Neapolitan Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Baking Powder
• 24 ounce strawberries
• 1/4 cup milk
• 6 large egg whites
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups cake flour, sifted
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons butter, softened

Directions

This is a great recipe for cupcakes, and everyone loved them!  I top them with a good buttercream frosting, for the white part.

First, make the brownies …

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line your muffin tin with cupcake cups.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder.
3. Spoon batter to half-fill the cupcake cups.

Then, make the strawberry cake …

1. Hull, slice, and toss fresh strawberries with a teaspoon of sugar and let sit for a couple of hours to allow to get juicy. OR Thaw frozen strawberries in whatever form (sliced, whole, etc) and in whatever container/bag you have them in. Pour into a fine strainer placed over a bowl and let sit. Lightly toss the strawberries occasionally to remove any pockets of excess liquid. Reserve the liquid for another use or discard.
2. Place strawberries in a food processor or blender and puree.
3. Reserve 3/4 cup puree for the cake. Use leftover puree to fill the cake or fold into the frosting, if desired. It’s also fabulous spooned over ice cream… and eaten straight with a spoon.
4. In small bowl, combine puree, milk, egg, vanilla and mix with fork until well blended. In bowl of stand mixer, add sifted flour, sugar, baking powder and salt and mix to combine. Continue beating at slow speed and add butter. Mix until combined and resembling moist crumbs.
5. Add liquids and beat at medium speed for about 1 minute or until full and evenly combined. Stop mixer to scrape down the sides of the bowl and hand beat for 30 more seconds.
6. Spoon the batter on top of the brownie batter in the cups.
7. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (time will vary). Let cakes rest in pan for about 10 minutes before removing from pan. Let cakes cool completely (about 2 hours).