The Domestic Rebel

Everyday Ingredients, Extraordinary Desserts

Neapolitan Cupcakes

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Neapolitan Cupcakes arranged on green cake plate with cookiesI am so so so glad you’re here today, because today I’m having a special bloggiversary party to kick off two very important things: my blog’s 4th birthday (omg!), and my blog’s new design (yay!).

It’s so crazy to think that four years ago, I had just created this blog. I was so excited to get started and create something that was completely my own where I could share my funny stories and wacky anecdotes, and where I could challenge myself to concoct unique desserts. And if I’m being frank here, I think I’ve succeeded!

Neapolitan Cupcake with candles litSince being born in 2011, The Domestic Rebel has grown far beyond what I could have imagined, with tens of thousands of fans on my combined social channels, working with top brands in the industry like The Pampered Chef, Kitchen Aid, Tieks, and the Real California Milk Advisory Board, and meeting so many fabulous people and making so many new fantastic blog friends. I’m so forever humbled and grateful to my opportunities because I know this job can be fleeting, and something bigger and better could come around the corner and turn my space on the interwebs into an even smaller particle of the world. It’s important to me to remain grateful to this awesome job and the people who make it possible: YOU!

Neapolitan Cupcakes arranged on mini white cake stands with cookies on rainbow fabricSorry to be sappy, but you guys rule my life. I love you all so much for coming to my blog, commenting on my posts, liking my Facebook and Instagram statuses, repinning my Pinterest pics, and overall being such a loyal, fun and supportive bunch. If I could, I’d bake you all the biggest, gooeiest cookie to resemble how I feel about you: oozing with lotsa love!

So with 4 years on the blog, it was also time for a change. A new facelift, to be precise. I’m positively loving my new design from the talented Erika S. at Designer Blogs. I think she perfectly encapsulated who I am as a blogger and person – with my intense love for donuts, to the rebellious-yet-fun new logo of my spatula and whisk crossbones, to the funky fonts I love so dear.

Besides the new look, here are a couple new features you’ll love:

1) The hovering Pin-It button on each picture makes it even simpler to directly Pin my creations to you favorite Pinterest boards. Simply click the donut icon that pops up in the right upper corner of each picture and voila! Instantly pinned. So easy!
2) Sharing couldn’t be easier with the new Share bar on the bottom of each post. Directly link my posts and pictures to your Facebook or Twitter feeds, Stumble them, or even email it to friends and family. No copying of links or saving pictures necessary.
3) The NEW Recipe Index makes searching for recipes a breeze, thanks mainly to the new visual icons for every recipe. I’m still working on a couple of the older posts that don’t have pictures, but they’re still accessible through the links. Craving chocolate? Simply click the Chocolate link and instantly be taken to a page where you can access all recipes tagged with ‘chocolate.’ This definitely helps streamline searching for your favorite recipes, or getting ideas of what you want to make!
4) You may also like… the new linked-within feature on every post! Featuring a handful of some older, archived posts, this is a great way to see stuff you haven’t seen (and some of my first recipes!) for more inspiration.

Neapolitan Cupcakes arranged on green cake stand with cookies on light backgroundI am SO VERY HAPPY (!!) with my new design and I seriously hope you love it, too! I really feel like this design perfectly defines who I am and I hope you’ll find the new look and features to be just as awesome as I do!

And to kick off this brand new blog design and celebrating four blissful years blogging, I’m throwing a fabulous party and you’re all invited! And lemme just say, the party favors are pretty damn cool — there ain’t no gumballs or cheap plastic yo-yos here.

tieks ballet flats collageFor being such an awesome person, you can enter to win three prizes! The GRAND PRIZE is a pair of Tieks Ballet Flats (a $200 value!!), the highly coveted and ever-so-stylish flats I’ve talked about prior and that are sweeping the world with their sleek appearance, shocking comfort, and gorgeous hues. Not only are Tieks incredibly comfy, but they come in a wide range of styles, colors and sizes to fit everyone perfectly. Amazing!

toofaced makeup chocolate bar paletteSECOND PLACE PRIZE is Too Faced’s brand-spankin’-new Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bar Palette! With sixteen flattering, highly-pigmented shades, this palette is perfect for everyone! Shades range from a bright blue called Blueberry Muffin, to a gold-flecked brown named Hot Fudge, to a shimmery sweet Butter Pecan highlighter color. Each shade is packed with real cocoa, giving a sweet aroma with every brush stroke. This limited edition palette is a fan favorite among beauty bloggers and fashionistas everywhere!

