Neapolitan Ice Cream Cupcakes! Full disclosure: before making these, I didn’t know the difference between Neapolitan ice cream and napolitana sauce. But now I do! One is a sweet treat perfect for a hot summer day, while the other is a savory sauce that complements a hearty meal. These cupcakes, however, are delicious at any time of day or year!
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 45 minutes
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 176 kcal
INGREDIENTS
For the Cupcakes
- 3 1/2 cups (430 g) plain all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 cups (265 g) caster (superfine) sugar
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 cup (125 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) full-cream whole milk
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste)
- 2 tbsp cocoa powder (for batter and frosting)
- 1 tsp strawberry essence (for frosting and batter)
- 2-3 drops pink food dye (in batter and frosting)
For Decorations
- Red candy balls (to mimic cherries) or maraschino cherries
- 10 vanilla wafer biscuits, cut into wedges
- Chocolate sprinkles
- A batch of fluffy vanilla buttercream frosting
INSTRUCTIONS
Cupcakes
- Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) and line a cupcake tin with paper cupcake cases.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients. Mix on low for a couple of minutes. Add the softened butter and mix until the texture resembles fine sand.
- In a large jug, whisk together the milk, eggs, yogurt, oil, and vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients while mixing, ensuring all dry ingredients are incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for another 20 seconds.
- Divide the batter into three bowls (use kitchen scales or an ice cream scoop for even distribution).
- In one bowl, add the cocoa powder and gently fold it in until evenly mixed.
- In another bowl, add the strawberry essence and pink food dye, folding them in gently.
- Use a small ice cream scoop (about 1 ½ tbsp per scoop) to add each flavor of batter into the cupcake liners. Gently tap the tin on the bench to remove air pockets, which helps the cupcakes rise evenly.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a cooling rack before frosting.
While the cupcakes bake and cool, color and flavor your frosting to match the batter, dividing it into three separate piping bags or zip-lock bags fitted with star nozzles.
Assembling the Cupcakes
- Start by piping the chocolate frosting onto the cupcakes, followed by the strawberry frosting, and then a swirl of vanilla frosting on top.
- Decorate with chocolate sprinkles, place a red candy ball (or maraschino cherry) on top, and add a wedge of vanilla wafer on the side.
LEARN HOW TO MAKE IT! [VIDEO]
NOTES
Store the cupcakes in an airtight container for up to three days.
