Neapolitan Cake

This impressive Neapolitan cake is a colorful chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla layer cake that looks just like the classic ice cream flavor.

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This Neapolitan cake is a triple threat that combines chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors into a single delicious dessert topped with sweet vanilla frosting. Whether you’re looking for a special treat or something to bring to a party, this pretty cake is sure to impress.

Neapolitan Cake Ingredients

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Indulge in a multi-layered cake that balances the intense richness of chocolate, the comforting embrace of vanilla, and the vibrant essence of strawberry.

Each layer, from moist chocolate to vanilla and fruity strawberry, offers a unique experience, brought together by the creamy delight of cream cheese frosting.

You’ll need:

For The Chocolate Cake Layer:

• 1 package of chocolate cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup of whole milk
• ½ cup of vegetable oil
• ⅓ cup of sour cream

For The Vanilla Cake Layer:

• 1 package of vanilla cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup of whole milk
• ½ cup of vegetable oil
• ⅓ cup of sour cream

For The Strawberry Cake Layer:

• 1 package of strawberry cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup of whole milk
• ½ cup of vegetable oil
• ⅓ cup of sour cream

For The Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup of salted butter, softened
• 4 cups of powdered sugar
• ¼ to ½ cup of heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Substitutions And Additions

CAKE: If you prefer to make homemade cakes instead of using a box mix, you can substitute your own cake in this recipe. 

CHOCOLATE CAKE MIX: If you’re craving a different twist, consider swapping the chocolate cake mix for a Devil’s Food cake mix or even a rich cocoa powder blend.

This could bring an intensified chocolate flavor to the cake, perfect for dedicated chocolate enthusiasts.

VANILLA CAKE MIX: For a subtle change, switch out the vanilla cake mix with a buttery yellow cake mix.

This could add a deeper, more buttery undertone to the cake layers while maintaining a classic feel.

STRAWBERRY CAKE MIX: To experiment with flavors, try substituting the strawberry cake mix with a raspberry or cherry-flavored mix.

This could lend a delightful berry variation to the layers while keeping the fruity essence intact.

SOUR CREAM: Greek yogurt can be a tangy alternative to sour cream, offering similar moisture and richness.

This swap can maintain the texture while adding a slightly different flavor profile.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING: To put a spin on the frosting, consider using a flavored cream cheese like honey or berry, adding an extra layer of taste.

FROSTING: If you would like to use a different color of frosting that matches the cake, you can.

Strawberry frosting or chocolate frosting would be just as delicious as vanilla frosting. You could also use red food coloring to tint the white frosting into pink frosting if you’d like to add a bit of color.

How To Make This Neapolitan Cake Recipe

For The Cake

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F for dark/non-stick pans).

Line the bottom of three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray the sides with non-stick cooking spray. Set them aside.

STEP TWO: For each flavor of cake, in a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, milk, oil, and sour cream.

Beat with an electric mixer for two to three minutes until fluffy and well combined.

STEP THREE: Transfer 2½ cups of the batter into one of the prepared cake pans. Use the remaining batter for another purpose.

STEP FOUR: Repeat measuring and pouring into the pan for all three flavors of cake.

STEP FIVE: Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out with just a few crumbs.

STEP SIX: Remove the pans and cool for ten minutes. Gently remove the cakes from the pans to wire racks and cool completely.

STEP SEVEN: If time allows, wrap each layer in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer to firm up for two or more hours.

This makes it easier to assemble and frost the cake.

For The Frosting

STEP ONE: In a medium bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.

STEP TWO: Beat in four cups of powdered sugar.

STEP THREE: Beat in ¼ cup of heavy cream, then continue adding the heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting is light and fluffy and has a spreadable consistency.

Add the vanilla extract.

For The Assembly

STEP ONE: Trim the top of each cake layer with a serrated knife to form a flat, even surface.

STEP TWO: Place the chocolate layer top-side up onto the serving platter.

STEP THREE: Mound about ½ cup of frosting onto the first layer and spread smoothly to the edges of the cake.

STEP FOUR: Place the second vanilla cake layer top-side down on top of the frosting. Press down gently to seal the layers together.

STEP FIVE: Spread another layer of frosting over the vanilla layer and then top with the strawberry layer, top side down.

STEP SIX: Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake to seal in all of the crumbs and smooth the sides between the layers.

Freeze for 15 to 30 minutes.

STEP SEVEN: Mound most of the remaining frosting on top of the cake and use an offset spatula to spread it across the top and down the sides until the cake is fully frosted.

If desired, transfer some frosting to a piping bag and pipe a border around the top and bottom perimeter of the cake.

STEP EIGHT: Refrigerate or freeze until you are ready to serve.

