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5 from 2 votes

Gluten Free Neapolitan Cupcakes

A childhood classic, in cupcake form! A strawberry, vanilla, chocolate layered cupcake and buttercream!
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Cooling time20 minutes
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: chocolate, cupcakes, easy, ice cream, layers, neapolitan, strawberry, vanilla
Servings: 24 Cupcakes
Calories: 450kcal
Author: Amelia Farber

Equipment

  • Cupcake pans
  • Electric mixer

Ingredients

For the Strawberry Cupcake layer:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 Cup canola oil
  • 1/4 Cup sour cream
  • 1/2 Cup strawberry puree
  • 2 Tbsp sifted, powdered freeze dried strawberries
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 Cup white sugar
  • 1/2 Cup gluten free 1-1 flour mix with xanthan gum in it (if your mix does not contain xanthan gum, add 3/4 tsp of it now)
  • 2/3 Cup blanched almond flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • pink food coloring optional

For the vanilla cupcake layer:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 Cup canola oil
  • 1/3 Cup sour cream
  • 1/4 Cup milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/3 Cup white sugar
  • 1/3 Cup gluten free 1-1 flour mix with xanthan gum in it (if your mix does not contain xanthan gum, add 3/4 tsp of it now)
  • 2/3 Cup blanched almond flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/8 tsp salt

For the chocolate cupcake layer:

  • 1 large egg
  • 1/3 Cup sour cream
  • 1/4 Cup canola oil
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2/3 Cup gluten free 1-1 flour mix with xanthan gum in it (if your mix does not contain xanthan gum, add 3/4 tsp of it now)
  • 2/3 Cup white sugar
  • 1/4 Cup cocoa powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/4 Cup hot coffee

For the strawberry buttercream:

  • 1 Cup salted butter room temp
  • 2-3 Cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 2 Tbsp powdered, sifted freeze dried strawberries instructions below
  • 1/4 Cup strawberry puree
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

For the vanilla buttercream:

  • 1 Cup salted butter room temp
  • 2 Cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the chocolate buttercream:

  • 1 Cup salted butter room temp
  • 1 1/2 Cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 1/2 Cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1-2 tsp cream

Instructions

  • First, make your cupcakes! Preheat the oven to 350° F and line two 12-cupcake pans with paper cupcake cups. First, make your three cupcake batters in three separate bowls. In the strawberry batter bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, sour cream, sugar, strawberry puree, and vanilla, then add in the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk to combine. Blitz up the freeze dried strawberries until they're a fine powder, then sift two tablespoons of the powder into the batter and whisk to combine. Spoon about a tablespoon of the batter into the bottom of each of the cupcake cups.
  • Then make the vanilla batter. Whisk the egg, oil, sour cream, sugar, milk, and vanilla until combined. Add in the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk until smooth, then spoon this layer by tablespoon on top of the strawberry layer in each cupcake cup.
  • Then make the chocolate batter! Whisk together the egg, sour cream, oil, and vanilla until smooth. Add in the flour, sugar, baking soda and baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder and whisk until combined. Finally, add in the hot coffee and stir until glossy and smooth. Spoon this final layer on top of the vanilla layer and then bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely until frosting.
  • While cupcakes are cooling, make the frostings! First, the chocolate frosting: in a medium bowl, using the electric mixer, beat the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too stiff, add a teaspoon or two of cream, then beat to combine. Scoop the frosting into a large piping bag with your choice of piping tip, then clean the bowl and beaters.
  • Then, make the vanilla frosting: in the same bowl, beat the butter for 4-5 minutes (beating the butter longer makes it whiter - better for vanilla frosting), then add the powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat until smooth. Scoop this frosting into a second piping bag and then clean the bowl and beaters again for the strawberry frosting.
  • Make the final strawberry frosting: beat the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Add in the strawberry puree and the sifted remaining freeze dried strawberry powder and beat until smooth. If you'd like a brighter pink color, add a few drops of pink food coloring and beat until combined. Then scoop this frosting into a third piping bag.
  • Once cupcakes are cool, pipe circles of each frosting one on top of the other to create a three-layered buttercream top!