After I started experimenting with no-churn ice cream this summer, my husband casually mentioned that I should try making a neapolitan ice cream cake. I will admit, I was skeptical at first because my only memories of eating neapolitan ice cream as a kid involved eating just the chocolate part. I went along with the ice cream cake idea to appease him and also I thought it would be a fun little project. Lo and behold, I have come out the other side a complete neapolitan ice cream fan. The chocolate-vanilla-strawberry flavors are perfect together and I can’t believe it took me this long to realize it! 

This neapolitan ice cream cake features delicious layers of decadent chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, strawberry ice cream, and vanilla ice cream. All three of the ice cream flavors are made from one big batch of no-churn ice cream! You’ll simply divide it up into thirds and create each flavor separately, then layer them together with the cake layers in an acetate lined cake pan. The finished cake ended up being about 6 inches tall, which makes it the perfect party cake! 

The best part about the no-churn method is that it’s incredibly easy to whip up without an ice cream maker. Even though it’s a simple recipe, the texture of the ice cream ends up absolutely perfect and the flavors are incredible. It’s a whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk base, and the three flavors are created using pure vanilla extract, freeze dried strawberries, and melted semi-sweet chocolate chips. If this is your first time trying no-churn ice cream, it will change your life! I am borderline obsessed with it at the moment. 

My one and only regret with this neapolitan ice cream cake is not taking the time to make sure the acetate collar was super tight around the bottom cake layer. Since there was a slight gap, some of the chocolate ice cream ended up oozing out around the bottom cake layer. I was actually considering redoing the cake for prettier photos until I unwrapped the acetate and saw that all the layers inside still looked amazing. My advice to you is to make sure that acetate collar is nice and tight around that bottom layer!  

If you’ve never made a cake in an acetate collar before, here is a great post that explains how to do it. I used this 6-inch acetate for the collar and this 6-inch springform pan for structure. Once the cake is layered inside, all you have to do is pop it into the freezer for at least 6 hours to let everything set up. Aside from the crushed freeze-dried strawberries and chocolate chips on top, there isn’t any additional cake decorating you’ll need to do. The best part is you can easily make this cake ahead, store it in the freezer, and have it ready to roll when you are – up to a month ahead of time! 

With such a nostalgic flavor palette, this neapolitan ice cream cake is so perfect for a summer party. The layers make it such a showstopper! It was a huge hit with my husband and our friends, and I hope it’s a hit at your house too. Enjoy!

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Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake

Layers of delicious no-churn ice cream in classic neapolitan flavors (chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla), paired with decadent chocolate cake. It's nostalgic, so easy to whip up, and a true crowd pleaser!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Freeze Time 6 hours

Servings 20 slices

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

• 1 Cup (132g) all purpose flour
• 3/4 Cup (150g) granulated sugar
• 1/3 Cup (30g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 Cup (60ml) vegetable oil
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) buttermilk*, room temperature
• 1/2 Cup (120ml) hot coffee or hot water

No-Churn Neapolitan Ice Cream Layers

• 3 Cups (720ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
• 21 Oz sweetened condensed milk, divided
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract, divided
• 1/2 Cup (3oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
• 1 Cup (30g) freeze dried strawberries, finely ground
• 1 Tbsp strawberry jam
• 1 drop pink food coloring, optional

Instructions

Make the Chocolate Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF/177ºC and prepare two 6-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with baking spray and fitting a parchment paper circle to the bottom of each pan.
• Whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix on low with either a hand mixer, the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, or by hand until combined. Add the hot coffee (or hot water) in a slow stream. Continue mixing on low until fully combined and smooth, 1-2 minutes. The batter will be very thin.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and bake for 20-24 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before layering with ice cream.

Make the No-Churn Neapolitan Ice Cream

• Wait to make the ice cream layers until right before you're ready to assemble the cake. Place a large metal or glass bowl into the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to chill before you get started.
• Add the heavy whipping cream and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla extract into the chilled bowl, then whip it with a hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, 3-4 minutes. You can alternatively use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment for this part. Place the whipped cream into the refrigerator while you move on to the next step.
• Divide the sweetened condensed milk evenly between three medium bowls. To one bowl, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. To the second bowl, add the finely ground freeze dried strawberry powder and strawberry jam. To the last bowl, add the melted and cooled semi-sweet chocolate. Whisk the ingredients together within each individual bowl to create the three different flavor bases.
• Divide the whipping cream evenly between each of the three bowls you created in the previous step. Fold each sweetened condensed milk mixture together with the divided whipped cream to create vanilla ice cream, strawberry ice cream, and chocolate ice cream.

Assembly

• Once the chocolate cake layers are cooled completely, level them to about 1/2 inch tall. Place a 6-inch cardboard cake circle into the bottom of a 6-inch springform pan, then place the first cake layer on top. Wrap a sheet of acetate around the cake layer and tape it together once it's the same diameter as the cake layer. Here are more detailed instructions on how to prepare the acetate collar.
• Add half of the chocolate ice cream mixture on top of the chocolate cake layer and smooth it with a spoon or spatula until it reaches the acetate. Add half of the strawberry ice cream mixture on top of that and smooth it down, then add half of the vanilla ice cream mixture and smooth it down. Place the second cake layer on top and continue the layering process with the remaining ice cream.
• Freeze the ice cream cake for at least 6 hours. When you're ready to serve it, remove the cake from the springform pan and unwrap the acetate. Garnish with a crown of crushed freeze dried strawberries and chopped chocolate.

