Step into my whimsical world with these steampunk-inspired chocolate and vanilla swirl cupcakes. They feature a chocolate and vanilla swirl cake base topped with a tower of bourbon vanilla buttercream frosting. To finish, dark chocolate steampunk cogs and gears; perfect for any steampunk gathering.
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Sometimes I just like pottering about in the kitchen, getting creative with chocolate and baking.
These steampunk cupcakes were borne out of one of those pottering sessions.
Step into my whimsical world with these steampunk-inspired chocolate and vanilla swirl cupcakes. They feature a chocolate and vanilla swirl base topped with a creamy tower of bourbon vanilla buttercream frosting. To finish, dark chocolate steampunk cogs and gears.
The chocolate steampunk cogs and gears are super easy to make. They require a silicone pastry bag, transparent mat, and paper template.
Ingredients
Chocolate vanilla swirl cupcakes
- 100 grams butter
- 200 grams caster sugar
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 150 ml full-fat milk
- 150 grams of plain flour
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 25 grams of cocoa powder
- 25 grams plain flour
- 1/2 tsp Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean paste
Bourbon vanilla buttercream
- 225 grams of butter
- 450 grams of icing sugar
- 1.5 tsp Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean paste
- 3 tbsp full-fat milk
Dark chocolate steampunk cogs and gears
- 100 grams of dark chocolate, at least 85% cocoa solids
↓ Jump to the full, printable recipe. ↓
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C/ 160 C fan and line a 12-hole cupcake tin with large cases.
- Cream butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
- Sift together the flour, bicarbonate of soda and a pinch of sea salt.
- Add the wet and dry ingredients alternately to the butter and sugar mixture, beating well between additions.
- Measure out half the batter (approximately 330 grams) into two medium-sized bowls.
- Add the cocoa powder to one bowl and the remaining flour and vanilla to the second. Mix each bowl well.
- Alternately spoon each mixture into the cupcake cases until they are 2/3 full. Using a wooden skewer, draw lines through the batter until it forms swirls.
- Bake for 25 minutes until golden and springy to touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt the dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.
- Search for steampunk gear and cog images online and print out designs that you like. Place the printout underneath a clear silicone mat or piece of greaseproof paper.
- Pour the melted, slightly cooled dark chocolate into a silicone pastry bag fitted with a small nozzle and trace your cogs and gears. Leave to harden in a cool place (I put mine outside!).
- To prepare the Madagascan bourbon vanilla buttercream frosting, place all the ingredients in a bowl and beat well.
- Frost the cupcakes using a large star-shaped nozzle and decorate with the chocolate cogs and gears. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Recipe Difficulty Levels
Easy
Requires basic cooking skills and ingredients you most likely already have in your kitchen.
Moderate
Requires more experience, preparation and/or cooking time. You may have to source special ingredients.
Challenging
Recipes requiring more advanced skills and experience and maybe some special equipment.
Dark Chocolate and Bourbon Vanilla Swirl Steampunk Cupcakes
Ingredients
for the chocolate vanilla swirl cupcakes
- 100 grams butter
- 200 grams caster sugar
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 150 ml full fat milk
- 150 grams plain flour
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 pinch Shetland sea salt
- 25 grams cocoa powder
- 25 grams plain flour
- 1/2 tsp Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean paste
for the bourbon vanilla buttercream
- 225 grams butter
- 450 grams icing sugar
- 1.5 tsp Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean paste
- 3 tbsp full fat milk
for the dark chocolate steampunk cogs and gears
- 100 grams dark chocolate at least 85% cocoa solids
Affiliate Links
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Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180 C/ 160 C fan and line a 12-hole cupcake tin with large cases.
- Cream 100 grams butter and 200 grams caster sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
- Add 2 large free-range eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
- Sift together 150 grams plain flour, 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda and 1 pinch Shetland sea salt.
- Add 150 ml full fat milk and dry ingredients alternately to the butter/sugar/egg mixture, beating well between additions.
- Measure out half the batter (approximately 330 grams) into two medium-sized bowls.
