Neapolitan Birthday Cake

This special birthday cake for my Mom In Law starts with a layer of fluffy vanilla cake, homemade strawberry jam filling, strawberry cake, and topped off with chocolate frosting. The outside frosting edges were piped using a ruffle design. 

Fluffy Vanilla Cake:
Recipe from Sweetapolita

5 large egg whites, room temperature
3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature (divided 1/4 and 1/2 cup)
2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 T + 1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
12 T unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into cubes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and line two 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper.

In a bowl, stir together the egg whites, 1/4 cup of the milk, and vanilla extract.  Set aside.

In a large stand mixer bowl, add the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt and stir on low speed until well combined.

Add the butter and other 1/2 cup milk and mix on medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes.

Scrape down the sides of bowl, then slowly add the egg/milk/vanilla mixture in 3 batches beating on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition. 

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the top with an offset spatula.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.  Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Run a knife along edges to loosen  and invert onto wire racks lined with parchment or paper.  Turn the cake top side up and let cool completely.

Cakes can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then in a freezer bag and stored in freezer for up to 2 months.  I only used one of these cakes, and froze the other one.

Strawberry Cake
Recipe from Sweetapolita

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1 (3 oz) box strawberry gelatin
4 eggs, room temperature
1 cup whole milk, room temperature
1 T pure vanilla extract
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup strawberry puree (made by blending up frozen sweetened strawberries)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and line two 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper.

In a large stand mixer bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and box of strawberry gelatin until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.

In a glass measuring cup, stir together the milk and vanilla extract.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add 1/2 of the flour mixture to the creamed butter and beat on medium speed for 20 seconds.  Add 1/2 of the milk mixture and beat on medium speed for 20 seconds.  Repeat with remaining flour and milk.

Add the strawberry puree and mix just until combined.

Pour batter into the two prepared cake pans.  Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.  Let cakes cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Run a knife along edges to loosen and invert cakes onto parchment lined wire racks.  Turn cakes top side up and let cool completely.

Cakes can be wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then in a freezer bag and stored in freezer for up to 2 months.  I only used one of these cakes, and froze the other one.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup cocoa powder, sifted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk (maybe less, maybe more)

In a large stand mixer bowl, beat the butter for a minute.  Add the sifted powdered sugar and cocoa powder and mix until combined.  Add the vanilla extract, then slowly add the milk, a little at a time, until the right consistency is achieved.  Piped frosting needs to be thicker than frosting that will be spread using offset spatula.  Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes until thick and fluffy.

To assemble cake, place the fluffy vanilla cake on cake plate.  Spread with a layer of homemade strawberry jam (store bought works too).  Top with strawberry cake.  Frost with the chocolate buttercream frosting.  

This is what I did with the frosting:

Spread a thin layer of chocolate frosting on sides of cake and a thick layer of frosting on top.  Add remaining frosting to piping bag fitted with a medium size petal tip #103.  You can watch this video tutorial to learn how to pipe on ruffle edge.

Enjoy!