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Neopolitan Cake
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5 from 2 votes

Neapolitan Cake

This Neapolitan cake is made with two layers of chocolate sponge and two layers of vanilla sponge, sandwiched with strawberry buttercream and topped with dark chocolate ganache.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Decorating Time45 minutes
Total Time1 minute
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 16 people
Calories: 688.66kcal
Author: Emma

Ingredients

For the vanilla sponge cake

  • 200 grams butter
  • 200 grams caster sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 vanilla pod seeds only
  • 200 grams self raising flour
  • 1 pinch salt

For the chocolate sponge cake

  • 200 grams butter
  • 200 grams caster sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 200 grams self raising flour
  • 50 grams cocoa powder
  • 50 millilitres milk

For the strawberry buttercream

  • 500 grams icing sugar
  • 225 grams butter softened
  • 100 grams strawberries

For the ganache

  • 100 grams dark chocolate
  • 75 millilitres double cream

Instructions

To make the vanilla sponge cake

  • Begin by lining two 6 inch cake tins with grease proof paper and place to one side whilst pre-heating the oven to 180C or gas mark 4.
  • In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar for the sponge until pale and creamy.
  • Add an egg and continue to beat well.
  • Keep adding the eggs one at a time (beat well each time) until the mix has become pale and fluffy.
  • Scoop the seeds out of the vanilla pod and beat into the sponge mix.
  • Next, sift the flour and salt into the bowl and fold through the wet sponge mix.
  • Divide the sponge mix between the two tins.
  • Bake in the centre of the oven for 30mins.
  • Take the cakes out of the oven once golden and springy to the touch or a skewer placed in the centre comes out clean.
  • Allow the cakes to cool completely before attempting to decorate.

To make the chocolate sponge cake

  • Follow steps 1-10 (omitting the vanilla pod) and adding the cocoa powder and milk at step 6. 

To make the buttercream

  • Mix the powdered sugar and butter cream in a mixer on a low speed until just combined.
  • Blitz the strawberries in a food processor to make a puree, as smooth as you like.
  • Add the strawberry puree to the buttercream and mix on low until combined and a smooth buttercream has formed.
  • Spread two-three tablespoons of the buttercream between each layer of sponge, alternating vanilla sponge and chocolate sponge each time.
  • Cover the cake with the rest of the buttercream, starting with a crumb coat first before smoothing the edges. (Make sure you place the cake in the fridge between layers).

To make the ganache

  • Finely chop the dark chocolate and place to one side.
  • Gently heat the cream until not quite boiling.
  • Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir.
  • Keep stirring until all of the chocolate has melted.
  • Remove the cake from the fridge and, using a spoon, drizzle the ganache around the top edge of the cake creating the drip effect.
  • Cover the top of the cake with the remaining ganache.

Nutrition

Calories: 688.66kcal | Carbohydrates: 80.01g | Protein: 7.44g | Fat: 39.2g | Saturated Fat: 23.75g | Trans Fat: 1.29g | Cholesterol: 172.75mg | Sodium: 318.8mg | Potassium: 174.88mg | Fiber: 2.44g | Sugar: 57.77g | Vitamin A: 1172.63IU | Vitamin C: 3.7mg | Calcium: 41.9mg | Iron: 1.84mg