Description

This Neapolitan Cake recipe features three distinct layers of moist cake batter: classic vanilla, rich chocolate, and fresh strawberry. The layers are filled with a light whipped cream filling and frosted with smooth vanilla buttercream. Optional ganache drip and beautifully piped decorations complete this stunning and flavorful cake, perfect for celebrations or any special occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake Batter

1 ½ sticks (170g) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (400g) sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups (342g) cake flour (see substitution notes below)
2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
½ teaspoon (3g) baking soda
½ teaspoon (3g) salt
1 ¼ cups (296g) buttermilk (see substitution notes below)
¼ cup (54g) vegetable oil
2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract

For the Chocolate Layer/Batter

3 Tablespoons (21g) Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
3 Tablespoons (44g) very hot water

For the Strawberry Cake Layer/Batter

¼ cup Strawberry Reduction (reduced from ½ cup strawberry puree made from about 5–6 strawberries)
Optional: 2 teaspoons Strawberry Jell-O powder or ¾ teaspoon Strawberry extract for extra flavor

For the Sweetened Whipped Cream Filling

1 cup (240g) heavy cream
¼ cup (29g) powdered sugar
1 teaspoon (4g) vanilla extract

For the Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

3 sticks (339g) unsalted butter, softened
7 cups (805g) confectioners sugar
⅓ cup (72g) milk or cream, more if needed
½ teaspoon (3g) salt (optional, preferably fine grain or popcorn salt)
2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract
Pink coloring gel (optional)

For the Ganache Drip (Optional)

4 oz (113g) dark chocolate chips (Ghirardelli recommended) or semi-sweet chocolate (5 oz if semi-sweet, 8 oz if milk chocolate)
4 oz (113g) heavy cream or whipping cream

Instructions

Make the Strawberry Reduction: Blend about 5-6 fresh or frozen strawberries to make ½ cup strawberry puree. Simmer ½ cup of this puree in a small saucepan over low-medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently until reduced to ¼ cup. Cool and refrigerate if desired.
Prepare Cake Batter: Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour three 8×2 inch round pans. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, mix buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In your mixer, beat softened butter on medium speed until smooth. Gradually add sugar and beat for 3 to 5 minutes until lightened and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated.
Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture to the butter mixture, starting and ending with dry ingredients. Mix just until combined to avoid over-mixing.
Divide Batter: Divide batter equally into three bowls—one for vanilla, one for chocolate, and one for strawberry layers.
Make Chocolate Batter: Dissolve cocoa powder in hot water; stir into one bowl of batter until smooth.
Make Strawberry Batter: Stir strawberry reduction into another bowl of batter. Optionally, add strawberry Jell-O powder or extract for intensified flavor.
Bake Layers: Pour each flavored batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean or with few crumbs. Let cool for 10 minutes before turning out onto racks.
Whipped Cream Filling: Chill mixer bowl and beaters for 10 minutes. Beat heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla on low gradually raising speed until stiff peaks form, about 1½ minutes. Avoid overbeating.
Prepare Buttercream Frosting: Cream softened butter until smooth, blend in vanilla extract. Add half powdered sugar and most milk, beat to incorporate. Add remaining sugar and milk, beat for 3-4 minutes, slow mixer at the end to remove air pockets. Adjust consistency as needed.
Make Ganache (Optional): Microwave chocolate chips with heavy cream in 30-second intervals, stirring after each until almost melted. Let sit to fully melt remnants and cool for 15 minutes until thick but pipeable.
Assemble Cake: Place chocolate layer on cake stand and pipe a buttercream dam. Fill with whipped cream, add vanilla layer, repeat dam and filling, top with strawberry layer. Fill gaps with buttercream.
Crumb Coat: Apply thin layer of buttercream all over cake. Chill in freezer for 15 minutes to firm layers and prevent shifting.
Final Frosting and Decoration: Frost cake with final buttercream layer. Tint one cup of buttercream pink optionally adding strawberry extract. Spread on top in a spiral design using a spatula on a turntable.
Apply Ganache Drip (Optional): Pipe ganache drips around top edges with a piping bag. Pipe shell border on top edge using star tip 1M and a small shell border at the base with tip 21.

Notes

Substitute for Buttermilk: Add 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice to measuring cup, fill with milk up to 1 ¼ cups, stir and let sit 5 minutes.
Substitute for Cake Flour: For every cup of all-purpose flour, remove 2 tablespoons and replace with 2 tablespoons cornstarch; whisk to combine before measuring 3 cups.
The recipe yields about 7 ½ cups of batter total.
Strawberry puree/reduction adds fresh flavor; if omitting, increase strawberry Jell-O powder to 3 teaspoons or strawberry extract to 1 ½ teaspoons.
Whipped cream filling is perishable and requires refrigeration; keep cake refrigerated and remove 2-3 hours before serving for best texture.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Category: Cakes and Cupcakes
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (1/12 of cake)
Calories: 450 kcal
Sugar: 40 g
Sodium: 180 mg
Fat: 27 g
Saturated Fat: 15 g
Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
Trans Fat: 0.5 g
Carbohydrates: 50 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 5 g
Cholesterol: 105 mg

Keywords: Neapolitan cake, three layer cake, vanilla cake, chocolate cake, strawberry cake, whipped cream filling, buttercream frosting, ganache drip