Black & White Cupcakes

Black & White & Obsessed All Over

I have a new obsession: black & white. Maybe not technically new, but this graphic combination has taken over my life! My recent fave fashion find is a black & white striped tee from Smart Set – the stripes feel so fresh and summery. The latest wheeled addition to our household is a gorgeous little black Mini Cooper, aptly named Oreo. And I have been obsessed with creating the perfect black & white manicure. Leave shades of grey to the steamy novels – I’ll take black & white any day!

Black & White Cupcakes  

Livin' in perfect harmony

Since black & white is on my mind, I decided to create an easy, delicious Black & White Cupcake to share with my friends and family. The cupcake is a rich, devil’s food chocolate, light and fluffy, and frosted with rich vanilla buttercream. To top it off, I added the ubiquitous black & white cookie — a mini Oreo, of course. 

Click through for the recipe…
Black & White Cupcakes
Based on a recipe from More From Magnolia by Allysa Torey
Makes 30 cupcakes.
Ingredients

Cupcakes
2 cups cake & pastry flour (not self-rising)
1 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 cups buttermilk*
2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temperature

Frosting
1 cup butter
3.5 cups icing sugar, sifted to remove lumps
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-6 tablespoons milk or water
1 package mini Oreo cookies, for decoration, and um, eating whilst you decorate

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line muffin tins with cupcake liners and set aside. 
2. In a small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Set aside. 
3. Measure buttermilk into a small bowl and stir in vanilla. Set aside. 
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter until smooth and fluffy. 
5. Add both sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes (set a timer!). 
6. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. 
7. Add flour mixture in 3 steps, alternating with buttermilk mixture, mixing well between each addition, but be careful not to over beat batter. 
8. Spoon batter gently into cupcake liners. Bake for 13-16 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or wooden skewer into the centre of a cupcake, and the toothpick comes out clean. 
9. Cool completely on wire cooling racks before frosting. 

To make Frosting

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter until smooth and fluffy. Add vanilla and beat until incorporated, approx. 3 minutes. 
2. Add icing sugar and mix slowly until incorporated. 
3. Add milk or water, one tablespoon at a time, until frosting is smooth and spreadable. If you are using a piping bag and decorative tip, the frosting should be a little thicker. 
4. Add an Oreo cookie to the top of the cupcake. 

*No buttermilk? Make your own! To make 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, add 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 1/2 cups milk. Let stand for 5 minutes and stir. The higher the fat content in the milk, the better it will taste. Don’t even try to use skim milk!

Inspiration photo credits: SmartSet.ca; Mini.ca; pshiiit.com