- Add 25 grams cocoa powder to one bowl and 25 grams plain flour and 1/2 tsp Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean paste to the second. Mix each bowl well.
- Alternately spoon each mixture into the cupcake cases until they are 2/3 full. Using a wooden skewer, draw lines through the batter until it forms swirls.
- Bake for 25 minutes until golden and springy to touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Melt 100 grams dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.
- Search for steampunk gear and cog images online and print off designs that you like. Place the printout underneath a clear silicone baking mat (or use greaseproof paper).
- Pour the melted, slightly cooled, dark chocolate into a silcone pastry bag fitted with a small nozzle and trace your cogs and gears. Leave to harden in a cool place (I put mine outside!).
- To prepare the Madagascan bourbon vanilla buttercream frosting, place 225 grams butter, 450 grams icing sugar, 1.5 tsp Madagascar bourbon vanilla bean paste and 3 tbsp full fat milk in a bowl and cream well.
- Frost the cupcakes using a large star shape nozzle and decorate with the chocolate cogs and gears. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
The National Trust: Tarn Hows
These cupcakes are absolutely & looking nice too.
Oh my goodness, Elizabeth. I made these cupcakes for my husbands birthday and they are incredible. Can’t believe how much they rose with so little raising agent. Also I’m never making buttercream any other way, the Thermocook is awesome for making buttercream.
They are amazing. Not only do they sound delicious. They look fantastic. Very clever
These look so yummy and very creative 🙂 Thank you for sharing with us all 🙂 X x
oh wow i must try these for my daughter as she just loves steampunk and these look amazing
These must be the most visually appealing cakes I have ever seen and I do like the bizarre name – it invites curiosity !
This is one of those where I think to myself “Well i really couldn’t care less how many calories there are”.
What a unique idea Thanks for sharing the recipe looks yummy
Wow, these cakes look incredible! I loev the idea of using the stencils to create the shapes in chocolate, and the whole effect looks great, yummy! xx
These are so visually appealing that I don’t see how they can be anything less than delicious !
These look so intricate and fantastic. I am not sure I would have a steady enough hand for this but they do make them look stunning.
They look great. You must have a very steady hand. I’m pretty sure if I tried that I’d have chocolate splodge cupcakes.
The decorations are very creative and makes the cupcakes look so good!
These looks delicious. I really need to master icing cupcakes. I make a right mess of it!
These look amazing!!!
I’m now following your blog and getting VERY hungry..!
These look amazing! You are so talented and I bet you enjoyed eating them!
These look amazing! I want one now! How cool to have had a steam punk wedding, will have to check out your posts for pictures. Great idea of how to make the cogs, like the chocolate squeezey thing, so much easier to use.
Thanks so much for linking up to #HowtoSunday 🙂 x
These are fantastic. What a super amazing idea. I love the flavours too.
Happy Anniversary to you – Fantastic Chocolate work. I completely love these pics and have cake stand envy! Thanks so much for joining in with #Bakeoftheweek
These cupcakes sound totally divine. I LOVE cooking/baking with bourbon….my husband LOVES bourbon. They LOOK awesome too. I will have to make these for him…would be perfect for Valentine’s Day….have pinned and scheduled to share on FB
Oh my gosh, I’m dying! Those cupcakes are so cute!! The bourbon vanilla bean paste in the cupcakes sounds amazing. I clicked through to see your steampunk wedding photos and A++. That group picture is just fantastic.
These are so cool! I’ve never seen anything like it. I bet they tasted awesome too 🙂
What a creative way to decorate cupcakes. Super fun idea!
what a great idea! and it cost you so much work! I love themed parties and when you add themed food into if – splendid! this year we had a horror New year’s Eve and I made finger sandwiches, that looked like dead men fingers actually. These kind of food gives so much fun 🙂
These look stunning! I love the detail in the chocolate cogs. xx
#HowToSunday
These are perfectly beautiful. If they taste half as good as they look, this recipe could make you rich. I could seriously see these creations in a shop window, and if I did, I would have to go into the shop to have a look around. You’re incredibly talented and your photography is top notch in my book too.