How To Serve

What a delightful treat this would be for a special occasion. It would be such a beautiful birthday cake idea when you can’t decide what flavor to make.

Add a scoop of Neapolitan ice cream to the plate to make this dessert even more colorful.

A scoop of vanilla ice cream would add the perfect simplicity to this colorful plate.

Embrace the fruity essence of the strawberry layer by serving your cake with a medley of fresh berries. A handful of plump strawberries, juicy raspberries, and blueberries provide a burst of freshness that balances the cake’s richness.

Our marble cake and German chocolate cake are two more rich and decadent cakes that will delight everyone that you serve it to.

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Storage

Here’s your guide to storing and savoring your Neapolitan cake at its best:

MAKE AHEAD: If you’re planning ahead for a special occasion, you can definitely prepare your Neapolitan cake in advance.

Assemble the layers and frost the cake as usual, then keep it covered in the refrigerator or freezer until you’re ready to serve.

IN THE FRIDGE: Store this delicious cake in the refrigerator for up to one week, covered in plastic wrap. 

IN THE FREEZER: You can also freeze the cake for up to one month.

Cake layers can be frozen up to a week in advance before assembling the cake if you wish to prepare the cake ahead of time and also to reduce crumbling.

This classic dessert is made up of three different flavors, each one complimenting the other. The layers of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry make for a delicious and satisfying treat. Whether you’re celebrating a birthday or just looking for something sweet, this Neapolitan cake is so much fun and sure to satisfy.

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Neapolitan Cake

5 from 1 vote

This impressive Neapolitan cake is a colorful chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla layer cake that looks just like the classic ice cream flavor.

Prep Time 1 hour hour

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 hours hours

Servings 12

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Ingredients

  

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Chocolate Cake Layer

• 1 chocolate cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ⅓ cup sour cream

Vanilla Cake Layer

• 1 vanilla cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ⅓ cup sour cream

Strawberry Cake Layer

• 1 strawberry cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup whole milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• ⅓ cup sour cream

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 1 cup salted butter, softened
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ to ½ cup heavy cream

Instructions

 

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (325°F for dark/non-stick pans). Line the bottom of three 8-inch cake pans with parchment paper and spray the sides with non-stick cooking spray. Set them aside.
• For each flavor of cake, in a mixing bowl combine cake mix, eggs, milk, oil, and sour cream. Beat with a hand mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until fluffy and well combined.
• Transfer 2½ cups of the batter into one of the prepared cake pans. Use the remaining batter for another purpose.
• Repeat for all three flavors of cake.
• Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out with just a few crumbs.
• Remove pans and cool for 10 minutes. Gently remove cakes from pans to cooling racks and cool completely.
• If time allows, wrap each layer in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer to firm up for 2 or more hours. This makes it easier to assemble and frost the cake.

Frosting

• Beat together softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
• Beat in 4 cups of powdered sugar.
• Beat in ¼ cup of heavy cream; then continue adding heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting is light and fluffy and has a spreadable consistency.
• Add the vanilla extract.

Assembly

• Trim the top of each cake layer to form a flat, even surface.
• Place the chocolate cake layer top-side up onto the serving platter.
• Mound about ½ cup of frosting onto the cake layer and spread smooth to the edges.
• Place the second vanilla cake layer top-side down on top of the frosting. Press down gently to seal the layers together.
• Spread another layer of frosting over the vanilla cake layer and then top with the strawberry layer, top side down.
• Spread a thin layer of frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake to seal in all of the crumbs and smooth the sides between the layers. Freeze for 15 to 30 minutes.
• Mound most of the remaining frosting on top of the cake and use an offset spatula to spread it across the top and down the sides until the cake is fully frosted. If desired, transfer some frosting to a piping bag and pipe a border around the top and bottom perimeter of the cake.
• Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.

Notes

• Sour cream adds moisture to the box cake mix and really elevates the texture of the cakes.
• Measuring 2½ cups of batter for each cake layer ensures that each of the three layers come out even. If you do not have three separate 8-inch pans, mix up one batter at a time, bake that layer, cool and remove it from the pan, mix up the next cake batter, and so on. Do not mix up the cake batters ahead of when you can bake them, as they will not rise as well. 
• You could use the extra batter to make cupcakes. The 2½ cups of batter for each layer is a little more than half of the batter for each cake flavor. I had enough batter left to make six cupcakes in each flavor.
• I always freeze my cake layers so that they are less fragile and soft when I’m stacking and frosting them.
• Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature so that you don’t end up with lumps in your frosting.

Nutrition

Calories: 968kcal | Carbohydrates: 136g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 223mg | Sodium: 1104mg | Potassium: 348mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 93g | Vitamin A: 1221IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 357mg | Iron: 4mg

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