Notes

*DIY Buttermilk recipe: add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 Cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe. 

Make Ahead Tips: 

1. The chocolate cake layers can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, covered tightly in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, you can cover with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to two months before thawing to room temperature. 
2. The no-churn ice cream must be made right before assembling the cake and cannot be made ahead. 
3. The assembled cake or leftovers can be stored in the freezer, wrapped in acetate or plastic wrap, for up to two months. 

Did you make this neapolitan ice cream cake recipe? I want to know what you think! Tell me about it in the comments below and feel free to tag @sugarandsparrowco on Instagram to show me. I love to see what you create with my recipes!

The post Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.

Over the years, I’ve come to depend on two different approaches to filling and stacking cakes, since in my opinion, there are two different types of cake fillings. There are stable fillings like buttercream and then there are less-stable fillings like soft consistency chocolate ganache, salted caramel, jam, lemon curd, etc. Whatever you’re using to fill your cakes these days, I’m about to show you my way of filling and stacking layer cakes. Here’s a quick video to show you the methods I’ve come to love before you read all the details below:

Before we move on to details, if you’re wanting to see more Cake Basics videos like this one, you should definitely check out my YouTube Channel and watch more of this series! You’ll even find cake recipes and decorating tutorials there to help broaden your skill set and inspire you. Be sure to hit the Subscribe button so you never miss a new video!  

Before You Start Filling & Stacking

No matter what kind of filling I’m using, I always start by placing a cardboard cake circle that’s the same diameter as my cake layers onto the turntable. Then, place a small dab of buttercream onto the cake circle before adding the first cake layer on top. The little swipe of buttercream acts as “glue” to keep the bottom layer in place.

Using this cardboard cake circle method not only keeps your bottom layer in place, it makes your cake easier to work with overall and easier to transport from the turntable to a cake stand or box once it’s finished. 

After you’ve got your bottom layer secured to the cake circle, follow either of the methods below depending on the type of filling you’re using. 

Filling Cakes with Buttercream 

Filling a cake with buttercream is super straightforward as long as you’re working with the right consistency of buttercream. My vanilla buttercream recipe is the perfect consistency for filling and frosting cakes as-is, but if you find that your buttercream collapses underneath the weight of the above cake layer and starts oozing out of the sides, it will need to be made thicker. That could mean adding extra powdered sugar to your buttercream or cooling it in the refrigerator before whipping it back up, depending on the type of buttercream you’re using.

To fill a cake with buttercream, simply add a few spatula scoops full onto your cake layer and smooth it down with an angled spatula until it’s about ½ inch thick (or however thick you prefer your filling to be). 

It’s super important to make sure your buttercream filling is as level as possible, so be sure to get down to eye level and check to see that it’s nice and even before adding your next cake layer. 

Filling Cakes with Soft Fillings (Ganache, Caramel, Jam, etc)

If you’re using a softer filling, like chocolate ganache, lemon curd, salted caramel, or really anything that could easily ooze out under the weight of a cake layer, I recommend creating a buttercream dam around the edge of your cake layer before adding your filling to the center.

To create the dam, you’ll want to use a medium or stiff consistency buttercream (these notes after my vanilla buttercream recipe detail how to create those consistencies). Add the buttercream into a piping bag and snip off about ½ inch opening, then pipe a dam around the cake layer that’s about ¼ inch from the edge of the cake. 

Fill in the center of the dam with your filling. This method basically gives your filling a nice bumper to hold up the weight of the cake layer, keeping your softer filling nice and secure inside. 

Smooth down your filling until it’s level with the top of the dam, then place your next cake layer on top. 

Stacking Cake Layers

After placing your cardboard cake circle down and filling the bottom layer of your cake using either of the above methods, place your next layer of cake right side up on top. Be sure to get down to eye level to make sure it’s centered with the bottom layer. 

Then, repeat the process of adding and smoothing the filling before placing the next layer on top. 

When adding your top layer, flip it upside down (so that the bottom of the cake layer is the top).

By adding it cut-side down, it greatly reduces the amount of loose crumbs that end up in your crumb coat and final cake finish. 

Creating Structure for Tall Cakes

My go-to cake height is 3 layers, typically 6-inches in diameter. Between the filling and frosting, my cakes end up being between 5 and 6 inches tall. The higher you fill and stack your cakes, the less sturdy they will become due to the weight of the above layers and the nature of gravity. If you want to make an extra tall cake, you’ll want to use the barrel method to add extra structure. This involves adding supports via dowels/boba straws and extra cardboard cake circles to even out the weight of the cake. While I don’t yet have my own tutorial on this method, this is the method I’ve used with success and point readers to all the time. 

Want more Cake Basics? Head here to see all of the posts and learn the methods of caking I’ve come to love over the years. I’m cheering you on every step of the way!

The post How to Fill and Stack Cake Layers appeared first on Sugar & Sparrow.