Marble butter cupcake / Butter cake

Josh turns two today! :) 

2 years ago, I woke up at 7am, got myself ready for my routine check up with my gynae at the hospital. Little did I know I was gonna be pushed into the OT that day, and I would meet the lil' fella that day itself. 

A year ago, I woke up at 5am, if not earlier, to prepare for the lil' fella's first birthday cake, I made chocolate cupcake decorated with owl for his halloween-themed birthday party. 

Today I woke up at 6:15am. I made a simple but delicious butter cake, marbled, in a log form (topped with plenty of sunflower seeds) and 2 cupcakes. We're not gonna have any lavishing celebration this year, it's just gonna be a simple one with the family. I prepped his lunch (spaghetti with creamy mushroom sauce), I boiled him some red eggs and got his breakfast ready (steamed bun). Yea, it does seem too much of a breakfast spread for a little two year old. This is my wish for him, that he shall have nothing to worry about, his tummy shall be filled and he'll always be happy in his future years to come. 

I made this very good butter cake few months ago, here. It has gotten very good review from many bloggers so far. So I have decided that I would make it for the lil' fella's birthday cake. I was initially gonna make the easier Steamed Moist Chocolate Cupcake, but I couldn't get unsalted butter. And the only recipe that would go well with the savory butter would be butter cake. And no regrets. It was good! This time, I didn't drastically down the sugar level, cos I used salted butter, worrying that reducing the sugar may affect the ultimate taste. 

Ingredients: 

• 230g butter, soft 
• 80g brown sugar 
• 1tsp vanilla extract 
• 1/8tsp salt (I omitted this, cos I used unsalted butter in this recipe) 
• 4 egg yolk
• 1tbsp fresh milk
• 200g cake flour 
• 1tsp baking powder

• 4 egg white
• 80g brown sugar

For marbling effect: 

• 1tbsp cocoa powder
• 3tbsp hot water

Topping: sunflower seeds (optional) 

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 170degC. Line a loaf tin. (This time I baked mine at 155degC) 
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 
3. Add in yolks, one at a time, and beat until fluffy. 
4. Sift in flour and baking powder and mix well. Set aside. 
5. Beat egg white with sugar till turns to soft peak in another bowl. 
6. Fold egg white meringue into yolk batter. Mix well and fold in the rest. 
7. In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder and hot water until there is no lumps. Mix into 3-4 tbsp batter in another bowl. 
8. Pour yellow batter in lined tin, followed by brown cocoa batter. 
9. Sprinkle generous amount of sunflower seeds on top of batter. 
10. Bake for 40min (for cupcakes, I baked for 20min) or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.