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Neapolitan Chocolate Birthday Cake

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This weekend I have a very special birthday coming up, and they are definitely a chocolate lover! The inspiration for this cake cake was inspired by my love of neapolitan ice cream – I remember spending summers at my grandpas eating Chapman’s Neapolitan ice cream just about every day (who didn’t back in the 90’s!). 

Chocolate and vanilla layers stacked and sandwiched between generous layers of chocolate and pink buttercream frosting makes this cake the perfect birthday cake. The outside is smothered all over with chocolate frosting and makes this cake almost like a surprise when you slice it – the pink frosting inside really pops! 

I haven’t revealed the inside of the cake just yet since it’s sitting in the freezer waiting for this weekend’s birthday party. When it’s sliced I will be sure to put up a picture, so stay tuned for the inside reveal!

*If you would like to share my recipe and photos please provide proper credit and a link back to this original post. Thanks! 

Neapolitan Chocolate Birthday Cake

Chocolate and vanilla layer cake sandwiched between chocolate and pink buttercream frosting.

Ingredients:
 
For Chocolate Cake Layers
 
  1. 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  2. 2 cups sugar
  3. 1 ¾ cups unsweetened cocoa ¬powder
  4. 2 tsp baking soda
  5. 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
  6. 1 tbsp rum
  7. pinch of salt
  8. 2 eggs
  9. 1 cup buttermilk
  10. 1 cup strong black coffee
  11. ½ cup vegetable oil
  12. 2 tsp vanilla extract
To Decorate
 
  1. Strawberries
  2. Homemade chocolate glaze (baking chocolate and oil mixture)
  3. Shaved white chocolate
For Vanilla Cake Layer
 
  1. ½ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  2. 2 cups all-purpose flour
  3. 1 tbsp baking powder
  4. Pinch of salt
  5. ½ cup granulated sugar
  6. 3 large eggs, room temperature
  7. 1 cup whole milk
  8. 1 tsp vanilla extract
For Buttercream Frosting
 
  1. 4 cups unsalted butter, softened
  2. 8 tbsp milk
  3. 6 tsp vanilla extract
  4. 8 cups confectioners sugar
  5. food coloring
  6. cocoa powder
Directions:
 
To Make Chocolate Cake Layers
 
  1. 1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 8” round baking pans.
  2. 2. In a mixing bowl using an electric mixer, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until combined.
  3. 3. Add eggs, buttermilk, rum, coffee, oil, and vanilla. Beat on medium for 2 mins and then pour evenly into prepared pans.
  4. 4. Bake for 30-35 mins or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 10 mins, remove to wire rack and transfer to the freezer to cool completely.
To Make Vanilla Cake Layers
 
  1. 1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour one 8” round baking pan.
  2. 2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat together butter and sugar with a mixer on medium until combined. Mix in eggs, and then slowly add in flour mixture and beat on low. Add milk and vanilla and keep beating until combined.
  3. 3. Pour cake batter into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Turn out onto rack and allow it to cool completely, or transfer to the freezer to chill.
To Make Buttercream Frosting
 
  1. 1. Using an electric mixer, cream all of the ingredients together until a buttercream frosting forms. Make sure the mixture is spreadable, and no clumps of butter are visible.
  2. 2. Separate ¼ of the frosting and place it in a separate bowl. Add a few drops of red food coloring and mix with an electric mixer to form a pink frosting.
  3. 3. In the rest of the white frosting add a few tablespoons of cocoa powder and mix with an electric mixer. If the frosting isn’t dark enough, add more cocoa and mix again.
To Assemble Cake
 
  1. 1. Add a tablespoon of frosting in the center of a plate to hold the first layer in place. Place the first chocolate layer on top.
  2. 2. Spread a generous amount of chocolate frosting over the first layer. Next, place the thick vanilla layer on top. Spread all of the pink frosting over this layer.
  3. 3. Add the last chocolate layer on top of the pink frosting and then frost the whole cake with the remaining chocolate frosting. Arrange strawberries on top of the cake.
  4. 4. In a double boiler, melt chunks of cooking chocolate and a little bit of oil to make a spreadable chocolate glaze. Pour over the top of the cake and strawberries. Sprinkle shaved white chocolate near the bottom of the cake and then place in the freezer to chill and set.