Homemade Marble Cupcakes

These chocolate and vanilla marble cupcakes are insanely delicious! Between the chocolate buttercream and the marbled cupcake, you will be licking your fingers clean!

Cupcakes are perfect for every occasion! Having delicious and easy recipes on hand for delicious desserts is a must! Try out some more of my favorite delicious desserts like this perfect strawberry shortcake, this chocolate zucchini cake, and these amazing chocolate chip cookie dough bars.

The side view of a marble cupcake with chocolate buttercream frosting.

What are Marble Cupcakes?

Marble cupcakes are an elegant yet simple dessert that can be made for any occasion! They are made from vanilla and chocolate batter that is swirled together to create a unique and gorgeous marble pattern. After the cupcakes are cooked and cooled, then they are topped with chocolate buttercream frosting. They will tempt you until you give n and take a bite.

My kids love these marble cupcakes because they can never decide between chocolate and vanilla. This is the perfect dessert because it has both! It’s like when you get a swirl ice cream cone… This is the cupcake that’s the best of both worlds! Not only are they elegant to look at, but the taste is absolutely divine. They are perfectly moist and will melt in your mouth!

Ingredients in Marble Cupcakes

Don’t let this ingredients list intimidate you. Follow my instructions step by step, and you will realize that these aren’t complicated! Check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact ingredient measurements.

Chocolate Batter

Vegetable Oil: The vegetable oil will make your cupcakes nice and moist.
Warm Coffee: Don’t worry! Your cupcakes won’t be coffee-flavored! The coffee brings out the delicious chocolate flavor SO much more.
Large Egg: Let your egg sit out at room temperature before you bake it. It will mix in so much better with the other ingredients.
Vanilla Extract: Add a splash of vanilla flavor to go with the chocolate.
Flour: I used all-purpose flour in the chocolate batter.
Granulated Sugar: Sweeten the batter up with some sugar!
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Do NOT use Dutch-process cocoa powder.
Baking Soda and Baking Soda: This will help your cupcakes rise and become soft and fluffy.
Salt: The salt will enhance all of the flavors.

Vanilla Batter

Cake Flour: I used cake flour (instead of all-purpose flour) for the vanilla batter.
Granulated Sugar: This adds in the sweet flavor.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These act as a leavening agent and help the cupcakes rise without yeast.
Salt: You only need a tiny bit!
Buttermilk: You can use storebought buttermilk, but I love that I can make some at home using this recipe (only two ingredients are needed!) if I don’t have any on hand.
Milk: I used one percent milk in this recipe.
Vanilla Extract: Vanilla cupcakes must have some vanilla extract!
Vegetable Oil: The oil makes your cupcakes moist.
Egg Whites: This will help the cupcakes set and not lose their shape.

Chocolate Buttercream

Butter: I used unsalted butter that I left out so that it would soften to room temperature. When you mix it in, then you won’t have any lumps.
Powdered Sugar: This gives it a sweet flavor, but also it dissolves quickly making the chocolate buttercream smooth and creamy for these marble cupcakes.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: This gives it the chocolate color and flavor.
Milk: Use more or less, depending on the consistency you are looking for.
Vanilla Extract: This flavor goes perfectly with the cupcake batter.
Salt: A tiny bit of salt is needed to bring out all the flavors.

2 pictures showing how to add batter to cupcake liners and swirl it with a toothpick.

How to Make Marble Cupcakes

Once you swirl the chocolate and vanilla batters together, it makes the BEST cupcake! If I were you, I would double the batch so you can have some extra for yourself! These are going to fly off of your table.

Chocolate Batter

Combine: In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, warm coffee, egg, and vanilla until combined.
Mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and gently whisk until combined.

Vanilla Batter

Whisk: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Fold: Add the buttermilk, milk, vanilla, and oil to the dry ingredients and whisk until thoroughly combined. In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until you get medium-stiff peaks, and then gently fold the egg whites into the batter.
Swirl: Use a small cookie scoop to alternate the chocolate and vanilla batter in the cupcake liners until they are 2/3 of the way full. Use a toothpick to swirl each liner once.
Bake: Bake for 18-20 minutes in a muffin tin until the centers of the cupcakes, spring back when lightly pressed, or a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
Cool: Remove from the oven and let cool completely before frosting.

Chocolate Buttercream

Beat: Beat the butter in the bowl of a mixer until fluffy and pale. Add the powdered sugar and beat slowly until incorporated, increasing the speed to beat it more fully.
Combine and Mix: Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Stir in the cocoa powder, milk, vanilla, and salt. Mix on medium-high until completely smooth and combined. If the frosting is too stiff, add more milk one tablespoon at a time until it is a pipeable consistency.
Pipe: Pipe the frosting mixture on top of the cooled cupcakes with either a round or star tip. Enjoy!

Baking Tips for Marble Cupcakes

Follow these few extra tips for making your marble cupcakes turn out perfectly! They will turn out soft, moist, and delicious every single time.

What if I don’t have cake flour? If you don’t have any cake flour then don’t worry! You can totally make your own with only 2 ingredients. For every 1 cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons of the flour and replace it with cornstarch. Then, you will sift it together. Once it’s been fully sifted, then measure out the amount of flour that you need for the recipe!
Use room temperature ingredients: Using eggs, water, and butter that are at room temperature will help the cupcake batter come together more easily. And not only that but it will help the cake be smoother!
Don’t overmix: Overmixing the batter can make the texture of these cupcakes gummy and chewy. So just mix until everything is combined and then stop.

The top view of cupcakes that are piped with chocolate buttercream frosting.

How to Store Leftover Cupcakes

There are a couple of ways to store cupcakes (if you are lucky enough to have any leftovers)! Follow these instructions and you can have cupcakes to snack on for a few days.

Storing Cupcakes without the Frosting: If you want to make these ahead of time then go ahead and store your unfrosted cupcakes in an airtight container on your counter. They will last about 4 days and you can just add the frosting on top whenever you are ready!
Storing Cupcakes with Frosting: If you have already put the frosting on your cupcakes then you’ll want to store them in the refrigerator. They will last about 3-4 days.

A marble cupcake sliced in half and taken out of the wrapper so that you can see the inside.