baskin robbins gift card imageAnd last but not least, THIRD PLACE PRIZE is a $25 gift card to Baskin Robbins ice cream! The worst thing about 31 flavors? All the options to choose from! From Cherries Jubilee to Baseball Nut, Baskin Robbins has some of the best ice cream around! Second only to donuts, ice cream is one of my favorite desserts, and the Neapolitan color scheme is a clear theme in my new blog design. I absolutely love the sweet shades of rich chocolate brown, bubblegum-pink strawberry and creamy vanilla and love how they translated into my new look!

Rebel Giveaway collage with ballet flats, makeup and gift card imagesSo, do you want to win one of these SWEET prizes?! Enter using the Rafflecopter below! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GOOD LUCK, & THANKS FOR ENTERING AND BEING SUCH A FANTASTIC FAN OF THE DOMESTIC REBEL!

Okay, now who’s hungry? For today’s recipe, I thought I’d throw it back to one of my first-ever posts: Neapolitan Cupcakes! I made these for a bakery-themed 20th birthday party I had and they were an instant success. Everyone loved the cool two-toned cupcake flavors and the rich strawberry buttercream on top, and I knew I wanted to recreate them and give them a sweet, updated look for this special day.

So without further adieu, take a bite out of these ultra-sweet and fun to eat Neapolitan Ice Cream Cupcakes! 🙂

Neapolitan Cupcake close-up to show detail

Print Recipe
4.90 from 29 votes

Neapolitan Cupcakes {And A HUGE Bloggiversary Party GIVEAWAY!!}

Two-toned chocolate and vanilla cake is topped with a swirl of sweet strawberry buttercream to mimic the classic flavors of Neapolitan ice cream! Kids and adults alike will love these fun cupcakes as a nod to a sweet childhood-favorite.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Total Time33 minutes
Course: Cakes/Cupcakes
Cuisine: American, Dessert
Servings: 18 -20
Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

  • 1 box chocolate cake mix plus ingredients on back of box
  • 1 box white cake mix plus ingredients on back of box
  • 1 small box sugar-free fat-free instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 1 small box sugar-free fat-free instant chocolate pudding mix
  • 3/4 cup (1 & 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
  • 1/2 cup seedless strawberry jam I like Smuckers Simply Fruit
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2-3 tsp strawberry extract depending on how strong you'd like it
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • About 4 cups powdered sugar
  • Red food coloring
  • White non-pareils sprinkles
  • Maraschino cherries

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 muffin tins with about 18 paper liners. Set aside.
  • Prepare the chocolate and vanilla cake mixes in separate bowls using the ingredients and directions on the back of the boxes. Stir the vanilla pudding mix (the dry mix) into the vanilla cake batter, and stir the chocolate pudding mix into the chocolate cake batter. Allow the batters to set for about 5 minutes until thickened.
  • Working quickly with two separate cookie dough scoops or spoons, spoon about a heaping Tablespoonful of batter onto the left side of the cupcake liner with one flavor. Then immediately spoon the other flavor onto the right side of the cupcake liner. Repeat layers, filling the cupcake liners about 3/4 full. You should have roughly around 18 cupcakes, maybe a couple more depending on the box mixes.
  • Bake for approx. 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean or with moist crumbs. Cool completely.
  • While cupcakes cool, make your frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter, strawberry jam, vanilla, strawberry extract and milk with the paddle attachment for about 2 minutes or until creamy. Add in the powdered sugar, about a cup at a time, until a light and fluffy texture has been achieved. Add in food coloring, only a couple drops at a time, and beat until a light desired pink shade has been achieved.
  • Spoon the frosting into the piping bag attached with an open star tip. Pipe high onto cooled cupcakes and immediately garnish with white non-pareils sprinkles and a cherry. Serve immediately or store leftovers airtight in the fridge.
  • *NOTE: If you want to pipe the frosting thick onto the cupcakes, consider doubling or tripling the recipe.*

Neapolitan Cupcakes cut in half to show detail on rainbow background

Rich chocolate, creamy vanilla and sweet strawberry combine to create these decadent, delicious and festive Neapolitan cupcakes that taste strikingly similar to the classic ice cream flavor. The two-toned and dual-flavored cupcake is a striking, graphic touch with the bright, bubblegum pink-frosting on top. If you’d like, garnish these cupcakes with waffle cone pieces or pirouline cookies or slices of strawberry. You could also top the cakes with chocolate and white chocolate curls for a prettier touch.

Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for being a great fan of The Domestic Rebel! Love you! Mean it 🙂

xo, Hayley

*In the interest of full disclosure, I was generously provided with the Tieks grand prize (retailing at a $200 value) from Tieks. All other prizes were purchased on my own. All opinions are 100% my own and always will be. Winners will be chosen at random through the Rafflecopter widget on 2/24/2015 and will be notified via email. Winners will have 24 hours to respond to the email before a new winner is chosen. First winner randomly chosen will receive the grand prize, second winner randomly chosen will receive the second prize, and so on. 

 

 

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Comments

  2. Love all of your recipes, have tried a few too.
    Happy blog anniversary. Many more!
    My favorite flavor ice cream is coffee with chocolate swirl or bits. Yummy

    Reply

  4. Butter pecan! Congrats on new design and your blog anniversary. I’ll eat a donut topped cupcake covered in frosting and sprinkles in your honor 🙂

    Reply

  6. 5 stars
    First of all, Happy Bloggiversary!!!! This is certainly a celebration time! Save a cupcake for me, OK?
    My favorite ice cream flavor is anything that is predominantly chocolate. Any thing else is just cold and plain.

    Reply

  11. 5 stars
    Happy Bloggiversary, Hayley! Thanks for the chance to win these terrific prizes!
    My favorite ice cream….hmmmm….first it has to be mostlly chocolate….with brownies, frosting, cookies, cake pieces, whatever they want to add. Oh, and cookie dough!
    But it has to have a greater percentage of chocolate than any other flavor. 🙂

    Reply

  12. these cupcakes are SO CUTE! happy anniversary!
    favorite flavor…extreme moose tracks. regular moose tracks made even better with chocolate ice cream!! 🙂

    Reply

  13. I LOVE your blog! My favorite ice cream is chocolate peanut butter! I also love anything with chunks of cookie,brownie,cheesecake,etc!

    Reply

  15. Happy Bloggiversary! I love your blog and love your recipes! My favorite ice cream flavor is Chocolate Frosted Cupcake ice cream from Braum’s!

    Reply

  19. New York Vanilla or chocolate chip are in an eternal battle for my affections…but whenever I’m at an ice cream shop I go crazy and HAVE to try all the fancy kinds, like coconut chocolate chip and salted caramel cup!

    Reply

  20. 5 stars
    Congrats on the bloggiversary! My favorite ice cream flavor would have to be anything with Peanut Butter and Chocolate!

    Reply

  22. My favorite flavor is coffee ice cream with fudge. I love licorice ice cream, too. 🙂 Congrats!! I’ve been following you for many years, and your success comes as no surprise to me. Here’s to many more years, tattoos, and recipes!

    Reply

  26. Favorite ice cream flavor? That’s a toughy, but if really pressed, I would select Coffee Ice Cream!
    Great blog. Thank you so much for the chance to win such wonderful goodies!

    Reply

  29. 4 stars
    I LOVE ice cream. So many favorites to choose! But my all-time favorite ice cream flavor is probably Ben and Jerry’s Cookie Dough. I love the giant chunks of cookie dough and secretly I like to save a few chunks at a time and make them a super chunk to eat all at once, ha!

    Reply

    • Haha Emily, I totally do the same! I’ll cluster them all together to create a gigantic cookie dough ball 😀

      Reply

  37. oh, these are the cutest! ice cream is by far my favourite thing in the whole world and I couldn’t possibly just choose one; but love a local parlour’s small batch salted caramel and coffee, and a local grocery store’s cinnamon and french vanilla with chocolate chunks. YUM!

    Reply

  38. Hayley – OMG, I LOVE the new site! And congrats on 4 years, you’re rockin’ it, girl! Quite honestly, I haven’t met an ice cream I don’t like – but good ol’ vanilla bean is my fave…because then I can load it down with all sorts of other toppings. 🙂

    Reply

    • Michelle, Coffee Oreo sounds fab! I’ve had something like that at a local parlor before; it was delicious drizzled with hot salted caramel! 🙂

      Reply

    • Good choice on the chocolate! I love the shavings 🙂 There’s a place in our neighborhood that makes mint chocolate chip shakes with the hard hat stuff. When they blend it, the hard hat shatters and creates these chocolate flakes throughout the shake. SO GOOD.

