# What You Need:
→ Cupcakes
01 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tsp baking powder
03 - ¼ tsp salt
04 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
08 - ½ cup whole milk
→ Dual-Tone Frosting
09 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
10 - 3½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
11 - 2–3 tbsp milk
12 - 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
13 - Pinch of salt
14 - Gel food colouring, two contrasting colours (e.g., yellow and lavender)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla.
04 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
05 - Divide batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling about ⅔ full.
06 - Bake for 16–18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
07 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt; beat until smooth and fluffy.
08 - Divide the frosting evenly into two bowls. Tint each with a different food colouring.
09 - Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on a flat surface. Spread one color of frosting in a long line on one side, then the second color alongside it to create a dual-color stripe. Roll up the plastic into a log, snip one end, and place into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
10 - Pipe swirled dual-tone frosting onto cooled cupcakes.
