Chocolate & vanilla marble cupcakes

MAKES 16

For the cupcakes

175g (6oz) unsalted butter

(at room temperature) 175g (6oz) caster sugar

3 large free- range eggs 175g (6oz) self- raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp whole milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

For the frosting

250g (9oz) unsalted butter,

softened

350g (12oz) icing sugar

50g (1¾oz) cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

2- 4 tbsp milk

For the finishing touch 16 Guylian Chocolate Sea Shells Union Jack cupcake toppers

For the cupcakes, preheat the oven to 170°C/Gas Mark 3 and line 2 x 12-hole cupcake trays with 16 small cupcake liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, add the butter and sugar and mix on a medium speed for 5 minutes until the butter is light and creamy.

Sift the flour and baking powder together and set aside. Turn the mixer down to a low speed and crack in the eggs one at a time. Once the eggs are fully incorporated, add half the flour and mix to combine, then add the milk and vanilla extract followed by the remaining flour and mix again.

Remove half the cupcake batter to another bowl and add the cocoa powder. Stir to combine.

2 spoons, fill the cupcake liners by adding small spoonsful of vanilla and small spoonsful of chocolate batter to each liner until two-thirds full.

Use a cake skewer or a small knife to marble the 2 batters together, then bake for 20 minutes or golden brown and springy to the touch.

Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, mix the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer until pale and soft. Add the icing sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and 2 tbsp milk.

Turn the mixer on low and gradually increase the speed, whipping for 5 minutes. If the frosting looks too stiff, add a splash more milk until you reach a nice piping consistency.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, fill 4 piping bags fitted with an open star nozzle with the chocolate, vanilla and coloured frosting and pipe a cute swirl on each cake. If you don’t have any cupcake nozzles, you can spread the frosting on each cake using an offset spatula.

For the finishing touch, top each cake with a Guylian Chocolate Sea Shell and a cute Union Jack flag.