      Reply

  46. I’m pretty plain jane about my ice cream, vanilla, but it’s the toppings that take that base out of this world!

    Reply

  51. 5 stars
    My favorite is good ole vanilla because you can fancy it up with all kinds of goodies! Chocolate, sprinkles, fruit, cocoa powder, strawberry sauce, and anything else you can think of!

    Reply

  53. happy blogiversary!!! I am loving the new website too. The logo is just perfect and the site is so pretty. Love it all. And this giveaway is amazing. I need to try tieks soon!! Oh my favorite ice cream is vanilla!

    Reply

  55. Woohoo! Happy Anniversary, Hayley! I’m loving the new look and the Pin it hover button is pretty brilliant! My favorite ice cream…dang, that’s a tough one. I’m a bit of a traditionalist when it comes to ice cream, so I’d have to say Pralines & Cream or Mint Chocolate Chip. Keep up your sass for many years to come, girl!

    Reply

  57. Happy Bloggiversary! I am so in love with the new design, and those cupcakes – um, gorgeous! So amazing all you have done, you are such a very bright light my friend! (And I’m all about any ice cream with chocolate and caramel!). XOXO

    Reply

  59. HAYLEY!!!!! This new design is SSSOOOOOO you and looks ABSOLUTELY fantastic!!!! YAY!!! Congratulations girl!! And if any old men have anything negative to say about what it might look like when you’re 60, just ignore them. 😉
    Favorite ice cream flavor – without a doubt, coffee!! But I can’t stand drinking ice coffee. haha

    Reply

  64. 5 stars
    As I read the recipe, all I could picture was you with a scoop in each hand, pulling them out like they were your guns in some Western movie, ready to scoop from batter into the cupcake liners. Hahah too funny!

    Reply

    • OMG hahahahaha I can see it now! With that whistle-y Western noise in the background that signals it’s serious business time… haha!

      Reply

  70. 5 stars
    My fav ice cream is Blue Bell Chocolate Almond Marshmallow but sadly it is only available once in a great while….actually that’s probably a good thing LOL.

    Congrats on your bloggiversary!! Beat of luck to all!

    Reply

  71. 5 stars
    My favorite icecream flavor is Praline Pecans. Caramel and nuts all in one. Your frosting looks outstanding on the Neapolitan cupcakes…have to try these Neapolitan is my hubbies favorite flavor. Hayley the site is vibrant and the party favors are pretty damn cool.

    Reply

    • Eek, thanks so much Joyce! I love the colors too — and the cupcakes! 🙂 Hope you and your hubby enjoy them!

      Reply

  75. Okay. So I have two favorite ice creams. Chocolate chip cookie dough (because hello, dessert in a dessert) and orange sherbet. It all depends on my mood, but I love them both too much to choose. 🙂

    Aaaaaand I totally love these cupcakes. It’s such a snag way to do the neopolitan flavor combination. Happy blogiversary Hayley!

    Reply

    • Thanks so much, Julie! Ooh, orange sherbet is a huge contender and one I always forget about (sadly). Nothing beats it on a hot day when dairy ice cream seems just a tad too heavy. Thanks for reminding me! 🙂

      Reply

  85. Happy Blogiversary!!! And what a way to celebrate. Loving these cupcakes! YUM! As for my favorite ice cream flavor, that’s a hard question because I’m a love of ALL ice creams but I would say my current fave is Haagen-Daas White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle.

    Reply

  96. Happy anniversary!! Ahh too many flavors to name-love chocolate chip cookie dough and salted caramel:) and I’m dying to the tieks!!!

    Reply

  104. 5 stars
    BIG FAN of yours!! I can’t believe I wasn’t already stalking, er I mean following you on facebook and Twitter!! I love your recipes and have made quite a few! I love almost all ice cream… I don’t think I can pick a favorite… I even like the old people flavours like butterscotch ripple and grapenut! 😛 I do love me some good cotton candy or moon mist though!!

    Reply

    • Moon mist?! I’m officially intrigued. And I love cotton candy ice cream! You have some great tastes, Miss Sara! And you’re the sweetest; thanks for being such an amazing friend and fan! xo 🙂

      Reply

  105. When it coms to ice cream, the fastest way to my heart is Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie! Nothing else even sounds appealing to me and my chocoholic brain!

