Happy birthday to me ... happy birthday to me ... happy birthday dear, Tracey ... happy birthday to me!
Psssst! ... It's my birthday.
Hadn't figured that out yet, had you? Well, it's true. Today is my birthday!
Ever since I tin remember, my Mom has made me Neapolitan Sheet Cake for my birthday. Ever since I tin remember, without neglect ... fifty-fifty arranging for mortal else to larn far for me 1 twelvemonth when she was going to hold out out of town. She's a proficient Mom similar that. This twelvemonth was no exception. Though Mom made me my cake ii weeks early. But no complaints here. Nope, non a one.
I simply love the classic Neapolitan flavour trio ... vanilla, chocolate, as well as strawberry. Mmmmmm, yummy. In accolade of my Neapolitan birthday tradition, I decided to portion a novel Neapolitan sweetness process amongst you lot today - these Neapolitan cupcakes.
Now, allow me simply say you lot ... these cupcakes convey been a project of love. I've been working on perfecting them for most a twelvemonth now. A year! Can you lot believe it?? I've had the cupcake itself figured out for that entire year. But the frosting? That's around other story. The frosting had been eluding me. I had failed crusade later failed attempt, amongst several versions turning out not-as-I-desired.
Until now! Finally!!!! Finally, a friend of mine who knew I was working on this cupcake flora a strawberry frosting I was happy with. Thanks thus much, Jennie as well as Southern Lady magazine!
Not exclusively exercise I love the sense of savour of these cupcakes, I also love the "Hey, how'd you lot exercise that?" reaction I larn from people when they come across them. Truth hold out told, it's actually non that hard. And I'm going to portion amongst you lot how to exercise it!
Start past times whipping upwards your favorite vanilla cupcake batter as well as favorite chocolate batter ... making certain they're of the same 'base' recipe amongst the same required baking temperature as well as time. I utilization my BEST Vanilla Cupcake recipe from the wonderful bakers at The Hummingbird Bakery, along amongst their corresponding chocolate cupcake recipe.
Once your batters are mixed, seat a trivial chocolate batter on 1 side of a newspaper cupcake liner laid upwards inwards a muffin pan. I've flora tipping the pan simply a tiny chip to move along the chocolate batter to 1 side is helpful ... but you lot exclusively postulate to tip genuinely a tiny bit.
Then, seat around vanilla batter on the other side. I've flora the chocolate batter to hold out simply a teeny chip thicker, thus it 'runs' simply a trivial chip less ... that's why I offset amongst the chocolate.
Then bake 'em up, as well as they'll expect similar this.
Aren't they neat looking? I love the side-by-side expect of the ii flavors. I tried marbling them together instead inwards 1 batch, as well as spell they sense of savour the same, the expect simply isn't equally 'dramatic.' Mark as well as I decided nosotros similar the side-by-side expect wayyyyyy better.
Once the cupcakes are cooled, whip upwards around strawberry cream cheese frosting, made a chip fluffy amongst the improver of around whipped topping. This was the substitution to a frosting the means I wanted it ... whipped topping. I didn't wishing the 'density' of a butter cream or truthful cream cheese frosting ... don't larn me wrong, I love both those types of frosting. It's simply non the texture I wanted for these cupcakes. I also tried a Swiss meringue ... total fail. I'm thinking I may non convey done it right.
Anyway, whip up this strawberry cream cheese frosting ...
... as well as pipage it onto your beautiful 1/2-and-1/2 cupcakes. Sprinkle on a few pinkish carbohydrate pearls, simply for fun.
Then give away as well as indulge. Mmmm, mmmm ... it's a yummy birthday political party inwards your mouth!
Neapolitan Cupcakes
Source: Cupcake batters adapted from The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook , Strawberry Frosting adapted from Southern Lady magazine, March/April 2011
Ingredients
Vanilla Cupcake Batter:1 c. all-purpose flour
H5N1 scant 3/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
iii T. butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. whole milk (I also tried it amongst 2% milk, as well as it worked fine)
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate Cupcake Batter:
3/4 c. + 2 T. all-purpose flour
2 1/2 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
H5N1 scant 3/4 c. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
Pinch of salt
iii T. butter, at room temperature
1/2 c. whole milk (I also tried it amongst 2% milk, as well as it worked fine)
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Strawberry Frosting:
1 (8 oz.) packet cream cheese, softened (I exercise non recommend using reduced fat)
1/4 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. strawberry jam
1 tsp. strawberry extract (optional*)
1 (8 oz.) container whipped topping (such equally Cool Whip)
1 c. confectioners' sugar
Directions
Prepare the Vanilla Cupcake Batter:
1. Put the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, as well as butter inwards mixing bowl. Beat on tedious speed until everything is combined as well as you lot convey a crumb mixture amongst a sandy consistency. Gradually pour inwards one-half of the milk; musical rhythm out until the milk is simply incorporated.
2. Whisk together the remaining milk (1/4 cup), egg, as well as vanilla. Pour into the flour mixture as well as musical rhythm out until all ingredients are simply incorporated. Beat for most around other xxx seconds to 1 infinitesimal until the batter is smooth. Do non over mix.
Prepare the Chocolate Cupcake Batter:
3. Put the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, salt, as well as butter inwards mixing bowl. Beat on tedious speed until everything is combined as well as you lot convey a crumb mixture amongst a sandy consistency.
4. Whisk together the milk, egg, as well as vanilla. Slowly pour most one-half into the flour mixture as well as musical rhythm out until simply combined. Turn the mixer upwards to high speed for a few seconds to musical rhythm out out whatsoever lumps.
5. Reduce the mixer speed to depression as well as slow pour inwards the remaining milk mixture. Beat until all ingredients are simply incorporated. Beat for most around other xxx seconds to 1 infinitesimal until the batter is smooth. Do non over mix.
Cupcake Assembly:
6. Spoon a trivial chocolate batter into 1 side of a muffin pan loving cup lined amongst a newspaper cupcake liner; thus spoon a little vanilla batter into the other side. Repeat amongst remaining muffin cups, filling each cup a total of 1/2 full.
7. Bake at 325 degrees for twenty - 25 minutes, or until lite golden as well as the cake springs dorsum when lightly touched. Cool slightly inwards the pan earlier removing cupcakes to a wire rack. Cool completely earlier frosting.
Prepare the Strawberry Frosting:
8. Combine cream cheese as well as butter; musical rhythm out at medium speed amongst an electrical mixer until smooth. Beat inwards strawberry jam as well as strawberry extract until good combined. Beat inwards whipped topping as well as confectioners' sugar.
9. Pipe frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. I flora it proficient to chill the frosting for most twenty to xxx minutes earlier piping onto the cupcakes.
NOTES:
- This recipe makes 24 cupcakes. And it really does brand 24! Fill your cups exclusively 1/2 full, equally this batter rises quite a bit. When I divided the batter betwixt only 20 or so muffin cups, I had several that rose over the sides of the cups means likewise much. If you're similar me, you'll experience similar there's non plenty batter to stretch to 24 cupcakes ... but at that spot actually is.
*-I've made this frosting both amongst as well as without strawberry extract. Strawberry extract tin hold out hard to honor (here's a link to strawberry extract on Amazon.com ... you lot tin firm it). If you're unable to honor it, you lot tin larn ahead as well as brand the frosting without it. While the strawberry flavour won't hold out quite equally prominent, the frosting is however peachy without it.
Enjoy!
