Neapolitan Cake

Learn how to make an easy Neapolitan Cake using cake mix with chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry layers.  Perfect for birthdays, parties, and celebrations.  A delicious cake with a trio of flavors in every bite.  Especially delicious served with Neapolitan ice cream!

What to love about this Neapolitan Cake:

If you love classic chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry flavors, this easy Neapolitan cake recipe using cake mix is the perfect dessert.  Inspired by traditional Neapolitan ice cream, this layered cake combines three delicious flavors in every bite.  Using boxed cake mix makes this recipe simple, quick, and beginner-friendly while still delivering bakery-style results.  Whether you are baking for a birthday party, holiday gathering, or family celebration, this Neapolitan cake is guaranteed to impress.

Ingredients needed to make Neapolitan Cake:

Chocolate cake layer:

• 1 chocolate cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup sour cream

Vanilla cake layer:

• 1 white cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup sour cream

Strawberry cake layer:

• 1 strawberry cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Buttercream Frosting:

• 3 sticks unsalted butter
• 7 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• flavorings for individual layers:  4 oz bar semi sweet chocolate, melted, 2 tsp strawberry flavoring and 2 drops red food coloring
• Garnish for top:  melted semi-sweet chocolate to drizzle on top and sliced strawberries, optional

How to make Neapolitan Cake:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line the bottom of three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray the sides with non-stick spray.

For the cake layers:

• For each flavor of cake, mix the ingredients in a large mixing bowl with the cake mix, eggs, milk, oil and sour cream.  (Leave sour cream out of the strawberry cake.)  Beat with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until batter is fluffy and smooth.

• Place 2 1/2 cups of batter into one of the prepared cake pans.  Use the remaining batter for another purpose.

• Bake cake for 24-30 minutes, depending on your oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove cakes and cool for 10 minutes.  Carefully remove cakes from the pans to cooling racks and cool completely.
• Wrap each cake layer in plastic wrap and place in the freezer to firm up for 2 or more hours if time allows.  This makes it easier to assemble and frost the cake.

For buttercream frosting:

• In stand mixer cream butter and powdered sugar together and beat until fluffy.

• Gradually add in milk and mix until light and fluffy, then mix in vanilla and a pinch of salt.

• For chocolate frosting remove 1 cup frosting to a mixing bowl.  Add 3 oz melted and cooled semi-sweet chocolate and mix until blended.  Save the rest of the melted chocolate to drizzle over the top of the cake.

• For vanilla frosting layer use 1 cup plain buttercream frosting.
• For strawberry layer use remaining frosting and add 2 tsp strawberry flavoring and 2 drops red food coloring.  Mix until blended.

Assembly of cake:

• Trim the top of each cake layer so the surface is flat and even.
• Place the chocolate cake layer top-side up onto the serving plate.
• Mound chocolate frosting onto the cake layer and spread smoothly with an offset spatula or knife to the edges.

• Place the vanilla layer of cake top-side down on top of the chocolate frosted layer.  Press down gently to seal the layers together.
• Spread 1 cup vanilla frosting over the vanilla cake layer and spread smoothly with an offset spatula or knife to the edges.

• Place strawberry cake layer on top-side down and press down to seal the layers together.  Spread a thin layer of strawberry 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 15-30 minutes.

• Mound the remaining frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake and use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly.  If desired you can transfer some frosting to a piping bag and pipe a border around the top and bottom perimeter of the cake.
• Drizzle remaining melted chocolate over the top of the cake and top with fanned sliced strawberries if desired.

Tips for the Best Neapolitan Cake:

• Chill the Layers – cold cake layers are easier to stack and frost.
• Use Quality Frosting – Buttercream frosting creates the best flavor and texture.
• Add Extra Flavor – You can improve boxed cake mix by adding milk and sour cream.
• Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting – chill 15-20 minutes, then finish frosting.

