Cookbook Challenge #3

This weekend I felt like baking. Instead of going for my usual recipes, I thought it would be a good opportunity to cook from a cookbook. It doesn't all have to be savoury food *grins* The point is to cook from books that are on my shelf that haven't been touched, so I picked up a cupcake book that I hadn't used before:

Now, whilst boyfriend and I often like the same things, we are fairly incompatible when it comes to cake *sigh* I prefer chocolate cake, he likes Victoria Sponge. So this generally means I either make 2 cakes/batches of cupcakes or one of us goes without.

However, this book presented a compromise... Marble cupcakes *grins*

As you can see, my marbling was more effective on some cakes than others ;)

Of course, cupcakes must be decorated, so I broke out my cake decorating supplies. I have an antique oxo tin with icing tips from my granddad - who was a baker - and lots of colourings and powders from my mum.

OK, so they don't look quite like the ones in the posh bakeries, but that's mostly because I am far too impatient *laughs* I particularly liked these 2 though:

The creamy coloured one actually has gold and silver dusting powder on it, and I tried to replicate the marble effect with the icing on the other one.

They were pretty good - although I found the chocolate cake a little flavourless... The recipe makes a batch of regular cake batter, then you split the batter between two bowls and add a tablespoon of cocoa to one of the bowls... It doesn't make for a particularly chocolatey cake. So, although they were enjoyable, and it is quicker than making 2 completely separate cake batters, I don't think I'd choose this recipe again.