Two-Tone Muffins

Directions

1. 1
   Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. 2
   Grease 10 standard muffin cups.
3. 3
   In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; mix thoroughly.
4. 4
   In a large bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
5. 5
   Beat in eggs and buttermilk until well blended.
6. 6
   Stir in flour mixture just until blended, being careful not to overmix.
7. 7
   Divide batter between 2 bowls.
8. 8
   Stir vanilla into 1 bowl of batter.
9. 9
   Stir melted chocolate into remaining bowl of batter.
10. 10
    Spoon the vanilla batter into one side of each prepared muffin cup, filling the cups two-thirds full.
11. 11
    Spoon the chocolate batter into the other half of each muffin cup.
12. 12
    Fill the 2 empty cups with water for even baking.
13. 13
    Bake muffins until a toothpick inserted in center of one comes out clean, 15-17 minutes.
14. 14
    Transfer the pan to a wire rack; let muffins cool for 5 minutes.
15. 15
    Turn muffins onto the rack; cool completely.
16. 16
    Note: To jazz these up, top half of a muffin with chocolate icing and the other half with white icing.
17. 17
    Also, you can make marbled muffins by swirling the two batters together.