Love the chocolate details! They look so complicated and yet you’ve made making them look so simple 😀
Wow, super impressed on two levels. One: you made the chocolate decorations yourself and they look amazing. Two: you were strong enough to avoid a taste test. If I ever wanted to start eating better, my whole family would have to go without baked goods! These look delicious.
I love the theme! And they look spectacular. How you didn’t eat them I can’t understand! #HowToSundays
These look amazing. So clever with the decoration! Hope your husband likes how much effort you put in 🙂 #howtosundays
Gosh, these are work of art – the best cupcakes I have seen! I hope you are having a wonderful weekend! Kaz x
Aw thank you! We did have a fantastic weekend – a well deserved treat!
These look incredible! All of your food is so beautifully presented too!
These look great!! And you make it look so easy making the chocolate shapes. If I made them they would just look like a big splodge
Happy anniversary I hope you have a lovely child free night away!
These cupcakes look absolutely divine and I love the stencil what a great idea and the results are fab! I an awful at baking or anything like this but I really wish I wasn’t!
These look amazing! I love the nozzle and stencil idea for chocolate, I’ve never seen this before. They look DELICIOUS, I really love the theme too! So unique <3
These look delicious! Loving the steampunk theme!
Wow, these are show stoppers! The mat for the templates is a fab idea.
Very cool! I know someone who had a steampunk wedding – so different! xx
These look absolutely amazing Elizabeth, so beautiful!
Happy anniversary!! What gorgeous cupcakes! I loveee the work you have done.. Beautiful
These are so creative and no doubt delicious! Happy anniversary!.
These steampunk chocolate cogs are so beautifully done. What a fantabulous idea.
Adore your cupcakes! the decorations are just fab and they look marvellous on that cake stand!
Loving these cupcakes Elizabeth! I had never heard of SteamPunk before your wedding but it looks like a lot of fun;-)
Glad to have had the opportunity to introduce you to something new 🙂
Such a great idea! I love using chocolate to draw my own cupcake toppers, but I’m so impressed with how well you’ve drawn your designs, even using the template!
This was the first time I ever tried anything like this and I’m so glad it worked out the way I saw it in my head. 🙂
So original. These cupcakes would be the talk of the town. Love it!
Thanks Ali, glad you like them!
Happy Anniversary! Your steam boat cupcakes are really genius. Delicious and fun!
Thank you – steam punk, but close! 😉
These are beautiful!!! What a cool idea
Thanks Ramya 🙂
Oh wow they look amazing! Happy anniversary, I love the cakes you have made to celebrate. Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Thanks Kirsty 🙂 Thanks for hosting such a great blog challenge!
Oh happy anniversary! Hope you had a lovely evening. I love your cupcakes. The chocolate decorations are perfect. My friend plays in a steampunk band and I’m sure that her and her bandmates would love to have some of these cakes. Thanks for linking up with #CookBlogShare
Aw thanks so much Mandy 🙂 I bet your friend’s steampunk band is fantastic – what are they called? I’ll look them up!
These look perfect! I am not much of a cupcake lover but I have to admit I would not be able to resist one of those beauties.
I bet you’d be a cupcake convert if you came to visit me! 😀
Happy Anniversary! I just love these cupcakes. Not only are they creative, but chocolate and bourbon? YES PLEASE!!
Thank you! I was rather pleased with my bourbon vanilla purchase at Christmastime 🙂
Thanks for sharing my cheesy biscuits. These are so fantastic! You have so much spunk and patience than I do. Hope you had a great childless evening away!
We did have a lovely evening out – it was a rare treat for us!
since i commented on your instagram, i had to give this a little comment too!
i absolutely LOVE these, they are so cool and sound declious!!
Aw thanks Rachael! Delighted you like them 🙂
There are so gorgeous! I’m pinning them to my beautiful food board and I would love to try your technique some time!
