Description
Luxurious neapolitan cake layers stack classic strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate flavors into a nostalgic dessert. Elegant slices showcase colorful stripes that celebrate Italian-American bakery traditions with sweet precision.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups unsalted butter, softened (frosting)
- 5 cups powdered sugar (frosting)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (chocolate layer)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (vanilla layer)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (strawberry layer)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (chocolate layer)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (chocolate layer)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (vanilla layer)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (strawberry layer)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (chocolate layer)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (vanilla layer)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (strawberry layer)
- ½ cup cocoa powder (chocolate layer)
- 2 large eggs (chocolate layer)
- 2 large eggs (vanilla layer)
- 2 large eggs (strawberry layer)
- ½ cup milk (chocolate layer)
- ½ cup milk (vanilla layer)
- ½ cup strawberry puree (strawberry layer)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (chocolate and vanilla layers)
- 1 tsp strawberry extract (strawberry layer)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (frosting)
- 34 tbsps heavy cream or milk (frosting)
- 1 baking powder (leavening agent)
Instructions
- Preparation: Calibrate oven to 350°F (175°C) and outfit three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and light grease coating.
- Batter Construction: Craft individual flavor batters by merging dry ingredients, then cream butter and sugar in separate mixing vessels, incorporating eggs and distinctive flavor extracts for chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry layers.
- Mixing Technique: Delicately fold dry ingredients and liquid components into each batter, ensuring smooth, uniform consistency without overmixing, then distribute evenly across prepared pans.
- Baking Process: Position pans in preheated oven, bake for 20-25 minutes until toothpick emerges cleanly from cake centers, then allow layers to rest momentarily in pans before transferring to cooling racks.
- Frosting Preparation: Whip softened butter until ethereally creamy, gradually integrating powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy cream to achieve silky, spreadable buttercream consistency.
- Cake Assembly: Strategically layer cake beginning with chocolate base, spreading frosting between each tier, then enrobe entire confection with remaining buttercream, creating seamless exterior.
- Finishing Touches: Optionally tint a frosting portion pink for decorative piping, then refrigerate 30 minutes to stabilize structure and harmonize flavor profiles.
Notes
- Optimize Cake Texture: Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature to guarantee smoother batter and more even cake layers.
- Prevent Flavor Bleeding: Use parchment paper between layers and chill cakes before frosting to maintain distinct flavor boundaries and prevent color mixing.
- Master Even Baking: Rotate cake pans halfway through baking to compensate for potential oven hot spots and achieve uniform golden-brown coloration.
- Buttercream Brilliance: Sift powdered sugar before adding to butter to eliminate lumps and create ultra-smooth, silky frosting with professional-quality texture.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 53 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 60 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg