This is the original Neapolitan Rose Cake… everything else is just a copy! 🙂 This cake is always a showstopper. Not only are people in love with how it looks, but who can resist vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate? Don’t miss my 50 Best Cake Recipes if you love baking!
Neapolitan Cake (Box Mix Version)
There is a lot going on with this cake so I recommend starting out with cake mix. Meaning, bake 1 box of white cake in two 8-inch round cake pans, 1 box of strawberry cake in two 8-inch round cake pans, then 1 box of chocolate cake in two 8-inch round cake pans. You will only need one layer of each (1 white, 1 strawberry, 1 chocolate) so be sure to wrap up the other layers tight and freeze until the next time you want to make this amazing cake!
Neapolitan Cake (From-Scratch Version)
If you happen to want to make this cake from scratch I recommend baking one day then assembling and decorating the next.
I made my perfect chocolate cake, a strawberry cake, and a white cake in 8-in round cake pans. I added pink food color to my from-scratch strawberry cake to ensure it was a gorgeous shade that matched the buttercream.
Neapolitan Buttercream
I used the basic buttercream recipe below for the white and strawberry layers. Prepare your buttercream as directed and then divide into 2 bowls. One will stay white (vanilla) and the other will be tinted pink. I also added strawberry extract to the pink buttercream so it would taste like it looks!
For the chocolate, I made a 1/2 batch of my favorite Chocolate Buttercream. You can make a full batch and freeze it with your other chocolate cake layer to save steps for the next time you prepare this cake! When freezing buttercream I place it in an airtight pastry bag, seal it, then drop that into a plastic bag. Allow it to come to room temperature before piping.
Rosette Cake
To pipe this cake I started by placing my remaining buttercream (after you have added frosting between the layers and done a light crumb coat) into pastry bags fitted with 1M or 2D tips. Start and the bottom of the cake with chocolate and begin by piping a rosette. I like to end the rosette on top, leaving the “tail” where it will be hidden by the next row. Try to begin and end each flower in the same way to have a consistent overall look. You can find detailed information on a Rose Cake Tutorial here.
Next time I make this cake I will start by placing my chocolate cake on the cake stand and covering it with chocolate buttercream, not the strawberry as I did for the pictures.
Basic Vanilla Buttercream
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 teaspoons McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract
- 32 ounces confectioners' sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons whole milk, up to ½ cup
- pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Beat butter in bowl of stand mixer with whisk attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. (about 3 minutes)
- Add vanilla extract.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add in confectioners' sugar, milk, and salt; frequently scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- Once incorporated, whip frosting for at least 3 minutes on medium-high to high. (My mixer went for 7 minutes)
- If frosting is too thick to spread, gradually beat in additional milk.
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Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Hi ,
Love your work really really beautiful cakes that you make! I was wondering for this cake if you would like to share the recipe for the cake as well ? 🙂
( sorry for my spelling – english is not my native language )
I have been dying to make a rose cake since you first put it up! I’ve decided to go for it this weekend and would like to do it in blue, red and white for Memorial Day. Any tips on that?
I definitely follow you on Instagram, and love your love for neapolitan treats! This cake seriously looks amazing, AND buttercream is my drug…..seriously it is way too good! Simply gorgeous, I really need to make this lovely treat:-) Take care, Terra
What a beautiful cake! I’m so going to do this one.
I also made your rose cake last year, and everyone just loved it!
Thanks for sharing!
http://confessionsandcookbooks.blogspot.com/2011/05/rose-cake-receitas-e-tutorial.html
Uh-oh… This looks a little too delicious for me. The next birthday is to come soon hopefully… I’m gonna try a vegan version, though! but the idea… WOW! Thanks!
This is a beautiful looking cake. I can’t stop looking at it and thinking that maybe I could do this. My daughter and I just started a Wiltons class and I saw this pic on pintrest. I already have high hopes that I can do this. Maybe. I don’t know. It’s worth a shot. 🙂
Of course you can!! Also, I just posted a video tutorial so you can see just in fact how simple it is! https://iambaker.net/patriotic-rose-cake-video-tutorial
I made this cake, using my own recipes, and everyone loved it! Thanks so much for the inspiration.
Hi, I am turning 18 in a month and i would love to bake this cake for my birthday. If I could ask you two things that would be great.
1’st question : What kind of tip do you use ?
2’nd question : Can you send me you recipe of this cake, I can’t fine any recipe that has different cake colors 🙂 If you can’t se my mail address it is berglindlara@mac.com 😀
I love to bake and i would love to make this one 🙂
With kind regards from Icelnad, Berglind
wow this looks really beautiful. i am going to try to make it but maybe different colours.. any tips for getting your icing so perfect???
x
I stumbled on here looking for a pretty red, white, and blue cake for the 4th of July. My son is an Army medic… he got married in April and I want to welcome his new wife to the family when they come here. Your Patriotic Rose Cake is just what I was looking for!! The Awana workers were so lucky (I wish I had had one of your kids when I was Sparks Director 😉 ) Your Neapolitan Rose Cake looks both GORGEOUS and DELICIOUS!! Reminded me of the Neapolitan ice cream I often had at my Grandma’s when I was a kid. : ) I will definitely have to make this for the next baby girl shower we have at church.