There are few desserts as visually striking and universally loved as the classic Neapolitan Cake. With its distinct, harmonious layers of rich chocolate, fragrant vanilla, and sweet strawberry, this cake is a celebration of timeless flavors. If you’ve ever felt intimidated by layered cakes, this recipe is your new best friend. We’re breaking down every step to ensure you get moist, tender cake layers and a silky smooth buttercream frosting every single time. Get ready to create a showstopping dessert that tastes even better than it looks.
This foolproof guide is designed for the enthusiastic home cook, turning a seemingly complex bakery classic into a fun and rewarding kitchen project. Whether for a birthday, a holiday, or just because, this Neapolitan Cake is destined to become a favorite.
What Makes a Neapolitan Cake So Special?
The magic of a Neapolitan Cake lies in its tribute to the iconic Italian ice cream. Each layer is a distinct flavor experience—chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry—that comes together in one perfect bite. Unlike other cakes, it offers a trio of flavors, ensuring there’s something for everyone. Our recipe ensures each layer maintains its unique taste while complementing the others beautifully, all wrapped in a luscious buttercream that ties it all together.
The finished masterpiece, ready for its close-up (and to be devoured).
Key Ingredients for the Perfect Neapolitan Cake
The secret to a truly memorable Neapolitan Cake is using high-quality, simple ingredients. There’s no need for complicated additives here; the focus is on pure, classic flavors. Here’s what you’ll need to pay attention to:
All-Purpose Flour: Provides the perfect structure for a tender crumb. Be sure to measure it correctly by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off.
Unsalted Butter: Use softened, room temperature butter for both the cake and the frosting. This is crucial for a smooth, lump-free batter and buttercream.
Granulated Sugar: For sweetness and moisture in the cake layers.
Eggs: Room temperature eggs incorporate much better into the batter, creating a lighter, more uniform texture.
Whole Milk & Buttermilk: A combination of whole milk and buttermilk gives this cake an incredibly moist and tender texture with a subtle tang that balances the sweetness.
Flavorings: High-quality vanilla extract, unsweetened cocoa powder, and a strawberry puree made from real strawberries are essential for achieving the distinct flavors of each layer.
How to Make This Neapolitan Cake Recipe
We’ll start by creating a single, perfect vanilla batter. Then, we’ll divide it and infuse the other portions with rich cocoa and sweet strawberry to create our three distinct layers. This method is efficient and guarantees a consistent texture across the entire cake.
Making the Vanilla Cake Batter (The Base)
First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy—this step incorporates air, which is key to a light cake. Beat in the room temperature eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk/buttermilk mixture to the wet ingredients, starting and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined; be careful not to overmix!
Creating the Chocolate and Strawberry Layers
Once you have your base vanilla batter, divide it evenly into three separate bowls. Leave one bowl as is for the vanilla layer. To the second bowl, sift in the unsweetened cocoa powder and a tablespoon of milk, and gently fold until just combined. For the strawberry layer, add your strawberry puree and a drop of pink food coloring (optional, but recommended for that classic look) to the third bowl and fold to combine.
Baking the Cake Layers to Perfection
Pour each batter into one of the prepared pans and spread evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. A completely cool cake is essential for frosting—a warm cake will melt your beautiful buttercream.
The secret to a perfect Neapolitan Cake? Starting with three delicious, distinct batters.
The Ultimate Buttercream Frosting
A Neapolitan Cake deserves a frosting that complements its flavors without overpowering them. A simple, silky vanilla buttercream is the perfect choice. To make it, beat softened unsalted butter in a stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, alternating with heavy cream. Add a splash of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness. Whip on high speed for 3-5 minutes until the frosting is light, fluffy, and perfectly smooth.
Assembling Your Neapolitan Cake Masterpiece
Now for the fun part! Assembling your Neapolitan Cake is a creative process that results in a stunning final product. Follow these steps for a professional-looking finish.
Pro Tip: For perfectly even layers, use a serrated knife to level the tops of your cakes if they domed during baking. This creates a flat, stable surface for stacking.
Layering the Cake
Place the chocolate layer on your cake stand or serving plate. Spread about one cup of vanilla buttercream evenly over the top. Carefully place the vanilla layer on top and repeat with another cup of buttercream. Finally, place the strawberry layer on top. For a truly impressive dessert, consider pairing this with our Pecan Pie Truffles for a dessert platter.