It’s really rather simple to do if you’ve got the right tools. Good luck! 🙂
These are so beautiful and the photos are fantastic! I love that you used the vanilla bean paste, that is one of my new favorite ingredients.
It’s one of mine too – such a fantastic ingredient!
Wow!
They look absolutely delicious I’ve never seen anything like it such gorgeous decorating too
Aw thanks Alice! 😀
oh my word these are amazing! They look too good to eat! Love the photos of these – and I had a nosey at the wedding photos you linked – they look amazing!
Thanks Jenni 🙂 Glad you liked our wedding photos too! It was something a little different, and I’m all for out of the ordinary!
Happy Anniversary! I love the Lekue Decomat, I think one of those is in my future. Fantastic cupcakes and I’m sad I don’t have one right now in my hand.
Thanks Janette! I can’t say how much I’m loving my decomat – it really is a useful tool – so versatile too!
Oh my gosh these look amazing! Your pictures are great and how fun your wedding looked!! I took a swing over to that page too – congratulations to you!!!
Thanks Debra 🙂
These are soo stunning and look tasty too! I love that you had a themed wedding it means you can do things like this on anniversaries as a reminder! not sure I would share these with the kids though :p I would probably keep them for myself :p Thanks so much for linking up to #YUMTUM I would love to see you next week ! Thanks for sharing your fab recipe!
I never thought of it like that, but yes – definitely! Glad to see a new blogging challenge on the block too! 🙂
Dark chocolate and bourbon. what a great combination.
It sure is! 😀
How cool are those?! I love those intricate cupcake toppers!
Thanks Liz, I’m really glad they turned out as I had visualised them. It wouldn’t have happened without the decomat!
You really are a marvel Elizabeth as are your steampunk cupcakes. My how the time flies. I can’t believe it was two years ago you got married. It was you that introduced me to the concept of steampunk. Hope you have a lovely weekend and enjoy your hotel stay.
A cake stand collection sounds like an eminently suitable thing for a food blogger to collect and I love your steampunk one.
I can hardly believe it’s been two years either! How time flies! We did have a fantastic night away, thanks, and yes, I’m loving my new cake stand too!
These look great! I love that people are still repping the steampunk style
I don’t think it will ever die. It’s too awesome. 😀
Oh. My. Word. I am in LURVE! Utterly gorgeous cakes – I have to make those cogs immediately! Wonderful. I’ve gone all effusive!
Heh hee! 😀
oh those cakes are absolutely gorgeous! What a cute way to sneak steam punk into cupcakes. I’m planning my wedding at the moment and looking for cake inspiration so this was fab.
Happy wedding planning! The planning is half the fun! 😀
What a clever little gadget! You certainly made some beautiful cogs and wheels for your steampunk cupcakes, they look delicious. Congratulations on the wedding anniversary, I remember seeing the wedding pics and still marvel at the paper bouquet, you should post that again!
It certainly is! I’ve got loads of ideas now that I’ve started using it properly. Watch this space! Perhaps I’ll redo my bouquet tutorial – I’ve learned so much since then…
i love love love these! I never thought about jazzing my cupcakes up this way
It’s really an effective technique, isn’t it!
Happy anniversary! Our 10th anniversary is tomorrow (the 14th)! These gorgeous cupcakes look like a great way to celebrate. Enjoy that kid free weekend – I’m envious!
Happy anniversary to you too! Go January weddings! 😀
They look great and I love how you made the chocolate cogs to go on top. Nice styling of your photographs too.
Thank you 🙂
The more I see these, the more I want them x
My work here is done! 😀
Wow wee these look amazing! Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays
Thanks Vicki, glad you like them, and thanks for hosting such a fab linky!
Amazing cakes and photography – love it!
Thanks Sarah 🙂
Firstly congrats on the wedding anniversary! Secondly how cool are these cakes!!! And that cake stand! I love everything about them 🙂 I’ve always been fascinated by steam punk, plus these cakes sound as delicious as they look. Bravo for adding the bourbon vanilla to the icing!