Notes:

• Store in an airtight cake container or cover loosely to keep cake from drying out.
• Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days for best texture and flavor.  Let come to room temperature to serve.
• You can make unfrosted cakes ahead of time and freeze them until ready to use.

Other Recipes to try:

• Lemon Pudding Cake
• Chocolate Oatmeal Cake
• Double Chocolate Pie
• Lemon Jello Poke Cake

Neapolitan Cake

LeAnn

Learn how to make an easy Neapolitan Cake using cake mix with chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry layers.  Perfect for birthdays, parties, and celebrations.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Servings 12

Equipment

• 3 8" round cake pans
• 2 large mixing bowls
• 1 hand mixer
• 1 Cake platter for serving
• 1 Stand mixer for mixing frosting

Ingredients

  

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Chocolate Cake Layer:

• 1 chocolate cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup sour cream

Vanilla Cake Layer:

• 1 white cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup sour cream

Strawberry Cake Layer

• 1 strawberry cake mix
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

Buttercream Frosting:

• 3 sticks unsalted butter
• 7 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Flavorings for individual layers:

• 4 oz bar semi sweet chocolate, melted for chocolate frosting and topping
• 2 tsp strawberry flavoring for strawberry frosting
• 2 drops red food coloring for strawberry frosting
• Garnish for top:  melted semi-sweet chocolate to drizzle on top and sliced strawberries, optional

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line the bottom of three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and spray the sides with non-stick spray.
• For each flavor of cake, mix the ingredients in a large mixing bowl with the cake mix, eggs, milk, oil and sour cream.  (Leave sour cream out of the strawberry cake.)  Beat with a hand mixer for 2-3 minutes until batter is fluffy and smooth.
• Place 2 1/2 cups of batter into one of the prepared cake pans.  Use the remaining batter for another purpose.
• Bake cake for 24-30 minutes, depending on your oven, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Remove cakes and cool for 10 minutes.  Carefully remove cakes from the pans to cooling racks and cool completely.
• Wrap each cake layer in plastic wrap and place in the freezer to firm up for 2 or more hours if time allows.  This makes it easier to assemble and frost the cake.

For Buttercream Frosting:

• In stand mixer cream butter and powdered sugar together and beat until fluffy.
• Gradually add in milk and mix until light and fluffy, then mix in vanilla and a pinch of salt.
• For chocolate frosting remove 1 cup frosting to a mixing bowl.  Add 3 oz melted and cooled semi-sweet chocolate and mix until blended.  Save the rest of the melted chocolate to drizzle over the top of the cake.
• For vanilla frosting layer use 1 cup plain buttercream frosting.
• For strawberry layer use remaining frosting and add 2 tsp strawberry flavoring and 2 drops red food coloring.  Mix until blended.

Assembly of cake:

• Trim the top of each cake layer so the surface is flat and even.
• Place the chocolate cake layer top-side up onto the serving plate. Mound chocolate frosting onto the cake layer and spread smoothly with an offset spatula or knife to the edges.
• Place the vanilla layer of cake top-side down on top of the chocolate frosted layer.  Press down gently to seal the layers together. Spread 1 cup vanilla frosting over the vanilla cake layer and spread smoothly with an offset spatula or knife to the edges.
• Place strawberry cake layer on top-side down and press down to seal the layers together.  Spread a thin layer of strawberry 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 15-30 minutes.
• Mound the remaining frosting over the top and down the sides of the cake and use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly.  If desired you can transfer some frosting to a piping bag and pipe a border around the top and bottom perimeter of the cake. Refrigerate any leftover frosting and use for other purpose.
• Drizzle remaining melted chocolate over the top of the cake and top with fanned sliced strawberries if desired.

• Notes:

  *Store in an airtight cake container or cover loosely to keep cake from drying out. *Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days for best texture and flavor.  Let come to room temperature to serve. *You can make unfrosted cakes ahead of time and freeze them until ready to use.

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