Description
Neapolitan Cake fans enjoy rich dessert with easy rec chocvanilla swirls moist finish quick prep pro tips for perfect slices Slice Bonus tips
Ingredients
All-purpose flour — 2 1/4 cups (280 g). Note: for a lighter crumb, swap in 1 cup cake flour and reduce liquid slightly.
Granulated sugar — 1 1/2 cups (300 g)
Unsalted butter, softened — 1/2 cup (115 g)
Eggs — 4 large
Whole milk — 3/4 cup (180 ml)
Baking powder — 2 tsp
Baking soda — 1/2 tsp
Salt — 1/4 tsp
Vanilla extract — 1 1/2 tsp
Cocoa powder, unsweetened — 2 tbsp (for the chocolate portion)
Strawberry puree or jam — 1/3 cup (80 ml)
Pink food coloring (optional) — a few drops
For the frosting (vanilla buttercream):
Unsalted butter, softened — 1 cup (225 g)
Powdered sugar — 4 cups (480 g)
Heavy cream or milk — 2–4 tbsp
Vanilla extract — 1 tsp
Melted chocolate or cocoa powder (optional, for drizzle) — as desired
Fresh berries, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment rounds and lightly grease the sides.
- Make the vanilla batter: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed. Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the milk, finishing with vanilla. The batter should be smooth and pourable.
- Divide and flavor: Scoop roughly 1/3 of the batter into a separate bowl for the chocolate layer; whisk in the cocoa powder and add a splash of milk to loosen if needed. In another small bowl, whisk in the strawberry puree (and pink coloring if using) into about 1/3 of the batter. Leave the remaining batter as the vanilla layer.
- Bake the layers: Pour each batter into its own prepared pan and smooth the tops. Bake 18–22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the vanilla buttercream: Beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, alternating with the cream, until you reach a fluffy, spreadable consistency. Mix in the vanilla. If the frosting is too stiff, add a little more cream; if too soft, beat in a bit more sugar.
- Assemble: Place the vanilla layer on your cake stand. Spread a thin layer of frosting to seal the crumbs, then add a generous dollop of frosting and spread to the edge. Top with the chocolate layer, then the strawberry layer. Lightly frost the outside in a smooth coat (crumb coat), chill 15 minutes, then apply a final generous layer of frosting. For a pretty finish, drizzle with melted chocolate or sift a tiny amount of cocoa over the top and garnish with fresh berries.
- Chill and slice: Chill the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes to set the frosting. Slice with a clean, warm knife for neat layers.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Calories: 420 kcal
- Sugar: 34 g
- Fat: 22 g
- Carbohydrates: 56 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
Keywords: Neapolitan cake, triple-flavor, vanilla chocolate strawberry, three-layer cake, weekend bake, buttercream, dessert
