Neapolitan Cake

I made this cake for Nicole's 30th birthday last month.  We had the grandparents over for birthday cake after we went out for a delicious brunch at xocolatz.  This cake was a hit with everyone.  This is a combination of recipes.  The chocolate cake and chocolate frosting are from http://www.hersheys.com.  The vanilla cake layer is from http://www.marthastewart.com.  And the strawberry cake layer is from http://annies-eats.com.  She made this cake with a strawberry frosting but we are more of a love-everything-chocolate family so I went with chocolate frosting instead. In between the cake layers are alternating fillings of strawberry jam and chocolate ganache.  Each original recipe was cut in 1/2 to make only one cake pan of each flavor and then each cake layer was cut it in half.  As you can see from the picture the bottom layers get more compressed but still delicious.  Make this cake for your next special occasion.

Chocolate cake ingredients (ingredients are cut in half to only make one pan)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup + 6 tbsp all purpose flour
6 tbsp hershey's unsweetened cocoa
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup boiling water

Heat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour one 9" baking pan.  Combine dry ingredients in large bowl.  Add egg, milk, oil and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.  Stir in boiling water.  Batter will be thin.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick stuck into center of cake comes out clean.  Cool completely.  Remove from pan.

Strawberry cake ingredients (ingredients are cut in half to only make one pan)
1-1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour
1-1/4 baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
3 oz. strawberry jello
8 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 large eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup sweetened strawberry puree*
  *to make puree process partially thawed frozen strawberries with a bit of sugar in a blender or food processor until smooth.  If using sweetened strawberries, no additional sugar is needed.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour one 9" baking pan.  In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt.  Whisk to blend and set aside.  Combine the sugar, strawberry jello and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy about 2 minutes.  Beat the eggs into the sugar mixture one at a time.  With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until incorporated.  Blend in milk and vanilla extract.  Add remaining dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated.  Blend in the strawberry puree.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake for about 35 minutes or until toothpick stuck into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool completely.  Remove from pan.

Vanilla cake ingredients (ingredients are cut in half to only make one pan)
1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
1-1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg and 2 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour one 9" baking pan.  In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a large bowl using an electric mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  With mixer on low beat in egg and yolks one at a time.  Beat in vanilla.  Alternate the flour mixture and the buttermilk beginning and ending with the flour mixture.  Beat until just combined.  Pour into prepared pan.  Bake for about 32-35 minutes or until toothpick stuck into the center of the cake comes out clean.  Cool completely.  Remove from pan.  

To assemble the cake, cut each cake layer horizontally into two thin layers.  Place one of the chocolate layers on a cake platter.  Top with a very thin layer of strawberry jam or chocolate ganache.  Place a layer of vanilla cake on top.  Cover with a thin layer of strawberry jam or chocolate ganache.  Place a layer of strawberry cake on top of that.  Cover with a thin layer of strawberry jam or chocolate ganache.  Repeat the process again with the remaining cake layers.

Frosting ingredients
1/2 cup butter at room temperature
2/3 cup hershey's unsweetened cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix butter and cocoa together.  Alternately add powdered sugar and milk beating on medium speed until spreading consistency is reached.  Add more milk if needed.  Stir in vanilla.  Frost top and sides of assembled cake.

Enjoy!!  Susan

This recipe is linked to:  www.thecountrycook.net, www.tidymom.net, www.made-famous-by.com,
www.sixsistersstuff.com, www.sweetsav.blogspot.com, www.skiptomylou.org, www.iamaddictedtorecipes.blogspot.com, www.cupsbykim.blogspot.com,  www.somethingswanky.comwww.flourmewithlove.com,www.crazyforcrust, www.insidebrucrewlife, www.mandysrecipebox.,
www.mrsfoxssweets, www.ladybehindthecurtain.com, www.mizhelenscountrycottage.blogspot.com,
www.housewivesofriverton.blogspot.com, www.makeaheadmealsforbusymoms