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.
Did you make this recipe?
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.
so i was all set to make yet another rainbow cake (because it makes me smile & i’m completely obsessed with it). but i’ve been watching this cake for a while now. i work with fondant a lot and my piping skills are less than fab. i am intimidated but am going to take the plunge and give it a try. i’m going to try it for our end of season ladies bible study brunch (i know they’ll be forgiving if it’s not perfect, hehe). it totally made me smile when i saw it this morning. Amanda, THANK YOU for being such a wonderful inspiration!
Have you tried the rose with cream cheese frosting ?
This cake looks simply amazing! i’ll definitely give it a try, i just have one main concern….
But quantities of sugar the frosting seems to me INCREDIBLY sweet….do you think it would work with less sugar?
I do! You can definitely tweak the recipe to fit your needs. 🙂
I tried this one today!! it’s not as pretty as your of course but kinda acceptable for a first try…it would mean a lot to me if you could tell me what you think of it?
http://tinypic.com/r/73e2q9/6
[IMG]http://i47.tinypic.com/73e2q9.jpg[/IMG]
Love it!
I absolutly LOVE your cakes!! you are such an inspiration to all of us out here! keep up the good work and keep those ideas coming…… your ideas are so original, you should put together a cake book tutorial and sell them!!!
Hello! I LOVE this cake! I made one for my sister-in-law birthday. It was not as beautiful as yours but it was good. I used lemon, strawberry and chocolate flavors. I was a bit disappointed because my layers cakes had not the same height ans my pink was paler. And for the roses I made a muslin cream butter. My question is what recipe do you use for the cakes. I live in France and I made a simple sponge cake but I can see that the texture of my cake is different from yours.
Thank you!
Do you recommend a 1M or 2D tip for roses?
I am obsessed with this cake! My daughter is very allergic to dairy so I couldn’t do a buttercream. I just made a frosting that uses soy milk and soy milk powder, coconut oil and agave. Do you think this would work?? Her Birthday party is tomorrow and I am contemplating attempting it. Also, about how much frosting do you need, like how many cups worth? Trying to judge if I would even have enough…. Thank you!
Hello.
Can you please tell me the cake recipes of all 3 cakes?
Thanks xx
hey there,
ive been following ur blog for some time now and all ive gotta say is that i totally LOVE your work. And u make everything look so simple and easy :D.
Hii,
LOVE this cake… have you got a recipe for the three cake layers you made been looking everywhere for a similar strawberry cake recipe for this… so difficult to find!
Lynzie