Neapolitan Cake

This Neapolitan Cake features beautiful chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry cake layers made from one batter and stacked with creamy buttercream. It’s a bakery-style dessert that’s perfect for birthdays, celebrations, and sweet family memories in the kitchen.

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chocolate vanilla strawberry cake, homemade birthday cake, layered cake recipe, Neapolitan Cake, tri color cake

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 30

Cooling & Chilling Time: 1

Total Time: 1 55

Servings: servings

Calories: 480kcal

Cost: $18

Equipment

3 9-inch round cake pans Grease and line with parchment for easy cake removal.
1 Large mixing bowl
1 Electric mixer
1 Kitchen scale Helps divide batter evenly for perfect layers.
1 Offset spatula
1 Cake turntable Optional but helpful for smooth frosting.
1 Serrated knife or cake leveler

Ingredients

Cake Batter (Single Batter)

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter Room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs Room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups whole milk Room temperature

Flavoring

3 tablespoons cocoa powder
2 tablespoons hot water
3 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder
1 small amount pink gel food coloring Optional

Buttercream Frosting

3 cups unsalted butter Room temperature
9 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder

Optional Decoration

6 chocolate covered strawberries
½ cup fresh strawberries
¼ cup chocolate shavings

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease three cake pans. Olivia always loves placing the parchment circles at the bottom of each pan, she says it feels like preparing little beds for the cakes.
In a bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. I usually let Olivia do the whisking because kids love helping with simple mixing jobs.
In a large bowl beat the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Olivia always says this step smells like a bakery already starting to wake up.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in the vanilla extract. I let Olivia crack the eggs carefully into a small bowl first, it makes her feel like a real baker.
Alternate adding the flour mixture and whole milk until the batter is smooth and creamy. Don’t overmix, just until everything comes together.
Divide the batter evenly into three bowls. Olivia loves helping weigh each bowl so every cake layer bakes evenly.
Mix the cocoa powder with hot water and stir it into one bowl of batter until smooth and chocolatey.
Fold the freeze-dried strawberry powder into the second bowl and add a tiny bit of pink food coloring if you want a brighter pink. Olivia always calls this the “princess cake layer.”
Pour each batter into its prepared pan and bake for 25–30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. The kitchen always smells amazing during this step.
Beat the butter until fluffy, then gradually add the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Divide the frosting into three bowls and flavor one with cocoa powder and one with freeze-dried strawberry powder.
Place the chocolate cake layer first, spread chocolate frosting, then add the vanilla layer and vanilla frosting. Top with the strawberry layer. Olivia always says this part feels like building a delicious rainbow.
Spread a thin crumb coat over the cake and chill for 30 minutes. Finish with the final frosting and decorate with chocolate covered strawberries, fresh strawberries, and chocolate shavings.

Notes

• If you don’t have freeze-dried strawberry powder, you can make strawberry reduction from fresh strawberries.
• Store leftover cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or 5 days refrigerated.
• For a gluten-free version, replace flour with a gluten-free blend.
• This cake is perfect for birthdays and celebrations because everyone gets chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry in every slice.
• Olivia’s favorite part is decorating the cake with strawberries, she says every cake should look as happy as it tastes.

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