The Best Marble Cupcakes – Chocolate & Vanilla Bliss
🕒 Prep Time: 20 mins
🍳 Bake Time: 18–22 mins
🍽 Yields: 12 cupcakes
🧁 Cupcake Ingredients
Base Batter:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
Chocolate Swirl Add-in:
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tbsp hot water or hot coffee (enhances the chocolate flavor)
1 tbsp sugar (optional, for extra sweetness in the chocolate portion)
🍥 Frosting Options:
Classic Vanilla Buttercream:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 – 2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1–2 tbsp milk or cream
OR swirl it with:
2 tbsp melted chocolate or cocoa powder to create a marbled buttercream
🧁 Instructions:
1. Preheat & Prep
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners
2. Make the Vanilla Batter
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla.
Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk, starting and ending with dry. Don’t overmix!
3. Make Chocolate Swirl
In a small bowl, stir cocoa powder, hot water (or coffee), and 1 tbsp sugar (if using) into 1/2 cup of the vanilla batter. Mix until smooth.
4. Assemble the Marble Effect
Fill each cupcake liner with a mix of vanilla and chocolate batter — about 2 tbsp total per cupcake.
Use a toothpick or skewer to gently swirl the batters together (don’t over-swirl).
5. Bake
Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until cupcakes spring back when touched and a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool completely before frosting.
6. Make the Frosting
Beat butter until smooth.
Add powdered sugar gradually.
Mix in vanilla and enough milk to reach a spreadable consistency.
Optional: divide frosting and stir melted chocolate or cocoa into half, then pipe both into a bag for a swirled buttercream finish.
✨ Tips & Variations
Want more chocolate? Add chocolate chips to the chocolate batter!
Make minis: use a mini muffin tin and reduce bake time to ~10–12 mins.
Drizzle cooled cupcakes with chocolate ganache for extra decadence.