Cupcake Experiment #7 (AKA a tribute to Quentin)

First off, I must apologize for some seriously crappy picture quality.  The Not-So-Ex had the nerve to go out with a friend a leave me without his iPhone so I was stuck with the crappy photo taking abilities of my own phone.  And yes I do have a real digital cam but, unfortunately, I haven't been able to find the USB that goes with it since I moved (almost 4 months ago).

But anyway, those of you who know me know that, in addition to my cupcake obsession, I am a massive movie geek.  So when I was looking for a cupcake to fill my lonely, Not-So-Ex-less Saturday evening, this was JUST what I was looking for.  I mean how could I turn down a recipe that managed to combine my love of cupcakes and my love for dark, twisted, violent cinema such as Pulp Fiction (although, for the record, I prefer Reservoir Dogs myself)?

So, in dedication to my Quentin, I present a recipe stolen word for word from my favorite blog ever...

MARSELLUS & MIA WALLACE CUPCAKES (AKA BLACK-N-WHITE CUPCAKES)
Prepare both vanilla and chocolate batters (directions below); fill muffin cups with 3 tablespoons of each, side by side. Makes 24. (I got more than that!)

Ingredients:

Vanilla:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup whole milk

Chocolate:

• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pan
• ½ cup cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ cup whole milk

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a standard 12-cup muffin pan, or use paper liners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt (and chocolate powder for the chocolate cupcakes); set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; add vanilla, and mix until combined. On low speed, beat in half the flour mixture, followed by milk; end with remaining flour mixture. Mix just until incorporated (do not overmix).
3. Fill muffin cups with 3 tablespoons of each batter, side by side.. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a cupcake comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool cupcakes in pan, 5 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

As usual, I chose a different frosting than shown on Cupcake Rehab.  I decided to use a chocolate frosting (actually the same one I used for the choc. cherry cupcakes but without cherry).  So here's the frosting I used, stolen from allrecipes.com...

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar 2 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in cocoa and vanilla. Place confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Pour in cocoa mixture. Beat well (mixture will be extremely thick). Beat in milk, a teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is achieved. Enjoy!!!!!