This classic three layer Neapolitan cake contains all of your favorite flavors into one stunning masterpiece. It’s also covered with a delicious homemade cream cheese frosting. Using box cake mixes makes creation easy but delicious. It’s a truly stunning birthday cake or for any special celebration!
I know you may be thinking that this Neapolitan cake recipe is going to be a beast to make, but it’s so much fun! While I love decorating cakes, I know it can take a little practice. But, I promise once you are finished, your 3 layer dessert will be the talk of the house.
We are going to ice this baby in a homemade cream cheese frosting that’s perfect for most cake flavors. If you are ever unsure of which to choose, use this one. I have other favorite frosting recipes but, for Neapolitan Cake, you really can’t go wrong with a classic cream cheese. It’s especially good for when your cake layers have their own flavors that you don’t want the icing to overpower. I consider cream cheese a nice neutral that isn’t overly sweet compared to vanilla buttercream.
Why You’ll Love This Neapolitan Cake
- Beautiful and delicious
- Easy to make using box cake mix (shhh!)
Ingredients
- Chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry cake mix. One for each layer.
- Eggs
- Whole milk and heavy cream
- Vegetable oil
- Sour cream (adds moisture and improves texture of box mix cake)
- Salted butter
- Cream cheese
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
How To Make Neapolitan Cake
See recipe card for complete details and instructions.
BAKING THE CAKES: Preheat the oven. Line cake pans with parchment paper, grease sides with non-stick cooking spray, and set aside. In a mixing bowl, beat cake mix, eggs, milk, oil, and sour cream on medium-high speed using hand mixer or stand mixer for 2-3 minutes until fluffy and well combined. Pour 2 ½ cups of each flavor cake batter into a separate prepared 8 inch round cake pans. Use the remaining batter for another purpose. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out with just a few crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack.
FROSTING: I like cream cheese frosting for a Neapolitan cake before it doesn’t overpower the cake. Beat butter and softened cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Then beat in the powdered sugar. Then add heavy cream (gradually) until the frosting is light and fluffy and a spreadable consistency.
ASSEMBLY: Trim the top of each Neapolitan 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 smooth 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 frosting crumb coat over the top and down the sides of the cake to seal in crumbs and smooth the sides. Freeze for 15-30 minutes. Mound most of the remaining frosting on top of the cake and use an offset spatula to finish fully frosting the cake. 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.
- Measure the 2 ½ cups of batter for each cake layer – this ensures that each of the 3 layers comes out even.
- If you do not have 3 separate 8” cake pans, mix up one batter at a time, bake that layer, cool and remove it from the pan, then 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.
- Use the extra batter to make cupcakes. The 2 ½ cups of batter for each layer is a little more than ½ – I had enough batter left to make 6 cupcakes in each flavor.
- I always freeze my cake layers so that they are less fragile/soft when I’m stacking and frosting them.
- Room temperature butter and cream cheese is key for keeping the frosting light and fluffy.
- Freeze! You can freeze Neapolitan cake layers up to a week in advance, if you wish to prep ahead and assemble later. You can also freeze slices after it has been frosted. They may just be a little squished when you go to thaw them.
In 1846, Queen Victoria commissioned a Neapolitan cake consisting of not 3 but 12 (!!!) thin layers with whipped cream up the center.
More Deserts YOU’LL LOVE
Neapolitan Cake
Equipment
- 1 wire cooking rack
- 1 hand mixer
- 3 8" cake pans
- 1 frosting spatula
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Layer Ingredients:
- 1 package chocolate cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup sour cream
Vanilla Cake Layer Ingredients:
- 1 package vanilla cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup sour cream
Strawberry Cake Layer Ingredients:
- 1 package strawberry cake mix
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup sour cream
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients:
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ – ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
Cake Instructions:
- 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 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 2-3 minutes until fluffy and well combined.
- Transfer 2 ½ 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 in the freezer to firm up for 2 or more hours. (This makes it easier to assemble and frost the cake.)
Frosting Instructions:
- 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 a spreadable consistency.
Assembly Instructions:
- 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 smooth 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 15-30 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
Nutrition
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Comments & Reviews
Avery says
If freezing cake layers a week in advance, can you frost directly from the freezer or do they need to thaw some first?
Stefanie says
I frost mine straight from the freezer. It makes it so much easier to keep everything sturdy. The cake layers will thaw after maybe 30 minutes, so you can serve it almost right away!