Neapolitan Cake With Buttercream Frosting Recipes

NEAPOLITAN CUPCAKES WITH STRAWBERRY BUTTERCREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• For the batter: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar and beat until light and fluffy. One at a time, add the eggs, mixing each one in completely before adding the next. Add the vanilla and beat to combine.
• In another bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer running, add a third of the flour mixture and then the milk, beating just to incorporate. Beat in the remaining flour mixture. Divide the batter between two bowls and set one bowl aside (this will be the white cake batter).
• Mix the cocoa powder into the remaining bowl of batter (this will be the chocolate batter).
• Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray. Divide the white cake batter evenly among the muffin cups, and then do the same with the chocolate batter.
• Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool slightly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool while you prepare the buttercream.
• For the strawberry buttercream: Puree the strawberries in a blender until completely smooth. Press through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced by half, about 10 minutes; you'll need at least 1/2 cup. Cool completely.
• In a mixing bowl, add 3 cups of the confectioners' sugar, the butter and the vanilla and beat with a hand mixer until combined. Add the strawberry reduction, beat until incorporated, and then gradually add the remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar. Transfer to a piping bag fitted with a round tip and pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes.

RED VELVET CAKE WITH BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans. In a bowl, sift together the cake flour, chocolate pudding mix, cocoa powder, and salt.
• In a large bowl, beat 1/2 cup of butter with 1 1/2 cup of sugar with an electric mixer until creamy; beat the eggs in, one at a time, and beat until the mixture is fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, in several additions. Mix in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and the red food color until the batter is uniformly colored. In a bowl, stir the baking soda with vinegar, and gently fold the foamy mixture gently into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean or with moist crumbs, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool completely before frosting.
• For frosting, place all-purpose flour in a saucepan, and gradually whisk milk into the flour, about 2 tablespoons at a time, until smoothly combined. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium-low heat, whisking constantly until thickened and smooth; allow to cool completely. Beat 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of butter in a bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 1 minute, and gradually beat in the cooled milk mixture; add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat the frosting until fluffy and spreadable, 1 to 2 more minutes.

NEAPOLITAN SHEET CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. In small bowl, place 1 1/4 cups of the batter; stir in 2 tablespoons cocoa until blended. In another small bowl, place 1 1/4 cups of the batter; stir in 2 tablespoons strawberry jam and 1/4 teaspoon food color until blended. Pour remaining cake batter in bottom of pan. Drop tablespoons of each colored batter in random pattern over top; pull table knife through batter to make swirls.
• Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• In large bowl, beat softened butter with electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. On low speed, gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth and creamy. Beat in 2 tablespoons milk and the vanilla. If frosting is too stiff to spread, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.
• In small bowl, place 1/4 cup of the vanilla frosting; stir in 1 teaspoon strawberry jam until blended. Stir in food color until desired color. In another small bowl, place 3 tablespoons of the vanilla frosting; stir in 1 teaspoon cocoa until blended. Spread remaining vanilla frosting on top of cake. Randomly drop measuring teaspoonfuls of strawberry and chocolate frosting over top. Use small icing spatula to swirl frosting over top of cake. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

NEAPOLITAN ICE CREAM CAKE

Steps:

• Line a 9-inch round cake pan with plastic wrap or waxed paper. Fill with softened ice cream. Place in the refrigerator until hardened, at least 3 hours.
• When the ice cream has been in the freezer for 2 hours, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round, nonstick cake pans.
• Place chocolate cake mix in a large bowl. Add 1 cup water, 1/2 cup oil, and 3 eggs; beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• In another large bowl, repeat Step 2 with the strawberry cake mix.
• Pour 1/2 of the chocolate batter into one of the prepared pans and 1/2 of the strawberry batter into the remaining pan. Discard remaining batter or save for another use.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 24 to 29 minutes.
• Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Run a table knife around the edges to loosen. Invert carefully onto a cooling rack. Let cool, about 30 minutes.
• Place the chocolate cake on a serving plate with the top side down. Pull the ice cream layer out of the pan with the plastic wrap and place it on top of the chocolate cake. Place the strawberry cake on the ice cream with the top side up. Frost cake with whipped topping.
• Serve immediately or place in the freezer until ready to serve.

NEAPOLITAN LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to gas 4, 180C, fan 160°C Grease and line 3 x 18cm round tins. In a blender, puree 100g of the strawberries, then remove the pips by passing through a fine sieve. Set aside.
• Using an electric hand whisk, beat 180g of the butter until smooth. Add the caster sugar and 1tsp vanilla extract and beat until light and fluffy, then beat in half the buttermilk. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well, then fold through the flour and bicarbonate of soda. Stir in the remaining buttermilk.
• Divide the batter between 3 bowls. Fold the melted chocolate into one bowl, and 1tsp vanilla extract into the second. Mix the strawberry puree and pink food colour into the third. Pour the batters into the 3 lined tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean.
• To make the buttercream, whisk together the icing sugar, remaining butter, vanilla extract and 6tbsp milk, until of a smooth spreading consistency. Add an extra 1tbsp milk if necessary.
• Level the sponges using a serrated knife, then sandwich the cakes together by spreading 200g buttercream between each layer, with the chocolate sponge on the base, the vanilla sponge in the middle and the strawberry sponge at the top.
• Using a knife, coat the cake with the remaining buttercream. Sweep around the cake with a palette knife held at a 45 degree angle to remove the excess icing and reveal the sponge beneath. Decorate with the grated chocolate and remaining strawberries, and add bunting.