This easy vanilla and chocolate cupcake recipe yields soft, light, spongy and moist cupcakes with three distinct layers of vanilla and chocolate flavor. The texture is tender and the layered look makes each cupcake visually appealing as well as delicious.
This recipe uses the same base batter as the soft and fluffy zebra sponge cake—the difference here is that the batter is divided into three versions: vanilla, chocolate and a lighter chocolate, which creates the layered effect.
What I love about this recipe
This vanilla and chocolate cupcake recipe is one of my favorites because it is:
- Easy to make
- A delightful blend of two classic flavors in a single cupcake
- Visually attractive with three layers
- Made without artificial chemical leaveners
Ingredients
Use grams for accuracy.
All purpose flour: 90 g (about 1/2 cup + 3 tbsp)
Cornflour (cornstarch): 10 g (1 tbsp)
Eggs: 4
Sugar: 100 g (1/2 cup)
Neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or sunflower): 45 g (3 tbsp + 1 tsp)
Milk: 50 g (3 tbsp + 1 tsp)
Vanilla extract: 2 tsp
Salt: 1/8 tsp (a pinch)
Cocoa powder: 7–8 g (1 tbsp)
How to make vanilla and chocolate cupcakes
The process has three main steps:
1. Prepare the cake batter
2. Portion into liners
3. Bake the cupcakes
Prepare the cake batter
1. Separate the eggs
Separate the egg yolks and whites into two clean bowls. Room-temperature eggs whip more easily, so allow cold eggs to warm slightly before beginning.
2. Whip the egg whites with sugar
Using a hand or stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until foamy. Add half the sugar (about 50 g) gradually while whisking until the whites form medium-stiff, glossy peaks. Stop mixing once peaks hold their shape—overwhipping makes the foam brittle and reduces rise.
3. Whisk the yolks and combine dry ingredients
Beat the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and salt until pale and slightly thickened. Stir in the milk, oil and vanilla. Sift in the flour and cornflour and mix gently until smooth. Cornflour (cornstarch) helps create a lighter, more tender crumb.
4. Fold together
Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the yolk mixture in three additions to preserve the airiness. Mix only until the batter is uniform and smooth.
Divide the batter: pour half into a separate bowl and sift the cocoa into that half, folding gently to make the chocolate batter. To create a lighter chocolate layer, mix about 7 parts vanilla batter with 3 parts chocolate batter in a small bowl. You will now have three batters: vanilla, chocolate and lighter chocolate.
Portion the batter into liners
Spoon the batters into cupcake liners in this order for a layered look: a teaspoon or two of the chocolate batter, then the lighter chocolate, then the vanilla. I used roughly 2 teaspoons of each batter per cupcake, but you can adjust for swirl or marble effects.
Fill liners to just above halfway so there’s room for the cupcakes to rise. This recipe makes about 15–16 medium cupcakes.
Tap the tray gently on the counter to release large air bubbles; this reduces the chance of holes or uneven tops after baking.
Bake the cupcakes
These cupcakes benefit from a low, steady oven temperature and, optionally, a water bath. The water bath (a pan of hot water set on the oven floor or lower rack) creates gentle steam that helps cakes rise evenly and prevents cracking.
Bake at 300°F / 150°C for 25–30 minutes
Start checking at about 20 minutes; the tops should turn golden and a skewer inserted into the center should come out clean. Smaller cupcakes may finish in 20–23 minutes while larger ones can take 30–35 minutes.
Why cupcakes crack on top?
Cupcakes made from egg-based foams are sensitive to heat. Cracking usually happens when the oven is too hot or the pan placement causes uneven heating. If the outside sets before the inside finishes rising, the expanding interior can split the crust.
How to prevent cracking
- Use a reliable oven thermometer to ensure correct temperature.
- Choose an appropriately sized pan and liners.
- Use a water bath to introduce moisture and provide gentler, more even heat.
- Avoid opening the oven during baking to prevent temperature fluctuations.
Why use a water bath?
A water bath (a shallow pan of hot water in the oven) does two things: it adds moisture to the oven to minimize cracking and it creates a slower, more even heat environment that benefits delicate, egg-based cakes.
Video
VANILLA AND CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE RECIPE
Ingredients
- 90 g flour (1/2 cup + 3 tbsp)
- 100 g sugar (1/2 cup)
- 50 g milk (3 tbsp + 1 tsp)
- 45 g neutral oil (3 tbsp + 1 tsp)
- 10 g cornflour (1 tbsp)
- 7–8 g cocoa powder (1 tbsp)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 eggs
- 1/8 tsp salt
Instructions
- Prepare the batter: separate yolks and whites. Whip the whites with half the sugar to medium-stiff peaks. Whisk yolks with the remaining sugar and salt until pale, then add milk, oil and vanilla. Sift and fold in flour and cornflour until smooth. Gently fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture in three additions.
- Divide the batter: pour half into a bowl and sift in the cocoa to make the chocolate batter. Combine about 7 parts vanilla batter with 3 parts chocolate batter to create a lighter chocolate batter. You should now have three batters.
- Portion into liners: spoon roughly 2 teaspoons of chocolate, then lighter chocolate, then vanilla into each liner. Tap the tray to remove large bubbles. Place a tray with hot water on the lowest oven rack if using a water bath.
- Bake at 300°F / 150°C on the lower rack for 25–30 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cooling time and bake duration vary with cupcake size.