Description

This Neapolitan Cake is a delightful layered dessert featuring three distinct flavors—chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla. Each layer is baked separately then stacked with a luscious cream cheese frosting, creating a beautiful and delicious treat perfect for celebrations or any special occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups granulated sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

4 large eggs (room temperature)
1 cup whole milk
2 tsp vanilla extract

Additional Flavors

Melted chocolate (quantity to preference, approximately 1/4 cup for mixing into one batter portion)
Pureed strawberries (approximately 1/2 cup for mixing into one batter portion)

Frosting

1 cup softened butter
4 cups powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese, softened

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease three 8-inch round cake pans or line them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly combined.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, beat the eggs, whole milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.
Combine Mixtures: Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring gently to combine. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cake light and tender.
Divide and Flavor Batter: Divide the batter evenly into three separate bowls. Into one bowl, mix in the melted chocolate for the chocolate layer. Into the second, stir in the pureed strawberries for the strawberry layer. Leave the third bowl as the plain vanilla batter.
Bake Layers: Pour each flavored batter into its prepared cake pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.
Cool Layers: Allow the cakes to cool completely in their pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks until fully cooled.
Prepare Frosting: To make the cream cheese frosting, beat together the softened butter and softened cream cheese until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and continue beating until smooth and fluffy.
Assemble Cake: Place the vanilla cake layer on a serving plate. Spread a generous layer of cream cheese frosting on top. Add the strawberry layer and frost again, then top with the chocolate layer. Cover the entire assembled cake with the remaining frosting, smoothing it evenly.

Notes

For the strawberry puree, fresh or thawed frozen strawberries can be blended and strained to remove seeds for a smoother batter.
If you prefer, you can use boxed strawberry gelatin mix instead of puree for the strawberry layer for a more intense flavor and color.
Bring eggs and milk to room temperature before mixing for a better batter consistency.
Ensure cakes are completely cooled before frosting to prevent melting the frosting.
Refrigerate the cake after frosting if not serving immediately; remove about 30 minutes before serving for best texture.

Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: Italian-American

Keywords: Neapolitan cake, layered cake, chocolate strawberry vanilla cake, cream cheese frosting, birthday cake, celebration dessert