These vanilla and chocolate cupcakes are the perfect bite-size way to enjoy one of my favourite flavour combinations. Be sure to use regular white cupcake liners so you can see the distinct separation of the chocolate and vanilla batters. They’re so pretty and girly and would be perfect for birthdays and even a backyard barbecue or luncheon.

Make sure all your ingredienst are at room temparature, this will help your ingredients to combine properly when mixing. Ingredients of different temperatures will still combine, but they may not end up as well incorporated as you hope, leaving you with an unevenly mixed batter and a cupcake that’s dense.

The buttery vanilla batter is paired with chocolate batter on its side for an every super-moist bite. If you want, you can make a creamy and delicious chocolate buttercream is rich. Another key ingredient that helps makes these vanilla cupcakes soft and moist is the yoghurt, you can substitute yoghurt with buttermilk.

You will be using both granulated and brown sugar. The brown sugar will make the cupcakes slightly heavier and it enriches the flavour and makes them moister.

The vanilla batter is all mixed together by hand in under 5 minutes. Once mixed, measure 3/4 cup of the batter and add to a medium mixing bowl with cocoa powder and a touch of milk. Since you’re adding more dry ingredients to this portion of the cupcake batter, you’ll need a touch of milk to thin it out.

To fill the cupcake liners, you will simply spoon some vanilla batter into your cupcake liners, then some chocolate batters on the side then some more vanilla batter until the cupcake liner is three-quarters full.

Ingredients;

Vanilla Batter;

  • 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp.salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Chocolate Batter;

  • 8 Tbsp. (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
  • 2 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Instructions;

  1. Prepare both vanilla and chocolate batters; fill muffin cups with 3 tablespoons of each, side by side.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a standard 12-cup muffin pan, or use paper liners.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
  4. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
  5. Add oil then eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; add vanilla, and mix until combined.
  6. On low speed, beat in half the flour mixture, followed by milk; end with remaining flour mixture.
  7. Mix just until incorporated (do not overmix).
  8. Divide batter among prepared muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
  9. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes.
  10. Cool cupcakes in pan, 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Frost with strawberry meringue buttercream.