Graduation Cupcakes Topped with Chocolate and Vanilla Buttercream
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Number of servings: 14
Hooray! Congrats on passing your final exams! It is now time to celebrate your graduation and finally enjoy your summer holidays. Get the party started with these delicious, creamy chocolate cupcakes topped with chocolate and vanilla buttercream. Yummy!
INGREDIENTS
Cupcakes
- 95g all-purpose flour
- 2½ Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 100g granulated sugar
- 100g light brown sugar
- 80ml vegetable oil
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 120ml buttermilk, at room temperature
Chocolate buttercream
- 115g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 210g powdered sugar
- 1¼ Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1½ Tbsp milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Small pinch salt (to taste)
Vanilla buttercream
- 115g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 240-300g powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Small pinch salt (to taste)
Decorations
- 1 small block natural marzipan
- 1 small block yellow marzipan
- Corn starch
- 1 chocolate bar
- 1 white chocolate bar
- Yellow M&M’S
Kitchen tools
- Rolling pin
- 2 x 12-cup muffin pan
- 14 cupcake liners
- Piping bag and tip
- Mixer
PREPARATION
Chocolate buttercream
Put the butter in a mixing bowl and beat it with a mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until it is creamy. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 1 minute.
Add 3½ tablespoon of powdered sugar or cocoa powder if the chocolate buttercream is too thin. If it is too thick, add another tablespoon of milk. Taste and add a pinch of salt if necessary.
Vanilla buttercream
Put the butter in a mixing bowl and beat it with a mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until it is creamy. Add the rest of the ingredients and beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to medium-high speed and beat for 2 minute.
Add up to 7 tablespoons more of powdered sugar if the vanilla buttercream is too thin. Add more milk if it is too thick. Taste and add a pinch of salt if necessary.
Decorations
Diplomas
Dust your work station with some corn starch and roll out the natural marzipan. Roll it until it is thin and flat. Then, cut 7 rectangles (5 x 2.5 cm) out of it. Roll out the yellow marzipan and cut 7 thin strips (approx. 3 to 5 mm) out of it.
Roll the 7 rectangles to form the “rolled diplomas”, then secure each of them with a yellow strip.
Graduation caps
Divide the chocolate bar into squares (you need 7). Chop the white chocolate bar then melt it on the stove or in the microwave. Let the white chocolate cool a bit, but do not let it get cold. While it is still warm, use the point of a fork or the tip of a spoon to draw a white “tassel” on each chocolate square.
Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line the 12-cup muffin pan with the cupcake liners. Set it aside.
Mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl until all the ingredients are well-combined. Set the mixture aside. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil and vanilla extract together until they are combined.
Pour half of the wet mixture into the dry one. Add half of the buttermilk and gently whisk for a few seconds. Repeat these steps with the remaining wet ingredients and buttermilk. Stir until the mixture is just combined, but be careful not to overmix or the batter will be too thin.
Pour the batter into the liners. Be careful to fill them only halfway to avoid spilling over the sides or sinking.
Bake the chocolate cupcakes for 18-21 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let them cool completely before frosting.
Frosting and topping
Frost 7 cupcakes with chocolate buttercream and the rest with vanilla buttercream by using a piping bag. Top 7 cupcakes with a diploma and the rest with a graduation cap. Then, decorate all of them with yellow M&M’s.