It's all about the Swirl....

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Even though ice cream hates me (I'm lactose intolerant) chocolate and vanilla swirl ice cream is my favourite summer treat hands down! You can't find it too many places around here which may also be why I like it so much...you really have to hunt it down! There's just something about this delicious treat that makes me so happy! Yum! What's your favourite summer goody?

You know what else I like in Swirl form? Cupcakes! It's my husbands birthday today so I sent him off to work (preschool style) with some of these bad boys....

Want to know how I did it? Okay!

It's very simply really. Make a butter cream icing recipe (I've posted mine below) in white. Separate it in half and mix your desired colours into the icing. Next add spoonfuls of icing to the bag alternating between each colour. Squish the icing together a bit (not too much) with your fingers as well as pushing it towards the decorating tip. Your first cupcake will probably be a more solid colour but after that the icing should come out in a mix of the two colours you made. It really couldn't be easier I promise and just think of the colour possibilities. Pink and Yellow, Blue and Green, Pink and Chocolate, Red and Green...it's never ending! 

Butter Cream Icing Recipe

1 cup margarine (I use tub margarine, Imperial to be exact)

1 tsp vanilla

4 cups confectioners sugar

1 tablespoon milk (1 capful is how I measure it) : )

Using an electic mixer beat margarine and vanilla together in a bowl.

Add one cup of sugar at a time beating the mixture between each cup.

Add 1 tablespoon milk to bowl and beat with mixer (the milk cuts down on the sweetness I find).

You want a smooth, not too runny and not too stiff, consistency. Add sugar or milk to your mixture to achieve desired consistency.

Note:

* Because of the margarine I use the icing has an off white color. It's not a true white. If you want a true white you can buy white margaine or use shortening. I prefer margarine as I can't stand the taste or texture of shortening. To each their own though. : )

* If adding food colouring, especially the water based kind, you can add a tablespoon of meringue powder. This will help the colour stay solid looking in the icing. I prefer using gel food colouring. A little goes a long way though!

* Add cocoa powder to icing to make chocolate. You may need to add more milk in order to keep the consistency the way you want it.