Published on
Neapolitan Cake
Neapolitan cake is a classic dessert made up of layers of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, and topped with sweet vanilla frosting.
Jump to RecipeTable of Contents
Neapolitan cake is an impressive-looking layer cake that is reminiscent of the classic ice cream flavor. With colorful layers of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla cake, this stunning cake may taste even better than the iconic ice cream.
Looking for more striking layer cakes? You’ll want to make this Icebox Cake, Carrot Cake Cheesecake, and Ding Dong cake.
Neapolitan Cake Ingredients
You will need:
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
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.
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 the 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 Neapolitan Cake
Cake
STEP ONE: 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.
STEP TWO: 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.
PRO TIP: Sour cream adds moisture to the box cake mix and really elevates the texture of the cakes.
STEP THREE: Transfer 2½ cups of the batter into one of the prepared cake pans. Use the remaining batter for another purpose.
PRO TIP: Measuring 2½ cups of batter for each cake layer ensures that each of the three layers comes 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.
STEP FOUR: Repeat for all three flavors of cake.
PRO TIP: 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.
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 pans and cool for 10 minutes. Gently remove cakes from pans to cooling 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 2 or more hours. This makes it easier to assemble and frost the cake.
PRO TIP: I always freeze my cake layers so that they are less fragile and soft when I’m stacking and frosting them.
Frosting
STEP EIGHT: Beat together softened cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
PRO TIP: Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature so that you don’t end up with lumps in your frosting.
STEP NINE: Beat in 4 cups of powdered sugar.
STEP TEN: 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.
Assembly
STEP ELEVEN: Trim the top of each cake layer to form a flat, even surface.
STEP TWELVE: Place the chocolate cake layer top-side up onto the serving platter.
STEP THIRTEEN: Mound about ½ cup of frosting onto the cake layer and spread smoothly to the edges.
STEP FOURTEEN: Place the second vanilla cake layer top-side down on top of the frosting. Press down gently to seal the layers together.
STEP FIFTEEN: Spread another layer of frosting over the vanilla cake layer and then top with the strawberry layer, top side down.
STEP SIXTEEN: 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 SEVENTEEN: 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 EIGHTEEN: Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.
How to Serve Neapolitan Cake
What a delightful treat this would be for a special occasion. This triple threat Neapolitan Cake, which combines chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors into a single delicious dessert, has ‘party’ written all over it. Whether you’re looking for a special treat or something to bring to a get-together with friends and family, this pretty cake is sure to impress. Add a scoop of Neapolitan ice cream to the plate to make this dessert even more colorful.
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Store this delicious cake in the refrigerator for up to 1 week covered in plastic wrap.
IN THE FREEZER: You can also freeze the cake for up to 1 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.
Neapolitan cake is a classic dessert made up of three different flavors, each one complimenting the other. The layers of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, topped with sweet vanilla frosting, make for a delicious and satisfying treat. When you can’t decide what flavor to make, this fun cake is such a beautiful dessert to make.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I store this cake on the counter?
This easy Neapolitan cake is best stored in the fridge for up to one week.
Can I make my own cake instead of using a boxed mix?
If you have a favorite chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla cake recipe, you can use that instead of using the boxed mix.
Can I make this cake ahead of time?
You can bake the cake layers about a week in advance and freeze them until you are ready to assemble and frost the cake.
MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Neapolitan Cake
Neapolitan cake is a classic dessert made up of layers of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry, and topped with sweet vanilla frosting.
Ingredients
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
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.
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 smoothly 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 comes 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.
Leave a Comment