Neapolitan Cake Three Layers (Printable Version)
Three-layer cake featuring chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry with buttercream frosting.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cake Base
01 - 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 2 cups granulated sugar
07 - 4 large eggs
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 - 1¼ cups whole milk
→ Chocolate Layer
10 - ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
11 - 3 tablespoons milk
→ Strawberry Layer
12 - ½ cup finely chopped fresh strawberries or ¼ cup strawberry puree
13 - Pink or red food coloring (optional)
14 - ½ teaspoon strawberry extract (optional)
→ Buttercream Frosting
15 - 1½ cups unsalted butter, softened
16 - 5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
17 - ¼ cup heavy cream or milk
18 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
19 - Pinch of salt
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then vanilla extract.
04 - Alternately add flour mixture and milk to the batter, starting and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
05 - Divide the batter equally into three separate bowls.
06 - Mix cocoa powder and 3 tablespoons milk in a small bowl until smooth, then fold into one portion of batter.
07 - Fold chopped strawberries (or puree), strawberry extract, and food coloring if using into the second portion of batter.
08 - Leave the third portion of batter as is for the vanilla layer.
09 - Pour each batter into its prepared pan. Smooth the tops. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
10 - Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
11 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and salt, mixing well. Add vanilla and cream; beat until fluffy.
12 - Trim cakes for even layers if necessary. Place the chocolate layer on a serving plate, spread a layer of buttercream. Repeat with strawberry and vanilla layers.
13 - Cover the entire cake with a thin crumb coat of frosting. Chill for 30 minutes, then frost with remaining buttercream.
14 - Decorate as desired with sprinkles, fresh strawberries, or chocolate shavings. Chill before cutting for clean slices.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- Three classic flavors in one stunning cake that looks impressive but comes together faster than you think
- The buttercream is silky smooth and perfectly balances each layer without being too sweet
02 -
- All ingredients should be at room temperature before you start mixing for the smoothest batter and buttercream
- Chilling the cake for at least 30 minutes after the crumb coat makes the final frosting layer flawlessly smooth
03 -
- Weigh your batter portions to ensure all three layers bake evenly—kitchen scales are inexpensive but invaluable
- If your strawberries are particularly juicy, reduce the milk in the main batter slightly to keep the texture consistent