Marble Cupcake Critters

Marble Cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream

As a person who loves to bake cupcakes my predicament is often who to share the final product with. If I ate all my cupcakes myself I would clearly have some serious health problems.  Since moving to Toronto most of my cupcakes have ended up in the hands of friends and coworkers.  My coworkers at Lululemon especially love a tasty treat here and there.

Recently one of the managers at my store approached my and requested that I make some cupcakes for a store event we were having.  I of course agreed without hesitation and began devising a plan. I decided on a happy medium between vanilla and chocolate and went with a Marble Cupcake with a combination of Vanilla and Chocolate Buttercream.

Vanilla Cupcake Batter

To get the Marble Effect:

1. Make your favorite Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

2. In separate bowl mix 3 tbsp of Cocoa with boiling water

3. Add half of Vanilla cupcake batter to the chocolate mixture, mix well

Vanilla & Chocolate Batter

4. Alternate adding 1 spoonful of vanilla and 1 spoonful of chocolate mixture to cupcake pan

5. Use a toothpick, chopstick or butter knife to swirl the two together (Clockwise and then through the middle)

6. Bake following regular directions

Ready for the Oven

Frogs:

1. Frost cupcakes with tinted green buttercream icing

2. Cut melon slices in half and stick into icing

3. Add chocolate chips or vegan chocolate candies for eyes

Melon Slices & Candies Added

4. Pipe a mouth onto the frog, or use a piece of liquorish

5. Add any other details you like (ie nose, warts, etc)

Froggies All Ready to Go

Owls:

1. Frost cupcakes with chocolate buttercream icing

2. Twist the tops off two Oreo cookies

3. Place two Oreos onto cupcakes as eyes

4. Attach vegan chocolate candies to Oreo using buttercream

5. Break an Oreo top in half and place above eyes as eyebrows

6. Add chocolate sprinkles as feathers

7. Add an orange candy for the beak

Owl Cupcake

On a rainy day like today, there’s nothing quite like a cup of tea and a cupcake. Both staff and customers alike gobbled the cupcakes up within a couple hours.  The frogs were a huge hit… I definitely had fun making the cupcake critters and might try some other animals and designs in the future.

Frogs, Owls & Lululemon symbols

Who do you bake cupcakes for?