Army Themed Georgetown Cupcakes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Georgetown Cupcake "Camouflage" Cupcakes - Makes 24 Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, sifted
1/4 teaspoon salt
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}1 1/4 cup whole milk
2 1/4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon each of brown, green, and, black food coloring
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}For the "Army" Green Buttercream Frosting:
16 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon whole milk
1/8 teaspoon salt
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}1 teaspoon green food coloring
1 teaspoon brown food coloring
Directions:
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}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!