Easy Neapolitan Cake Recipe

This is the kind of cake that makes you feel eight years old in the best possible way. Vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate all swirled into one pan—no stacking, no fussy piping, just ribbons of flavor that look way more impressive than the effort it takes. The batter is one bowl, then you split it into three, stir in jam and cocoa, dollop, swirl, and bake. Cozy, nostalgic, ridiculously good, and somehow always the first thing gone on the dessert table.

My family is feral for this. The first time I made it, my husband pretended he was “just evening the edges” until the entire left side of the cake was mysteriously gone. Now it’s our Friday night cake—movie on, forks in the pan, zero shame. It tastes like those Neapolitan ice cream tubs from childhood but warm and fluffy and very much not freezer-burned.

How to Make It

Okay, grab a 9×13 pan and heat the oven to 350°F. Spray the pan or line it with parchment so you don’t cry later. In a big bowl, whisk 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Nothing wild.

Pour in 1 cup milk, 1/2 cup neutral oil, 3 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and 1/2 cup sour cream. Whisk until it’s smooth and glossy—no dry pockets, but don’t go mixing it into glue. Now split that batter into three bowls as evenly as you can. Eyeballing is fine.

Bowl one: leave it vanilla. Bowl two: whisk in 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon milk so it stays silky. Bowl three: stir in 1/4 cup strawberry jam (or 2–3 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder if you have it) and a tiny drop of pink/red color if you want the vibe.

Spoon dollops of each batter all over the pan—like a patchwork quilt. Take a butter knife and do one or two lazy figure-8 passes to marble it. Don’t go ham or it’ll all turn meh-brown. Bake 28–34 minutes until the top springs back and a toothpick has a few moist crumbs, not wet goop.

Cool completely if you’re frosting. For a quick vanilla buttercream: beat 1 cup soft unsalted butter with a pinch of salt until fluffy, then add 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and 2–3 tablespoons milk. Spread it on thick, toss on some shaved chocolate or crushed freeze-dried strawberries, and try not to “even the edges.”

✔Ingredient Notes

– All-purpose flour: The backbone. Spoon-and-level so you don’t pack it and end up with a dry sponge. Been there. Sad fork.
– Neutral oil: Keeps it tender for days. Butter tastes great but oil wins for moisture in a simple sheet cake.
– Sour cream: Tang + moisture. Greek yogurt works in a pinch; use full-fat so it doesn’t bake up weirdly dry.
– Eggs: Room temp if you remember—helps everything blend smoothly. Cold is fine; you’ll survive.
– Granulated sugar: Sweetens and helps with structure. Don’t cut too much before your first try or it messes with the crumb.
– Vanilla: Real extract makes the vanilla stripe pop. I splash extra because… vanilla girl forever.
– Cocoa powder: Use natural unsweetened here. Dutch works too, just a touch deeper in color and flavor.
– Strawberry jam: Way easier than mashing berries. Look for one with real fruit. Freeze-dried strawberry powder is also amazing if you’ve got it.
– Baking powder: Freshness matters. If your cake doesn’t rise, it’s probably this guy’s fault.
– Butter + powdered sugar (for frosting): Classic, stable, and no sweat to whip up. Add milk slowly till spreadable.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease or line a 9×13-inch pan.
2. Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
3. Add milk, oil, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream; whisk until smooth.
4. Divide batter into 3 bowls; flavor one with cocoa + milk, one with strawberry jam, and leave one vanilla.
5. Dollop batters into the pan and gently swirl once or twice with a knife.
6. Bake 28–34 minutes until a toothpick has moist crumbs; cool and frost with vanilla buttercream if desired.

What to Serve It With

– Scoops of vanilla or strawberry ice cream (go full nostalgia).
– Fresh berries and a drizzle of warm chocolate sauce.
– Coffee, obviously. Or cold milk if you’re living your best childhood.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Don’t over-swirl. Two passes, tops. The colors should still look distinct.
– If using jam with lots of seeds, warm it 10 seconds so it mixes in smoothly.
– Dry cake? You probably added too much flour. Spoon-and-level next time.
– Toothpick pulling wet batter? Give it 3 more minutes and check again—ovens lie.

✔Storage Tips

Cover the pan and keep it on the counter 2–3 days, or in the fridge up to 5. Buttercream firms up cold (which low-key rules), so a chilled slice is basically breakfast cake and I support that life choice. To freeze, wrap slices tightly and stash up to 2 months; thaw on the counter till soft.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– No jam? Use 2–3 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder or a little strawberry Jell-O powder for color and flavor.
– Dairy-free: Swap milk for almond or oat milk, and sour cream for dairy-free yogurt. Use your favorite vegan butter for the frosting.
– Gluten-free: A good 1:1 GF all-purpose blend works—add an extra tablespoon of milk if the batter feels thick.
– Lighter sweetness: Reduce sugar by 1/4 cup; don’t go much lower or the texture pouts.
– Chocolate-heavy: Double the cocoa stripe and skip the strawberry. Still counts. Still delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Neapolitan Cake Recipe

This easy Neapolitan sheet cake swirls classic vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate batters into one tender, crowd-pleasing dessert. No special pans required—just mix one batter, split it three ways, swirl, and bake.

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Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 2.5 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• ▢ 2.5 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon fine salt
• ▢ 1 cup unsalted butter, softened room temperature
• ▢ 1.5 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 4 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 0.5 cup sour cream full-fat recommended
• ▢ 1 cup whole milk room temperature
• ▢ 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 0.5 cup strawberry jam or preserves seedless, good quality
• ▢ 0.25 teaspoon pink gel food coloring optional
• ▢ 0.25 cup unsweetened cocoa powder natural or Dutch-process
• ▢ 1 tablespoon whole milk for the chocolate batter

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan and line the bottom with parchment.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
• In a large bowl, beat softened butter and sugar on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Beat in eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl as needed, then mix in vanilla.
• Mix in sour cream until smooth.
• Add dry ingredients in 2 additions, alternating with the 1 cup milk, mixing on low just until combined. Do not overmix.
• Divide batter evenly into 3 bowls.
• Chocolate batter: stir cocoa powder and the additional 1 tablespoon milk into one bowl until smooth.
• Strawberry batter: stir strawberry jam and a small amount of pink gel coloring into the second bowl.
• Leave the third bowl as vanilla batter.
• Dollop spoonfuls of each batter randomly into the pan. Use a butter knife to gently swirl once or twice for a marbled look.
• Bake 28 to 32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 15 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Slice into 12 pieces and serve.

Notes

For round layers, divide batter among two 8-inch pans and bake 24 to 28 minutes. Substitute 0.25 cup finely ground freeze-dried strawberries for the jam if you prefer a bolder strawberry flavor. Store covered at room temperature for 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days.