Happy birthday to me! Today is my 31st birthday and I decided that from here on out, I’ll share a cake recipe with all of you on my birthday. The first cake recipe that I shared here was my best ever carrot cake recipe and I have to say, it’s one of my favorite cakes and I knew would be difficult to top. This Neapolitan layer cake is truly the best of everything when it comes to dessert: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Three kinds of cake and three kinds of frosting requires some time and effort (and dishes), but this cake sure is delicious.
When it comes to desserts, Kevin and I have a hard time agreeing on something we can both enjoy. I want chocolate and more chocolate in my desserts, he enjoys more fruit-based desserts like apple pie and strawberry ice cream. If he had to choose between chocolate and vanilla ice cream, he would choose vanilla while I would choose chocolate. This cake is something we can agree on!
When you make this cake, I highly recommend making the cake layers and the frosting on different days. The cake needs to be completely cool before being frosted, so I recommend making that first and then frosting the day you plan to serve it. Thank goodness I have a stand mixer to do most of the work for me because making three different kinds of cake and three different kinds of frosting is a lot of work and it would have been exhausting to make all them on the same day.
Of all layers in this cake, the strawberry was the most difficult to figure out. I’ve made chocolate and vanilla cakes before, but I’ve never made a strawberry cake. I tested a few different things: putting strawberry jam in the batter and fresh strawberries were both decent options but didn’t give the result that I wanted. The answer was making a strawberry puree in a food processor and then reducing it on the stove. This gave me a lot of strawberry flavor without making the cake to dense or too wet.
The strawberry frosting uses freeze-dried strawberries that I pulsed into a powder using the food processor. You can find freeze-dried berries at Trader Joe’s! I actually always have them on hand because the kids love them as a snack. And just look at the pink color that they give this frosting! You won’t find a prettier cake than this Neapolitan layer cake.
This cake is work every bit of the effort! Neapolitan layer cake is definitely a crowd pleaser and perfect for special occasions. I know you’re up to the challenge!
- ¼ cup vegetable or canola oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
- 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg white
- ½ tbsp. vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2-3 drops red food coloring (optional)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
- ¼ tsp. salt
- ¼ cup reduced strawberry puree*
- 6 oz. softened cream cheese
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup chocolate chips, melted and cooled
- 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
- Pinch of salt
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 1-3 tbsp. milk
- 6 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp. milk
- 4 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup freeze-dried strawberry powder
- ½ tsp. vanilla extract
- 3-4 tbsp. milk
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray three 8 inch round cake pans with nonstick cooking spray and line with parchment paper. I frequently am asked if you should place parchment paper on both the sides and the bottom and I feel it's necessary to ensure the cake is easily removed.
- Chocolate cake: place oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl to use a hand mixer. Beat until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and mix to combine. Add sour cream and mix again.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in melted chocolate.
- Pour chocolate cake batter into prepared cake pan and set aside.
- Vanilla cake: place butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl to use a hand mixer. Cream together until well combined. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add egg white and beat again. Add vanilla extract and sour cream and mix to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Pour batter into preparing cake pan.
- Strawberry cake: Cream together butter and sugar using a stand mixer or a hand mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract, sour cream, and red food coloring and mix again.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in reduced strawberry puree. Pour batter into prepared cake pan.
- Bake cakes for 30-35 minutes until toothpicks inserted into the center comes out clean. The cook times for the cakes may vary slightly so keep an eye on them.
- Once the cakes are cooled, make the frostings.
- Chocolate frosting: cream together cream cheese and butter using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Add powdered sugar cocoa powder and mix to combine. Add melted chocolate, pinch of salt, and vanilla and mix until very smooth. Add milk by the tablespoon if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Vanilla frosting: cream together cream cheese and butter using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Add powdered sugar and mix to combine. Add vanilla extract and mix until very smooth. Add milk by the tablespoon if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Strawberry frosting: cream together cream cheese and butter using a hand mixer or stand mixer. Add powdered sugar and freeze-dried strawberry powder and mix to combine. Add vanilla extract and mix until very smooth. Add milk by the tablespoon if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Cake assembly: Place chocolate cake on the bottom of your cake stand. Top with a layer of chocolate frosting. Add vanilla cake, and top with a layer of strawberry or vanilla frosting (your choice!). Place strawberry layer on top. Carefully spread chocolate frosting over the chocolate cake, vanilla frosting over the vanilla cake, and strawberry frosting over the strawberry cake. It's ok if it isn't perfect! The frostings will mix together for a pretty and delicious result.
- Top cake with fresh strawberries and chocolate shavings if desired.
- Slice and enjoy!
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[…] But I like the tradition of posting a new cake recipe on my birthday. Last year I shared this Neapolitan layer cake, and this year I bring you raspberry lemon cake! Normally on my birthday I want a chocolate […]