Marble Layer Cake, Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

MARBLE LAYER CAKE

Makes two short 9-inch cakes

¾cup plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into small cubes, divided

2cups cake flour, not self rising

2teaspoons baking powder

½teaspoon table salt

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

¼ cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2⁄3 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1.Preheat oven to 350°F. Using one table- spoon of butter, grease two 9-inch round cake pans and then cut a circle out of parchment paper to fit the bottom of the pan.

2.Put the flour, baking powder and salt into a small bowl. Insert the mixing beaters into the Cuisinart® Hand Mixer. Mix the dry ingredients on speed 3 to thoroughly sift. Put the eggs, egg yolks, vegetable oil and vanilla extract together into a liquid measuring cup.

3.Put the remaining butter into a large mix- ing bowl and mix on speed 2 to cream. Add the sugar and continue to mix on speed 4 until butter and sugar are well creamed and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

4.With the mixer on low, add the liquid mix- ture and then the sour cream gradually, until incorporated. Mix in the dry ingredi- ents in two additions until just incorpo- rated.

5.Spoon batter evenly among the prepared pans leaving about 1 cup of the batter in the mixing bowl.

6.Add the cocoa powder to reserved bat- ter and mix until incorporated. Spoon chocolate swirl evenly between two pans and cut into yellow batter with a knife or spatula, creating a swirl design.

7.Bake in the middle of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

8.Leave pans to rest on cooling racks for 15 minutes. Remove from pans but leave until completely cool before frosting*.

*For frosting, we really like the combi- nation of the Creamy White Chocolate Frosting (page 20) between the two layers and then the Rich Chocolate Frosting for the outside of the cake. (page 19).

Nutritional information per serving:

Calories 280 (41% from fat) • carb. 37g • pro. 4g

•fat 13g • sat. fat 8g • chol. 100mg • sod. 160mg

•calc. 55mg • fiber 1g

FILLED CHOCOLATE

CUPCAKES

Makes 18 cupcakes

Cupcakes:

nonstick cooking spray

1¾ cups unbleached, all-purpose flour 1½ cups granulated sugar

¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons, unsweetened cocoa powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

¾ teaspoon table salt 1½ cups water

2 large eggs

1⁄3 cup vegetable oil

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1½ teaspoons white vinegar

½ recipe Marshmallow Frosting, (page 20.)

Ganache Icing:

4 ounces heavy cream

4 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Prepare the cupcakes:

1.Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat 18 stan- dard muffin cups well with nonstick cook- ing spray. Reserve.

2.Put the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Insert the mixing beaters into the Cuisinart® Hand Mixer. Mix dry ingredients on speed 3 to thoroughly sift.

3.In a small bowl, whisk the water with the egg, vegetable oil, vanilla, and vinegar. While mixing on low speed, slowly add