Army Themed Georgetown Cupcakes

Georgetown Cupcake "Camouflage" Cupcakes - Makes 24 Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes:

8 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 large eggs

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cup whole milk

2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon each of brown, green, and, black food coloring

For the "Army" Green Buttercream Frosting:

16 tablespoons unsalted butter

4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon whole milk

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon green food coloring

1 teaspoon brown food coloring

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and line 2 cupcake pans with 12 paper baking cups each.

2. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Measure and set aside in bowl.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3-5 minutes.

4. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing slowly on low speed, after each addition.

5. Add vanilla to milk and set aside.

6. Reduce the speed to low. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then gradually add one-third of the milk mixture, beating until well incorporated. Add another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by one-third of the milk mixture. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add the remaining flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture, and beat just until combined.

7. Divide batter equally into 3 smaller bowls. To each bowl, add 1 teaspoon of food coloring in the different colors, and mix with a spoon until the batter is uniformly colored so that you have brown, green, and black-colored batter.

8. Then, using a tablespoon, add layers of cupcake batter of different colors into the baking cups. It's okay if your spoonfuls are uneven because this will result in a "camouflage" effect! Repeat until all baking cups are 2/3 of the way full.

9. Bake 15-18 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

10. Let cupcakes cool on wire rack for approximately 20 minutes.

For the frosting:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix all ingredients until frosting is light and airy, approximately 3-5 minutes. Add more food coloring if you would like a darker "Army" green.

2. Place frosting in a piping bag fitted with a large round tip. Frost each cupcake with a signature swirl of "Army" green-tinted buttercream. Serve and enjoy!