Neapolitan Sheet Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Neapolitan Sheet Cake with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting



Prep Time 30 min
Cook Time 45 min
Total Time 1 hr, 15
Recipe Type: Cake
YIELDS 15 SLICES

This homemade Neapolitan Sheet Cake recipe has swirls of vanilla cake, chocolate cake, and strawberry cake. This Neapolitan Cake is topped with the creamiest Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting, making this cake totally irresistible!

Ingredients
Cake

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 2/3 cups all-puporse flour
  • 2 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup milk (whole milk or 2% work the best)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream

Chocolate Cake

  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • 1/4 cup brewed coffee, hot
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

Strawberry Cake

  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup strawberries, hulled and quartered
  • 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 3-4 drops red food coloring (optional)

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
  • 6 oz whipped cream cheese (it must be whipped cream cheese--regular cream cheese is too dense)
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract


Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 rectangular cake pan. Set aside.
  2. In a small saucepan, simmer strawberries and sugar together over low heat. Mix cornstarch and water together, and add to the strawberry mixture. Allow the strawberries to cook down, until they have released their juices and the mixture has thickened. Take off the heat, lightly mash the strawberries with a fork, and allow to cool. Set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add in granulated sugar and mix until well combined. Add in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition (scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary).
  4. In a separate bowl, sift together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
  5. In another bowl, mix milk and vanilla extract together.
  6. Alternately add the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
  7. Add in sour cream, and mix the batter until combined.
  8. Pour 2 cups of the vanilla cake batter into the bottom of the cake pan. Divide the remaining batter evenly into two separate bowls.
  9. In one bowl, add in cocoa powder, baking soda, and hot coffee, stirring until combined. Set aside.
  10. In the other bowl, add in flour, strawberries, and red food coloring (if using), and stir until combined.
  11. Dollop both the strawberry batter and the chocolate batter evenly on top of the vanilla cake. With a knife, gently swirl the batter together.
  12. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool.
  13. With a mixer, whip heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form (the cream is thick but not yet the consistency of whipped cream).
  14. Add in powdered sugar and vanilla extract. Continue whipping until stiff peaks form (the consistency should look and feel like whipped cream).
  15. Add in whipped cream cheese, 3 oz at a time, whipping until just combined.
  16. Spread frosting over cooled cake, and top with fresh strawberries, if desired*.


Notes
*Because the frosting is made with heavy whipping cream, the cake should be stored in the fridge if made ahead of time. The frosting will be fine at room temperature for a couple of hours, but it should be stored in the fridge if it's longer than 2ish hours.


source:http://www.alattefood.com