I finished them just after midnight...or was it just after 11? Setting the clocks back throws me off. They always say "you get an extra hour to sleep", but not really since I just stay awake for an extra hour.
I also have to bake more tomorrow so my grandmother can bring them to a funeral. Which I will do after yet another cheer competition with both my JV and Varsity teams.
I know I'm not the first person to make Neopolitan cupcakes, there are a bunch of versions out there. However, I randomly thought up this week that I should make Neopolitan cupcakes and decided it would be chocolate cake, vanilla filling, and strawberry buttercream. I, of course, used my go-to chocolate cake recipe from Annie's Eats, and did my own strawberry buttercream recipe, and searched for a good vanilla cream filling. I decided on one that used mascarpone in it, and while I was making it I wasn't so sure how I felt about it. I had to really whip the mix to get it smooth, and in the end it somewhat separated making the filling sort of cottage-cheese like consistency. I also adapted it and added more powdered sugar and granulated sugar. It tastes good, though. This cake batter makes 24+ cupcakes. I made 24 regular sized ones and 24 mini cupcakes. I ate 2 mini cupcakes as my taste test. There isn't a lot of the mascarpone filling in them, so I'm not entirely sure how good it goes. I'll have to make Dan eat one and see what he thinks.
Neopolitan Cupcakes
adapted from various places, such as Annie's Eats and Cuisinart
For cake:
3/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup hot water
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, room temperature
For filling:
8 oz. mascarpone cheese, softened
2 tsp. milk
1-3 tbsp. powdered sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, scraped
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1-2 tbsp. granulated sugar
For frosting:
3 sticks of unsalted butter, room temp
1 lb and 1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup pureed strawberries
1/4 tsp. strawberry oil ( I use LorAnn flavor oils)
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 cupcake tins with liners. (Or more if you want to make more than 24).
2. Melt the butter and sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir to combine.
3. While that melts, whisk together the water and cocoa powder.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
5. Remove butter/sugar mix from heat when melted and transfer to the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Beat on medium speed until cooled, about 4-5 minutes.
6. Add in the vanilla and eggs, one at a time.
7. Add the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the sour cream, mixing until just combined.
8. Fill each cupcake liner half full (these rise quite a bit and I've learned that 2/3 full will rise and bake out over the edges of the cup.
9. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack.
10. To prepare the filling, beat together the mascarpone, vanilla bean, vanilla, powdered sugar and sugar (adding sugars one tablespoon at a time until desired consistency and sweetness is found). Chill in the fridge until ready to use (it may need a little mixing). Cut out a cone in the middle of each cupcake and fill with mixture.
11. To prepare the frosting, beat the butter in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Add in the strawberry puree 1/4 cup a time. Mix until desired flavor is achieved. I added in the strawberry oil at the end, after the puree wasn't quite strawberry enough for me, I wanted it to be super strawberry.
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| Cupcake chaos. Special cameo by the spaghetti squash. |
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| Wrapped and ready to go. |
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| Mini!! |
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