Neapolitan Cupcakes
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A true treat for Neapolitan Ice Cream lovers, this strawberry cupcake is filled with a decadent marshmallow filling, and topped with a swirled chocolate and vanilla frosting. Enjoy!
Serves: Approx 24 cupcakes
Ingredients
Strawberry Cupcakes:
  • 2 and ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cake flour, (not self-rising)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 and ¼ cups sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 large egg white
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 and ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups finely chopped strawberries
  • several drops of red/pink food coloring or gel paste
Marshmallow Filling:
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 2 (7oz) jars marshmallow fluff/creme
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Vanilla Swirl Buttercream:
  • 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 (2lb) bag confectioners sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ to ½ cup heavy whipping cream
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
Instructions
  1. Cupcakes:
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Line two cupcake pans with cupcake liners; set aside.
  4. Place strawberries in a small food processor; process until pureed, set aside.
  5. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
  6. In a small bowl, mix together milk, vanilla, and strawberry puree; set aside.
  7. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy.
  8. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat until well combined and fluffy.
  9. Reduce the mixer speed to medium and slowly add egg and egg white until just blended.
  10. With the mixer on low, slowly add half the flour mixture; mix until just blended.
  11. Add the milk mixture; mix until just blended.
  12. Slowly add remaining flour mixture, scraping down sides of the bowl with a spatula, as necessary, until just blended. Add food coloring if desired, and blend completely.
  13. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups.
  14. Transfer muffin tin to oven and bake until tops are just dry to the touch, 22 to 25 minutes. (Mine only took 20 minutes, so keep an eye on them!)
  15. Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and let cupcakes cool completely in tin before frosting and filling.
Marshmallow Filling:
  1. Place butter, marshmallow creme and vanilla in a large bowl.
  2. Beat at medium speed until smooth and completely incorporated.
  3. Spoon filling into a piping bag fitted with a small round, star or filling tip.
  4. Using light pressure, insert tip into top of cupcake and squeeze filling into cupcake. Filling will ooze out of the top, but that's ok, you'll cover it with frosting.
  5. Repeat until all cupcakes are filled.
Chocolate and Vanilla Swirl Buttercream:
  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy.
  2. Add powdered sugar, and beat on slow just until slightly incorporated.
  3. Add cream and vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy. Add more cream if necessary to reach desired thickness.
  4. Remove half of the frosting from the bowl, and spoon it into one side of a piping bag fitted with desired piping tip.
  5. Set aside.
  6. Add cocoa powder to remaining frosting, and beat to combine. Again, add more cream if desired to reach desired consistency, and scrape bowl to completely incorporated vanilla frosting.
  7. Spoon chocolate frosting into the other side of the piping bag.
  8. Apply pressure to the bag, and pipe frosting like you normally would.
  9. Enjoy!
Recipe by Lemon Sugar at http://lemon-sugar.com/neapolitan-cupcakes/