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Neapolitan Cake Recipe

Neapolitan Cake Recipe
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★★★★★

4.8 from 14 reviews

This Neapolitan Cake recipe creates a stunning three-layer cake featuring classic vanilla, rich chocolate, and bright strawberry flavors. Each layer is made from a tender, moist cake batter with distinct flavor additions, filled with sweetened whipped cream, and frosted with smooth vanilla buttercream. For extra indulgence, an optional ganache drip adds a refined finish. Perfect for celebrations, this cake combines the best of all worlds with its visually appealing color contrast and harmonious taste.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Batter

  • 1 ½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 cups (400g) sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3 cups (342g) cake flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon (3g) baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon (3g) salt
  • 1 ¼ cups (296g) buttermilk
  • ¼ cup (54g) vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract

Chocolate Layer Add-ins

  • 3 Tablespoons (21g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 3 Tablespoons (44g) very hot water

Strawberry Layer Add-ins

  • ¼ cup strawberry reduction (from ½ cup strawberry puree, approx. 5–6 strawberries)
  • Optional: 2 teaspoons strawberry Jell-O powder or ¾ teaspoon strawberry extract for extra flavor

Sweetened Whipped Cream Filling

  • 1 cup (240g) heavy cream
  • ¼ cup (29g) powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon (4g) vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • 3 sticks (339g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 7 cups (805g) confectioners sugar
  • ⅓ cup (72g) milk or cream (more if needed)
  • ½ teaspoon salt (3g), optional
  • 2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract
  • Pink coloring gel, optional

Ganache Drip (Optional)

  • 4 oz dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli recommended) or semi-sweet (use 5 oz if semi-sweet; 8 oz if milk chocolate)
  • 4 oz heavy cream or whipping cream

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Strawberry Reduction: Puree 5-6 fresh or frozen strawberries in a blender to make ½ cup of strawberry puree. Pour the puree into a small saucepan and simmer over low-medium heat for about 15 minutes until reduced to ¼ cup, stirring frequently. Let cool and refrigerate if desired.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8×2 inch round cake pans. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for 30 seconds. Set aside.
  3. Mix Wet Ingredients: In another bowl, combine buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Set aside.
  4. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a stand mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat for 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  5. Add Eggs: Add eggs one at a time to the butter-sugar mixture, beating after each until fully incorporated and yolk color disappears.
  6. Combine Flour and Wet Mixes: On low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients (3 additions dry, 2 wet). Mix until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
  7. Divide Batter: Divide the batter equally into three bowls (about 7 ½ cups total). Leave one as the vanilla layer.
  8. Make Chocolate Batter: Dissolve cocoa powder in hot water, let sit for a few minutes, then stir into one bowl of batter thoroughly.
  9. Make Strawberry Batter: Stir strawberry reduction into another bowl of batter. Optionally add strawberry Jell-O powder or strawberry extract for increased flavor.
  10. Bake the Cake Layers: Pour each batter into the prepared pans. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with minimal crumbs. Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pans.
  11. Prepare Whipped Cream Filling: Chill mixing bowl and beaters in freezer for 10 minutes. Beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla on low gradually increasing to medium-high until stiff peaks form (about 1.5 minutes). Avoid overwhipping.
  12. Make Vanilla Buttercream: Beat softened butter until smooth. Add vanilla. Gradually mix in half the confectioners sugar and most of the milk at medium speed until incorporated. Add remaining sugar and milk, beat 3-4 minutes, slowing mixer at the end to remove air pockets and achieve a smooth texture. Adjust consistency with additional sugar or milk as necessary.
  13. Prepare Ganache Drip (Optional): Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Pour heavy cream over chocolate and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir, then microwave in 15-second increments, stirring until nearly melted. Let sit for a few minutes to fully melt and thicken. Cool until it can be dripped but not too runny.
  14. Assemble the Cake: Choose the order of cake layers (commonly chocolate bottom, vanilla middle, strawberry top). Place the first cake layer on a pedestal. Pipe a buttercream dam using a disposable piping bag with the tip cut off. Spread a layer of whipped cream filling inside the dam. Add the next cake layer and repeat the dam and whipped cream layer. Add the final cake layer. Fill gaps with buttercream.
  15. Crumb Coat and Chill: Spread a thin layer of buttercream over the entire cake as a crumb coat. Chill in the freezer for about 15 minutes to firm.
  16. Final Frosting: Apply a second, thicker layer of buttercream. Reserve 1 cup of buttercream and tint it light pink using coloring gel. Optionally flavor with strawberry extract. Spread the pink frosting on top, creating a spiral design with a spatula on a turntable.
  17. Add Ganache Drip and Decorations: Pipe ganache drips around the top edge using a piping bag with a small cut tip. Pipe a shell border around the top with a large star 1M tip and a smaller shell border around the base with a star tip 21.

Notes

  • If cake flour is unavailable, substitute 3 cups all-purpose flour minus 6 tablespoons plus 6 tablespoons cornstarch, sifted together.
  • If buttermilk is not available, use 1 ¼ cups milk mixed with 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes before using.
  • Strawberry reduction can be made in advance and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
  • Whipped cream filling is perishable; keep refrigerated and assemble the cake shortly before serving.
  • For extra strawberry flavor, add strawberry Jell-O powder or strawberry extract to the strawberry batter.
  • Ganache drip is optional, but adds a professional and elegant finish.
  • Chilling the cake after crumb coating helps prevent layers from shifting during decorating.

Nutrition

Keywords: Neapolitan Cake, layered cake, vanilla cake, chocolate cake, strawberry cake, whipped cream filling, buttercream frosting, ganache drip

Find it online: https://yumwithmia.com/neapolitan-cake-recipe/