Decadent Neapolitan Cake

As we get older it’s harder and harder to buy things for people. My grandmother’s birthday is this week and she literally has everything she needs or wants, so what do you get her? Does she really need more “stuff” to clutter the house? In lieu of buying people gifts they really don’t need and sometimes don’t want I try to give them an experience. It usually starts with a special birthday dinner and cake. Today, I am making a Neapolitan Cake for my grandmother’s birthday. Her favorite ice cream is Neapolitan so I thought we would take that love of ice cream and turn it into a cake. And that’s what we did!

This Neapolitan cake is the closest you’ll get to Neapolitan ice cream without the ice cream.

You will need the following to make this cake –

Chocolate Ganache –

1 C Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 C Heavy Whipping Cream
Fresh Strawberries for Garnish

Neapolitan Cake Chocolate Layer – 

1 1/4 C All-Purpose Flour
1 C Granulated Sugar
1/2 C Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
1/2 C Buttermilk, room temperature
1/4 C Vegetable Oil
1/2 C Hot Water

Chocolate Buttercream – 

1 C Unsalted Butter, room temperature
5 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted
3 C Powdered Sugar
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
4 tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream

Neapolitan Cake Vanilla Layer – 

1/2 C Unsalted Butter, room temperature
4 tbsp Canola Oil
1 C Granulated Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
3 Large Eggs, room temperature
1 Large Egg Yolk, room temperature
1 1/2 C Cake Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 C Buttermilk, room temperature

Vanilla Buttercream – 

1 C Unsalted Butter, room temperature
3 C Powdered Sugar
3 tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Neapolitan Cake Strawberry Layer – 

3/4 C Granulated Sugar
1/2 C Unsalted Butter, room temperature
4 tbsp Vegetable Oil
2 Large Eggs, room temperature
2 Large Egg Whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 1/4 C Cake Flour
1 oz Freeze Dried Strawberries, smashed into powder
Salt
1/2 Strawberry puree (take 1 1/2 C Strawberries, chop, puree in the blender then simmer on the stovetop until thicken and reduced to 1/2 C)

Strawberry Buttercream –

1 C Unsalted Butter, room temperature
2 1/2 C Powdered Sugar
1/2 oz Freeze Dried Strawberries, smashed into powder
4 tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

I know this list looks very long but many of the ingredients are used multiple times. I do suggest starting this cake either the night before or early in the day. It took me from start to finish about 4-5 hours. It’s not hard and a beginner could easily make this cake. There are just several steps and lots of downtime.

I would suggest mixing all the cakes up and getting those in the oven at the same time or make one layer, bake it, and while it’s baking start the next layer. You will need 3 cake pans for this. I used 3 9 inch cake pans.

To make the Chocolate Cake –

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.

Prepare one 9-inch cake pan with either a Pam’s baking nonstick spray with flour or with Crisco and flour. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. You can either mix by hand or with an electric mixer. Mix until combined.

In a separate large bowl, add buttermilk, oil, eggs, water, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and combined.

Gradually add the wet mixture to the flour mixture while mixing on low speed. You can use a stand mixer or hand mixer for this step.  If you are using a hand mixer, add a cup of the wet mix to the dry and stir until combined. Repeat until all the wet mixture is combined with the flour mixture.

Pour the chocolate cake mix into your prepared cake pan. Place on the center rake in oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. You will now your cake is done when you can insert a toothpick in the center and pull it out with just a few crumbs.

Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes then finish cooling on wire rack.

To make the Neapolitan Vanilla Cake – 

Keep the oven preheated to 325 degrees F. Prepare your cake pan just as you did for the chocolate cake and set aside.

In a large bowl combine the butter, oil, sugar, and salt. Beat for about 2 minutes until it’s light and fluffy.

In another bowl combine the flour and baking powder.

Add half the flour mixture to the wet mixture bowl and stir until combined.

Add in the buttermilk. Stir until combined.

Add in the remaining flour mixture and stir until combined.

Pour in prepped pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. You know it is done when you can insert a toothpick in the center and pull it out with just a few crumbs.

Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes then finish cooling on wire rack.

To make the Neapolitan Strawberry Cake – 

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Prep your cake pan as you did for the chocolate and vanilla layers and set aside.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and freeze-dried strawberries. Stir until combined.

In another bowl, beat the butter and sugar for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.

Add in the eggs and egg whites, one at a time, stir until combined in between each egg.

Add in the Vanilla extract and stir.

With the mixer on low, add half the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir until combined.

Add in the strawberry puree and mix until combined.

Add in remaining flour mixture and stir until combined.

Pour in the prepared cake pan. Bake on the center rake for 30-35 minutes. You will know it’s finished when you insert a toothpick into the center of the cake and it comes out with crumbs.

Let it cook for about 10 minutes in the cake pan then transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool.

Now it’s time to make the buttercream. I think it is easiest if you prepare all the buttercreams first and then assemble the cake. You will want a stand mixer for this step.

To make the Chocolate Buttercream – 

Beat the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes. The butter will become pale yellow and fluffy.

Slowly add in the melted chocolate while the mixer is on low speed. You want to make sure the chocolate is cooled before adding it in. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure the butter and chocolate combine.

With the mixer on low add in the powdered sugar a cup at a time until combined.

Add in the heavy whipping cream, vanilla, and salt. Beat on medium to high for about 3-4 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.

To make the Vanilla Buttercream – 

Beat the butter on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until the butter is light and fluffy.

Lower the speed to low and add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until combined.

Mix in the heavy cream and vanilla extract.

Beat on high for about 5 minutes until the frosting becomes light and fluffy.

To make the Strawberry Buttercream – 

Beat the butter on medium speed for about 2 minutes until the butter is light and fluffy.

Turn the mixer to low and add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until combined.

Add in the freeze-dried strawberries and mix until combined.

Add in the whipping cream and vanilla.

Beat on medium-high speed for 5-7 minutes until frosting is light and fluffy.

Now it’s time to assemble!

To Assemble the Cake – 

Place the chocolate layer of cake down first. Frost the top of the chocolate layer with the chocolate buttercream.

Next, place the vanilla cake layer on top of the chocolate buttercream. Frost the vanilla cake layer with vanilla buttercream.

Place the strawberry cake layer on top fo the vanilla buttercream.

Frost each layer with corresponding flavor of frosting.

Place the cake in the freezer or fridge for about 10-30 minutes to set up. You want the frosting cold and hard before you pour the ganache over it, otherwise, it may melt and run down the side of the cake.

To make the Chocolate Ganache – 

Pour the semi-sweet chocolate chips and heavy cream into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave until smooth and melted at 30-second intervals being sure to stir in between.

Pour the ganache into a squeeze bottle. Once it’s cooled some but has not hardened you can gently pour it on the edge of the cake and then cover the top. You want to create a drip effect.

Place back in the fridge or freezer until the ganache is set up.

Finishing Touches – 

Take your remaining buttercream and place it into a piping bag with a star tip.

Once the ganache has set up you can pipe the swirls on the top of the cake.

Place similar size strawberries on the top of the buttercream.

Keep your finished cake in the fridge until about 30 minutes before you want to serve it.

Check out some of our other gourmet cakes.