less.

Nutritional information per unfrosted cupcake: 159 calories, 7 grams fat, 2 grams protein, 22 grams carbohydrate, trace of fiber.

Chocolate Frosting

3½ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla (preferably Madagascar)

Into a medium bowl, sift together confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder. In a separate bowl, beat butter, milk and vanilla together until smooth. Add the sifted sugar and cocoa mixture, about one-third at a time, to the butter mixture. If desired, thin by adding a little splash more of milk.

Use immediately or refrigerate.

Makes about 2½ cups of frosting.

Note: These soft, fluffy cupcakes are easy to make, but people will think you went to a lot of trouble. Be careful not to stir the two batters together when marbling — if you’re too enthusiastic, the finished cupcakes could end up with a funny, muddy color.