Crumb Coat and Final Frosting
Apply a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake. This is called a “crumb coat,” and it traps any loose crumbs, ensuring your final layer is clean and smooth. Refrigerate the cake for about 20-30 minutes to set the crumb coat. Once chilled, apply the remaining frosting generously and evenly over the top and sides of the cake. Use an offset spatula or bench scraper for a smooth, professional finish. You can create decorative swirls on top or keep it sleek and modern. If you enjoy making show-stopping desserts, you’ll also love our recipe for Christmas Sugar Cookies.
Pro Tips for the Best Results
Room Temperature is Key: For the best results, ensure your butter, eggs, and dairy are all at room temperature. This helps them emulsify, creating a smooth and uniform batter.
Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the batter develops gluten, which can lead to a tough, dense cake. Mix only until the ingredients are just combined.
Cool Completely: Never frost a warm cake. Be patient and let the layers cool completely to avoid a melted, messy frosting situation.
And if you’re planning a full meal, this cake is the perfect finale after a comforting main course like our famous Butter Chicken Recipe (coming soon).
Storing Your Neapolitan Cake
You can store the finished Neapolitan Cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. If refrigerating, let the cake sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving to allow the buttercream to soften.
A classic Neapolitan cake consists of three distinct flavor layers: chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. These flavors are inspired by the traditional Italian Neapolitan ice cream.
While this recipe is designed from scratch for the best flavor and texture, you could adapt it using a white cake mix as a base. Simply prepare the batter as directed, divide it, and then add the cocoa powder and strawberry puree to two of the portions.
For perfectly flat layers, you can use cake strips, which are fabric strips you soak in water and wrap around the outside of your pans. This insulates the pan and helps the cake bake more evenly. Alternatively, you can simply use a serrated knife to level any domed tops after the cakes have cooled completely.
Store the cake in an airtight container. It can be kept at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. For the best taste and texture, allow a refrigerated cake to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.
Yes! You can bake the cake layers up to two days in advance. Let them cool completely, then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store them at room temperature. You can also make the buttercream a day ahead and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Just be sure to let it come to room temperature and re-whip it before frosting the cake.
Neapolitan Cake: The Ultimate Recipe for Perfect Layers
This foolproof Neapolitan Cake recipe guides you through creating three perfect layers of moist chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry cake, all covered in a silky smooth vanilla buttercream. A showstopping dessert for any occasion!
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans.
In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, combine the whole milk and buttermilk.
Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk mixture to the wet ingredients, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
Divide the batter evenly among three bowls. Leave one as vanilla. Fold the cocoa powder into the second bowl. Fold the strawberry puree and food coloring into the third bowl.
Bake and Cool
Pour each batter into a prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Buttercream
In a large bowl using a stand mixer, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, alternating with the heavy cream.
Beat in the vanilla extract and salt. Increase speed to high and beat for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.
Assemble the Cake
Place the chocolate layer on a serving plate. Top with about 1 cup of buttercream. Add the vanilla layer and top with another cup of buttercream. Finish with the strawberry layer on top.
Apply a thin crumb coat of frosting over the entire cake and chill for 20 minutes.
Cover the cake with the remaining frosting and decorate as desired. Slice and serve!
Nutrition
Calories: 450kcalProtein: 5gFat: 25gFiber: 2g
Notes
Tip 1: For the best flavor, use a high-quality vanilla extract and cocoa powder. Tip 2: Ensure all cold ingredients (butter, eggs, milk) are at room temperature for a smoother, more uniform cake batter. Tip 3: Don't press down when leveling the batter in the pans; spread it gently to maintain the air you incorporated while mixing.
Three classic flavors, one unforgettable cake. Our Neapolitan Cake is a true showstopper!
Craving More Delicious Recipes?
We hope you love this Neapolitan Cake recipe! It’s a true showstopper that’s as fun to make as it is to eat. If you try it, let us know how it turns out in the comments below. For more dessert inspiration and savory meals, be sure to follow us on Pinterest. We’re always sharing new and delicious ideas to get you excited about being in the kitchen!
Hi, I’m Emily Carter, and welcome to FL Recipes! I share simple, healthy recipes that make cooking easy, fun, and delicious for everyone. more about me »