Thanks…. and thanks… and thanks! 😀
they look utterly amazing do you post them out
I’m not sure they’d make it intact off the island! 😀
Congrats on your wedding anniversary! Those cupcakes look amazing. Well done!
Thank you! 😀
These look gorgeous, you are so talented!
Aw thanks Laura!
Those cupcakes look wonderful, love the idea of the chocolate shapes too.
Thanks Heidi 🙂
Wow, your cupcake looks so pretty and the flavours sound amazing x
Thanks 🙂 I was really glad how well they turned out. The family were certainly impressed!
These are so beautiful! And they sound delicious. I love the story and that your husband dressed up for this! This is awesome!
Yea, he comes in handy sometimes 😀 Blog backdrop extraordinaire!
Wow, these look brilliant. And your husband does look perfect for the steam punk role!
Thanks Emma, and he really does, doesn’t he!
Oh wow, the cakes look absolutely divine and the chocolate clockwork details seem so delicately made. Simply wonderful! Your photography is great too! x
Aw thanks Zoe! 😀
The cupcakes look really lovely.Happy anniversary. I love the leuke piping gadget I have one but I am waiting to use it still.
You should definitely get playing with it! So many possibilities! 😀
What amazing cakes! I want to eat them all, now! I will bookmark this recipe to make them for my son’s birthday/
Thanks Mellissa – let me know what you think if you do make them!
Wow! These look simply amazing. Well done, this must’ve took some patience.
Thanks Kacie – I’m not the most patient person in the world (which is why there are only three cogs on each cupcake – I started to lose the will to live making them!)
These cakes look amazing you are soo creative. I would start making these and then end up eating them all!
I did very well and ended up only having 1/3 of an uniced cupcake a few days later. Very tempting though!
These look so so tasty.
Thanks Zoe – my family assure me they were!
Your husband and your cupcakes both look amazing!
Thanks Justine! 🙂
these are just brilliant. I love the templates… what a fab idea! Happy Anniversary… oh and your husband is HAWT!!!!
Haha! Thanks Dom, yea he’s ok to look at 😉
I love the Steampunk era so this is perfect both aesthetically and contextually. I like that you included a model to showcase your beautiful cupcakes!
Thanks Ana 🙂 I don’t take many photos with people in them, so this is a rare thing indeed!
Oh my, they’re fantastic! So effective! love how you’ve styled the – well everything about it really. Happy anniversary.
Angela x
Aw thanks Angela! 🙂
What a fantastic idea and a very happy anniversary to you. I hope you get to enjoy your night without the kidsand I am sure they most love these steampunk cupcakes. The decorataions are ace!
Thank you Laura, we did enjoy our night out. A rare treat for us!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your post. Your husband played his part well – the photos are fabulous.
Aw thanks Patty! He did well, didn’t he – he rather enjoyed himself too!
These look absolutely delicious! I wish I made cupcakes this good-looking!
Rachel | Beauty and the Bird
I’m sure you could if you gave it a try. The decomat makes things a lot easier. 🙂
Those look amazing, fantastic!
Thanks Florian!
These sound incredible! Not sure my hands are steady enough to do the cogs but I am tempted to give it a go. Love the style of steampunk weddings. Happy Anniversary!
It was really easy to do, and I don’t have the steadiest hand either. Thanks for stopping by!
These are brilliant and so creative. What an awesome theme! Did they taste as good as they looked?
Aw thanks Tori! 🙂 My family assure me they tasted fantastic. I had a nibble of an uniced one a few days later which was rather scrummy!
Oh wow. These look and sound beautiful. I saw a photo on your Instagram. x
Thanks, and thank you for stopping by! 🙂
Oh wow these sound delicious and I love your chocolatey decorations! Your husband does scrub up well 😀
Thanks Becca – and he sure does, doesn’t he! 😀
Happy wedding anniversary and congratulations on your brilliant cupcakes. I am not great at chocolate but that kit looks really useful and your creativity is admirable. I was admiring your cake stand and wishing for more in my life when I read you are now a collector – I wish I had room to be – would you consider making some – I have seen ones on craft blogs where little glasses and vases are hot glued to lovely plates – again I wish I had room for such things. Enjoy your anniversary child free time
Thank you Johanna! 🙂 I don’t have much room to be collecting cake stands either – might have to clear out some other stuff….! Love the glasses/vases/plates idea!
