Neapolitan Cupcakes From Scratch
Here’s a classic ice cream flavor turned into cupcakes and you’re going to love them! They are soft as clouds and layered with three irresistible flavors: a milk chocolate-like cupcake, a vanilla bean cupcake and a fresh strawberry frosting. I just couldn’t get enough of them! Because of these, I know I’ve found a new obsession — layered cupcakes. As if I needed another food to be crazy about, but honestly there’s just no way I could resist these. I have the feeling you’ll be seeing more layered cupcakes on here in the future. I know they can be a little tricky, as finding two batters that have a similar consistency so the top layer doesn’t just sink into the bottom will always be the challenge. With this unique cupcake recipe, I just used my favorite chocolate cupcake batter and a light and fluffy white vanilla bean batter. I chose not to go with a traditional vanilla cupcake because it would have been too heavy, but also because I wanted a whiter cupcake with less of a yellow tint to it (which egg yolks will do). I loved cutting the cupcakes in half to see the contrast between the layers, because the cupcakes are more white inside. Yes, these homemade cupcakes take a bit more effort than a traditional cupcake since you have to make two batters, but it is well worth it. Plus, the recipe does make 24 so it’s not like you are putting in the extra effort for only a dozen cupcakes. Ice cream flavor turned cupcake — you need these in your life, don’t you think?
Neapolitan Cupcake Ingredients
Don’t let the lengthy ingredient list list scare you off! There are lots of repeat ingredients needed for the cupcake layers. For the chocolate cupcake layer, you’ll need:
Unsweetened cocoa powder Baking soda Boiling water Unsalted butter Vegetable oil Granulated sugar Vanilla extract Salt Eggs Heavy cream All-purpose flour
For the vanilla cupcake layer, you’ll need:
Cake flour Baking powder Salt Unsalted butter Granulated sugar Vanilla bean seeds Egg whites Milk Vanilla extract
And for the strawberry buttercream frosting, you’ll need:
Unsalted butter Freeze dried strawberries Heavy cream Powdered sugar
How to Make Cupcakes From Scratch
Make chocolate cupcake batter, then distribute it among 22 paper-lined muffin cups. Make vanilla cupcake batter, then gently add 2 tablespoons of batter on top of the chocolate batter. Bake cupcakes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, then leave on counter to cool completely. While the cupcakes cool, make the strawberry buttercream frosting. Pipe strawberry frosting onto cupcakes and enjoy!
Can I Use Fresh Strawberries in the Frosting?
Yes, if you’d rather make fresh strawberry buttercream, you can make a double batch of this strawberry buttercream frosting recipe. It has a few more steps than the strawberry frosting I used in this homemade cupcakes recipe, but it’s equally delicious!
Can I Freeze the Cupcakes for Later?
If you have a special event in mind you’d like to prep these cupcakes for, I recommend making and freezing the cupcake base and waiting until the day of to make the strawberry frosting! Freeze the Neapolitan cupcakes in a freezer bag and thaw on your counter when you’re ready to eat them.
Tips for the Best Cupcakes
When making the chocolate cupcake batter, the water must be boiling. Warm tap water won’t work! Be careful when spreading the vanilla bean cupcake batter over the chocolate batter — you don’t want the two flavors to mix too much. When making the strawberry buttercream, the butter must be softened to room temperature before you whip it up. If the butter is too cold, it won’t fluff up properly.
More Homemade Cupcake Recipes You’ll Love:
Chocolate Cupcakes with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Buttercream Frosting Lemon Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Frosting Funfetti Cupcakes Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
