Neapolitan Christmas Cake

Rating: 5
Prep Time: 40 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Yield: 1 (8-inch) cake
A festive cake to celebrate the season!

Ingredients

• butter and flour, for greasing pan

cake:

• 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1 + 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3/4 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 + 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• red and green food coloring

whip cream frosting:

• 2 cups heavy cream, well chilled
• 4 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup strawberry jam

buttercream frosting:

• 12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 pound confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (8-inch) cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
2. Beat sugar and butter together until fluffy 2-3 minutes. Beat in sour cream then buttermilk (it may look curdled at this point). Beat in both extracts.
3. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.
4. On low speed add the flour mixture in 3 additions alternating with the milk.
5. Divide the batter into 3 equal parts in 3 separate bowls (about 1 + 3/4 cups in each). Mix red food coloring into one, green into the second and leave the last one white.
6. Pour into the prepared pans and bake 26 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick in center comes out clean.
7. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes then turn out onto wire racks, cool right side up and leave the parchment on the bottom of the cake.
8. Frost with whipped cream frosting or buttercream.
9. Whip cream frosting:
10. Chill your mixing bowl and beaters well. Beat the heavy cream, confectioners' and cream of tartar together on medium speed until soft peaks form and the whipped cream sticks to the beater when lifted.
11. Buttercream frosting:
12. Beat butter with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 2 minutes.
13. Reduce speed to medium and add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating after each addition, about 5 minutes. (After every 2 additions, increase speed to high, and beat for 10 seconds, then reduce speed to medium-high).
14. Add vanilla and beat until smooth. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Bring up to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth before using.)
15. Remove the parchment paper and layer the cakes with a thin layer of strawberry jam spread over
16. top followed by whip cream or buttercream. Frost the sides and top, then sprinkle with coconut and decorate as desired. Chill 1 hour before serving. Store leftovers in refrigerator.

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