Impress Your Guests with a Stunning Christmas Neapolitan Cake

If you're looking for a show-stopping dessert to serve at your holiday gathering, but don't want to spend hours in the kitchen, look no further than this Christmas Neapolitan Cake recipe. Developed by Tasting Table's Katie Rosenhouse, this cake is a fun twist on the classic Neapolitan, featuring vanilla, chocolate, and red velvet flavors, with fresh strawberries layered throughout. The best part? You only need to make one batter to achieve the triple-layered effect!

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup canola oil
3 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 1/4 cups buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup brewed coffee
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
Red food coloring
6 large egg whites
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup strawberry jam
1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
Holiday sprinkles, to decorate (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease three 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, beat the room temperature butter, canola oil, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
Divide the batter evenly into three bowls.
In one bowl, stir in the unsweetened cocoa powder and brewed coffee until smooth.
In another bowl, stir in the remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa, vinegar, and red food coloring (as much as needed to reach the desired shade) until smooth.
Pour each bowl of batter into a prepared cake pan and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until the cakes spring back to the touch or a wooden pick inserted in the centers comes out mostly clean with a few moist bits.
Meanwhile, prepare the buttercream by whisking together the egg whites and granulated sugar in a bowl set over a small pot of barely simmering water over low heat. Continue whisking until the sugar dissolves and the mixture reaches 160°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Remove from heat and beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form and the mixture has cooled to room temperature.
Add in the room temperature butter, one tablespoon at a time, and beat until smooth.
Mix in the vanilla extract and kosher salt, then stir in the strawberry jam.
Once the cakes have cooled, level each layer if necessary.
Place one layer on a cake plate and spread with a layer of buttercream, followed by a layer of thinly sliced strawberries.
Repeat with the second layer, using a different flavor of cake and a different type of jam if desired.
Top with the remaining cake layer, using the final flavor of cake.
Spoon the remaining buttercream into a piping bag and pipe a border around the top edge of the cake, if desired.
Decorate with holiday sprinkles or additional sliced strawberries, if desired.
Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.