Recipe: Rainbow-Marbled Cupcakes (chocolate, strawberry and vanilla)

RAINBOW-MARBLED CUPCAKES

1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs, well beaten
2 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon strawberry flavoring
6 drops red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease miniature muffin pan.*

Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs; set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla.

Divide batter into 3 parts in small mixing bowls. To 1 part, add cocoa powder, mixing completely. To another part, add strawberry flavoring and food coloring, mixing completely.

Layer 1 batter on top of the other in prepared muffin pan. Gently swirl a knife through all layers to marbleize.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until done. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.

*If a miniature muffin pan is not available, double recipe and use a regular muffin pan. Increase baking time as needed.

Makes 2 dozen
Source: Gwen Campbell, Sterling, Va., Home Cooking magazine, April 2001