Those are just fab! Love your steampunk wedding. (I still regret being talked out of having a Doctor Who theme for ours…)
A Dr. Who wedding would have been fantastic!!! 😀
Fabulous post! I adore those cogs, so very clever and the silicone may sounds brilliant! You husband looks cool too!
Secretplussizegoddess
Thanks Tanya, glad you like it! 😀
These look so good Elisabeth! I love the chocolate decorations – brilliant idea. Enjoy your anniversary and child-free night – it sounds heavenly. Your husband is a really good sport to appear on the blog – I think I would have to pay mine to do that.
Thanks Lucy! 🙂 We had a fantastic night out. A rare treat for us!
Brilliant, I love the decoration, The cakes look amazing
Thanks Alison! 🙂
WOW. The cakes looks too good to eat. Thanks for sharing.
Aw thanks Stella! 🙂
Happy wedding anniversary for the weekend! Hope you have a good one. dark choc and bourbon vanilla cupcakes sound delish!
Thanks Sarah! We had a fantastic time, thank you!
Those cupcakes look amazing! I love the idea of the mat! x
Thanks Charlotte! The mat is really handy – so many possibilities!
Just gorgeous, Elizabeth. Stunning actually. I had to smile about your chocolate cooling remarks. I wouldn’t have even had to set them outside – I don’t treat myself to heat during the day! Enjoy your anniversary overnighter. I can imagine how precious that time will be 😉 And yes, your hubs scrubs up very well
Thanks Kellie! Heat is my one luxury. I don’t like a cold house!
Those cakes are so beautiful (and I bet delicious too). You’re so clever with the decorations, I know mine wouldn’t look anything like that! I must admit I didn’t know what steam punk was but I clicked through to your wedding post to find out! #tastytuesdays
I bet you’d surprise yourself if you gave it a go! 🙂 Glad you liked my post and photos!
Oh my, those cakes look just amazing, I now want cake x
Thanks Rachel – I want cake too!! 😀
What a fab post and loving the steam punk vibe!!! Your husband looks magnificent in his wedding gear! Good luck wth the health kick too. I’m winning on the exercise and no alcohol front, I’m eating healthier food but just too much of it
Thanks Katie – he does scrub up well doesn’t he! 🙂 It’s not easy trying to be healthy, not when so many lovely cakes are crying out to be made!
Literally had no idea what a steampunk was until now! These cupcakes look cute, and great to be able t celebrate something that means something to you with them. Yum!
Glad to have taught you something new! 😀
They look fantastic. I’d love to be as creative but there’s no way my hand is steady enough for that!
I bet you’d surprise yourself if you gave it a go! 😀
LOL elizabeth – is the model your other half? Great cakes – sending this on to my sis in law who will love the idea
Yes, yes he is! He does scrub up well, doesn’t he! 😀
You must have some serious will power to not try those cupcakes! They look delicious, and I love the idea that you recreated a memory from your wedding for your anniversary 🙂 x
I did cave a few days later and had 1/3 of an uniced one. Still scrummy! 😀
Every single word of this recipe ticks all the boxes. Bravo!
Aw thanks Monica! 😀
That is very clever!! Also love your pictures, very creative. Those cupcakes look delicious, thank you for sharing the recipe and others too, I have a party at the WE – might become handy 😉
Aw thank you! I don’t usually have people in my photos, so this was a new thing for me.
What beautiful cakes and such a nice way to involve the kids. I don’t think I’d have a steady enough hand to draw over those templates though. Have a great child free night away 🙂 x
Thanks Rhian 🙂 I bet you’d surprise yourself if you had a go! Chocolate is quite forgiving 😀