    Reply

    • Rachael, for not being a huge chocolate-lover, even I love Chocolate Fudge Brownie! It’s SO delicious! Thanks for entering 🙂

      Reply

  106. First of all, the cupcakes are perfection.
    Secondly, LOVE your new design.
    Third, so happy for everything you’ve accomplished in four years — congrats!!!
    Fourth, because momma wants some Tieks, chocolate chip cookie dough.

    Reply

  114. 5 stars
    chocolate brownie is my favorite ice cream! And CONGRATS on a wonderful 4 years of blogging. LOVE the new site design and love this giveaway! I’ve been dying to try out some tieks and just read your review – now I want them even more haha! Crossing my fingers!

    Reply

  118. my favorite is vanilla because i can add any toppings to it or mix anything chocolate if i want chocolate. I also love moose tracks flavor

    Reply

  122. My favorite from a store is Graeter’s black raspberry chip ice cream. My favorite home made ice cream is vanilla bean ice cream! You can;t go wrong with either!

    Reply

  126. 5 stars
    My favorite ice cream flavor is cinnamon!! I love it. No matter what flavor I get, I always want sprinkles on it – I just love the extra crunch.

    Reply

  129. Isn’t “what’s your favorite ice cream” nearly the most impossible question of all time to answer? That’s like saying “who’s your favorite kid?” or “What is better, Nutella or Biscoff?” But seriously – Mint Chocolate Chip. YUM.

    Reply

    • Hahaha Megan, you come up with a very valid point. And I know your favorite kid is Huck, so it’s okay 🙂 Mint chip is one of my faves, too! (And noticed I said ‘faves’, emphasis on the plural) 😀 Thanks for entering, friend!!

      Reply

  134. My most most most favorite icecream is Pralines and Cream from Baskin Robbins. It never fails that I will get that when we go to BR, I honestly don’t think I have ever eaten another flavor there. Speaking of which, we may be heading there tonight for my son’s free icecream for his birthday. Congrats on your blog birthday, I love your blog and drool over every picture!!

    Reply

    • Mandy, what a good mom to take your kiddo to Baskin Robbins for his birthday! That sounds super delicious, and I hope you get your Pralines and Cream 🙂

      Reply

  135. Congratulations on your fourth bloggiversary Hayley! Love your new blog design, and my fave ice cream is mint chocolate chip =) Or moose tracks (peanut butter and chocolate with vanilla ice cream. I have yet to find a vegan version of both of those, but I’m itching to making it myself =D

    Reply

  136. I’m so loving this new site of yours 🙂 I’m anxious for my design to be done so we can be Neapolitan twinkies 🙂 Or donuts. I’ve never worn a pair of Tieks, but they sure do look comfy. And choose a favorite ice cream? Oh my word….I guess first instinct says Coffee. But then Pralines and Cream ranks high up there too….

    Reply

    • Thanks Aimee! I am so excited for us to be twins, though I love that you called us twinkies! Twinkies for life!

      Reply

  144. 5 stars
    Four years!? Holy moly…so I’ve known you (basically) since the beginning! Congrats, lady….hope to see you soon. And can I just say, this is pretty much the best giveaway ever. Fingers and paws crossed over here. 🙂

    Reply

  147. I love all ice cream, but coffee definitely holds a special place in my heart! Especially when mixed with oreos or chocolate shavings! Yum!

    Reply

  148. Happy Blogiversary! I didn’t realise you started blogging in 2011, too. 🙂

    I love Neapolitan ice cream, and these cupcakes look amazeballs, but I’m going to be different here and say my favourite ice cream flavour is pralines and cream… Oh baby!

    Those flats are way too cute too. I love flats myself, they’re really comfy – especially with darn arthritis in my toes. Never heard of them over here though. I love the sea green/Aqua ones.

    Reply

    • Good point, Annette! I dislike that fake strawberry flavor in ice cream. Bonus if it has ample hunks of strawberry swirled throughout!

      Reply

  156. 5 stars
    Vanilla peanut butter swirl with chocolate syrup, whipped cream, Reese Pieces, crushed Reese Peanut Butter Cups, and a cherry on top. 🙂 Or anything with peanut butter in it. lol

    Reply

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