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Neapolitan Cake

This Neapolitan Cake is a triple-layer celebration of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla — topped with colorful buttercreams and perfect for any dessert table.
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Prep Time 35 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 10 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 300
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour (213g)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (heaping)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder (heaping)
  • 3/4 cup butter, unsalted, room temperature (176g)
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup milk, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 6 oz strawberries, sliced, reduced and strained
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla extract
  • 3 lb confectioners sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (225g)
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder (for buttercream)
  • 2 tablespoons strained strawberry preserves
  • pink food coloring (as needed)
  • 1 splash whole milk

Equipment

  • Saucepan
  • Mixing Bowls
  • whisk or mixer
  • stand mixer with paddle attachment
  • cake pans (6-inch)
  • Oven
  • Spatula
  • piping bags
  • toothpick

Method
 

  1. Add hulled strawberries and lemon juice to a saucepan over medium heat. Mash and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain into a bowl, cover and chill for 10–15 minutes.
  2. Sift flour, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder together in a large bowl. In another bowl, mix butter, egg whites, sour cream, and milk. Combine wet and dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
  3. Divide the batter into 3 bowls. Add cocoa to one, strawberry reduction to another, and leave the third plain.
  4. Transfer to three buttered and floured 6″ cake pans. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes or until centers spring back. Bake strawberry layer 5–8 minutes longer. Cool completely.
  5. Whip butter for 5 minutes. Gradually beat in confectioners sugar. Add cream and vanilla. Divide into 3 portions.
  6. To one portion, add cocoa powder. To another, add strawberry preserves and food coloring. Leave the third plain.
  7. Pipe alternating circles of flavored buttercream between layers. Stack layers. Apply crumb coat and smooth with spatula. Pipe petal pattern around cake, keeping petals consistent.

Notes

The strawberry cake layer may need up to 10 extra minutes to bake compared to the others. Add more strawberry preserves for stronger flavor. If doing a petal-style crumb coat, make extra buttercream. For simpler designs, halve the frosting.