Recipes and Cooking Neapolitan Cupcakes For those that just can't make up their minds, Neapolitan ice cream is the frozen treat of choice. Here, in a pretty little cupcake, all three flavors -- vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry -- join. For super-moist cupcakes, opt for a cake mix with added pudding. By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on April 16, 2021 Print Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Blaine Moats Prep Time: 45 mins Bake Time: 15 mins Cool Time: 45 mins Total Time: 45 mins Servings: 22 Yield: 22 to 26 (2-1/2 inch) cupcakes Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients 1 2-layer-size package white cake mix ½ teaspoon vanilla 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder 1 ounce semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, melted ¼ cup strawberry preserves Red food coloring 1 recipe Ice Cream Frosting Desired sprinkles, such as jimmies Ice Cream Frosting ½ 8 ounce package cream cheese ⅓ cup butter ¼ cup vanilla ice cream or whipping cream 2 teaspoon vanilla 5 ½ cup powdered sugar Directions Line twenty-two to twenty-six 2-1/2-inch muffin cups with paper bake cups*; set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Divide cake batter evenly among three bowls. Stir vanilla into batter in one bowl. Stir cocoa powder and melted chocolate into batter in second bowl. Stir in strawberry preserves and enough red food coloring to turn batter in third bowl pink. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the strawberry batter into the bottom of each prepared muffin cup. Add 1 tablespoon chocolate batter to each muffin cup. Top each muffin cup with 1 tablespoon vanilla batter. (Cups will be one-half to two-thirds full.) Bake about 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in muffin cups on wire racks for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from muffin cups. Cool completely. Tint half of the Ice Cream Frosting pink with red food coloring. Spoon pink and white frostings side by side into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe frosting over cupcakes to look like soft-serve ice cream; decorate as desired. Chill until ready to serve. Makes 22 to 26 (2-1/2-inch) cupcakes. Ice Cream Frosting Allow cream cheese and butter to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. If using, allow ice cream to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Beat in ice cream, if using, or whipping cream to reach piping consistency. Chill until ready to use. *Test Kitchen Tip: To make cupcake cones, wrap the bases of 24 to 30 flat-bottom ice cream cones in foil. Place one cone in each cup of a muffin pan. If necessary, press foil into cups around the cones to secure in place. Layer batter in cones as directed above, using about 3 tablespoons batter total (no more than half full); let batter settle in cones. (Before filling all cones, bake one to double-check batter amounts.) Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at 350 degrees F or until a toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool completely. Frost as directed. Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 322 Calories 11g Fat 54g Carbs 2g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 22 Calories 322 % Daily Value * Total Fat 11g 14% Saturated Fat 5g 25% Cholesterol 43mg 14% Sodium 210mg 9% Total Carbohydrate 54g 20% Total Sugars 44g Protein 2g Vitamin C 0.6mg 3% Calcium 30.3mg 2% Iron 0.5mg 3% Potassium 23mg 0% Folate, total 20.2mcg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.