Black & White Cupcakes with Black & White Meringue

Cupcakes

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

Fill a small glass bowl with unsweetened chocolate. Melt over double boiler and remove from heat. Set aside to cool until lukewarm.

In two medium bowls, sift together flours, baking soda, and baking powders for each flavor.  Set aside.

In two large bowls, cream together margarine and sugars for each flavor, beating 3 to 5 minutes until each batter is homogeneous and fluffy.

Add eggs or egg whites one at a time to each batter, beating well after each addition.

Pour cooled chocolate into its designated batter and beat well until fully combined. Set aside.

In two small bowls, stir together almond milk and vanilla extract for each flavor, and lemon juice for the chocolate.

Slowly mix the dry ingredients into chocolate batter, alternating in equal parts with two additions of the almond milk mixture and with optional black food coloring. With each addition, scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and mix until the ingredients are incorporated, but do not over-beat. Repeat with vanilla batter. Mix until smooth and homogenous. The chocolate batter will be slightly thicker than the vanilla.

Carefully transfer each batter into two pastry or zip-top bags.

To fill cupcake papers, snip both tips of the pastry or plastic bags.  Holding both bags of batter, one in each hand, insert the open tips of each bag into cupcake liners and gently squeeze both bags simultaneously until the batters have equally filled each cupcake liner about ¾ full.

Bake the cakes for 21 to 24 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean.

Allow the cupcakes to cool in pans for 15 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Meringue Frosting

Prepare a double boiler fitted with a large glass bowl. 

Combine the egg whites, sugar, corn syrup, water, and cream of tartar in the large bowl.  Beat the mixture on high speed over the simmering water 7 minutes, until the mixture is thick, fluffy and marshmallow-y.

Remove bowl from heat and divide frosting in half.  In one half, beat in the vanilla extract, and to the other half, beat in the cocoa powder and food coloring.

Using a small spatula or knife, gently spread a small amount of each of the two frostings side-by-side atop each cooled cupcake.  Serve immediately.

Store-bought fondant may be used in place of the frosting for a different look and texture. Simply slice black and white rolled fondant into disks, mold disks together, and place on top of cupcake.