I made these cupcakes for SPCA fundraising. They are marbled with almond flavored buttercream.

Step 1: Ingredients and Method

Marbled Cupcakes

1 2/3 c flour

1 c sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 c water

1 tsp vinegar

1 tsp vanilla essence

6 tbsp oil

1/2 c plain yogurt or sour cream

1-2 tbsp cocoa powder

chocolate chips and mini m n ms

Mix together dry ingredients

Combine wet ingredients and add to dry. Mix well.

Divide batter into two bowls, one leave it as is, the other is mixed with cocoa powder

Pour into cupcake pan which already lined with cupcake wrappers, either white batter first or chocolate batter first, and swirl with toothpick/skewer/knife to create marble effect.

Bake at 350 for 20 mins or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Almond Buttercream

5 egg whites

1 1/4 c sugar

454 g unsalted butter, room temperature

1-2 tbsp almond flavoring/essence

Heat egg whites and sugar on double boiler until sugar melted and liquid is hot to the touch (160 C)

Pour into a mixer bowl, and beat on low speed until room temperature then turn up to high until meringue stage

Add in butter a little at a time, keep beating until creamy and fluffy

Add in almond flavoring, and beat until combine

Step 2: Piping the Puppy

Follow the piping as shown, these pictures are in order. This is piped using 1M Wilton tip (for roses)

So first, pipe for the base (looking like rainbow arch) almost to the center of cupcake as shown on first picture

Then pipe pulling buttercream down from the arch, looking almost like beard, as shown on the second picture

Now let's make the base for the ears. From the top of the cupcake, pull a little sharp piping half left and half right, as shown on third and fourth picture.

Then from the rainbow arch, on fifth picture, pipe a moustache

Lastly, on the sixth picture, between the ears area, pipe two lines of buttercream, pulling down to sides

Decorate cupcake with chocolate chips for eyes and mini m n ms for ears, nose and tongue