Neapolitan Bonbon Cupcakes are perfect for Valentine's Day, bridal showers or spring celebrations. , Chocolate cake is topped with vanilla, and strawberry buttercreams. Top them with your favorite chocolate bonbons! I used Belgian chocolates, but any pretty filled chocolates will do.Yields 9-10 cupcakes
Sift together cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Add eggs, water, heavy cream, oil and vanilla. Mix with a hand held mixer until smooth.
Divide batter among cupcake papers, filling each 3/4 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool before frosting.
Buttercream and toppers
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together the butter and confectioners’ sugar. Begin mixing on low speed until crumbly, and then increase to high and beat for 3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and beat again for another minute until light and fluffy. Transfer 1/3of the vanilla frosting to a piping bag fitted with Ateco 40S decorator tip or Wilton drop flower tip 2D.
Beat the remaining frosting on medium speed, adding the red food coloring in a little at a time until the desired pink color intensity is achieved. Add strawberry extract or strawberry flavoring oil. Transfer pink icing to a piping bag fitted with a large open star tip, Ateco brand #828 or Wilton tip 8B. Pipe small stars of buttercream around the outside edge of the cupcakes with the white vanilla frosting. Pipe a large swirl of pink frosting in the middle of the cupcake, making two passes with the piping bag. Top each cupcake with a chocolate bonbon.
*Note: If you find the buttercream is too stiff, you may add milk or heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the mixture is spreading consistency.