Mouthwatering Neapolitan Loaf Cake

I’ve always been fascinated by those old-school ice cream flavors that bring back childhood memories. Neapolitan was the flavor that caused the most arguments in our house growing up – everyone wanted a different stripe. My kids still fight over who gets the biggest chocolate section when we buy a container.

That’s why I love making this neapolitan loaf cake. It gives you all three classic flavors in one easy cake, and nobody has to fight over portions. I make the vanilla base first, then swirl in strawberry and chocolate to create those pretty layers. The best part? You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry right now.

Want something that looks fancy but is actually simple? This is it. Plus, it keeps well for days, so you can make it ahead for parties or just because you can’t decide between chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry cake.

What Kind of Flour Should I Use?

Cake flour is your best bet for this Neapolitan loaf cake since it creates a tender, fine crumb that’s perfect for layered cakes like this one. The lower protein content in cake flour gives you that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes each bite feel light and airy. If you don’t have cake flour on hand, all-purpose flour will absolutely work as a substitute – your cake will just have a slightly denser texture, which is still delicious. When measuring your flour, make sure to spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag, as this can pack too much flour into your cup and make your cake heavy.

Options for Substitutions

This colorful cake is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you’re missing ingredients:

• Cake flour: The recipe already mentions you can use all-purpose flour, and that’s totally fine! Your cake will be slightly denser but still delicious.
• Sour cream: Greek yogurt works great as a 1:1 substitute, or you can use buttermilk (reduce the regular milk by 2 tablespoons if using buttermilk).
• Freeze dried strawberry powder: You can make your own by grinding freeze-dried strawberries in a food processor, or substitute with strawberry gelatin powder (use half the amount). Fresh strawberry puree won’t work well here as it adds too much moisture.
• Dutch processed cocoa powder: Regular unsweetened cocoa powder works fine – just add a pinch of baking soda to the chocolate portion to balance the acidity.
• Whole milk: 2% milk or even buttermilk will work. If using a lower fat milk, add an extra tablespoon of butter to keep the cake moist.
• Strawberry jam: While optional, it really boosts the strawberry flavor. You can skip it or try raspberry jam for a different berry twist.
• Gel food coloring: Liquid food coloring works too, but you’ll need more drops and it might thin the batter slightly. Natural alternatives like beet juice can work but won’t give as bright a color.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making this layered cake is not having all your ingredients at room temperature, which can cause the batter to curdle or mix unevenly – take your eggs, butter, milk, and sour cream out about an hour before baking.

Another common error is overmixing the batter once you add the flour, which creates a tough, dense cake instead of the light texture you want, so mix just until the ingredients are combined.

When dividing your batter into three portions for the different flavors, make sure to weigh each portion if possible since uneven layers will bake at different rates and throw off your timing.

Finally, don’t skip the step of dissolving the cocoa powder in hot water for the chocolate layer – adding dry cocoa directly to the batter can create lumps and an uneven chocolate flavor throughout that portion of the cake.

What to Serve With Neapolitan Loaf Cake?

This tri-flavored cake is pretty perfect on its own, but a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside each slice makes it feel like a real celebration. Since the cake already has those classic Neapolitan flavors built right in, you could serve it with fresh strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream to play up the strawberry layer. A cup of coffee or cold milk pairs beautifully with the chocolate and vanilla flavors, making it an ideal afternoon treat or dessert. For special occasions, try serving it with a drizzle of chocolate sauce or some fresh berries on the side to make each slice look extra special.

Storage Instructions

Keep Fresh: This beautiful layered cake stays moist and delicious when wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you’ve already added the glaze, make sure it’s completely set before covering to avoid any sticking.

Refrigerate: For longer storage, pop your Neapolitan loaf cake in the fridge where it’ll keep well for up to a week. The sour cream in the batter actually helps keep it extra moist even when chilled. Just let it sit at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving for the best texture.

Freeze: You can freeze this cake for up to 3 months! Wrap individual slices or the whole loaf tightly in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. I like to freeze it before glazing, then add the strawberry glaze once it’s thawed for the freshest taste.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	50-58 minutes
Total Time	70-88 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 2200-2400
• Protein: 24-28 g
• Fat: 80-90 g
• Carbohydrates: 340-370 g

Ingredients

For the marble cake:

• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup whole milk (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup hot water
• 2 tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder
• 1 3/4 cups cake flour (or all-purpose flour as substitute)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (I use Kerrygold for richness)
• 3 tbsp strawberry preserves (optional but recommended for concentrated flavor)
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla preferred)
• 3 large eggs (room temperature for better emulsification)
• Red gel food dye (as desired for vibrant color)
• 1/3 cup sour cream (room temperature)
• 3 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder (for deeper chocolate flavor)
• 1 cup sugar

For the strawberry glaze:

• Pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 cup powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
• 3/4 tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder

Step 1: Prepare the Pan and Preheat

• Loaf pan
• Butter for greasing

Heat your oven to 350°F.

While it preheats, butter a loaf pan thoroughly, line it with parchment paper, and butter the paper as well—this ensures easy removal and prevents sticking.

Set aside and let the oven finish heating while you move to mise en place.

Step 2: Prepare Dry Ingredients and Flavor Mixtures

• 1 3/4 cups cake flour
• 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 3 tbsp Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup hot water

In one bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt—this aerates the flour and ensures even leavening throughout the cake.

In a second bowl, combine the milk and sour cream at room temperature and set aside.

In a third small bowl, stir together the cocoa powder and hot water until completely smooth, creating a chocolate slurry that will distribute evenly.

Room temperature dairy is essential here because it prevents the butter from seizing when incorporated.

Step 3: Create the Base Cake Batter

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• milk-sour cream mixture from Step 2

Beat the softened butter and sugar together for 4-5 minutes until the mixture is pale, fluffy, and has roughly doubled in volume—this incorporates air and creates a tender crumb.

Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure proper emulsification, then add the vanilla extract.

Alternate adding the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 and the milk-sour cream mixture from Step 2 in three additions, beginning and ending with the dry mixture, and mix only until just combined.

I like to use Kerrygold butter here because its higher fat content and slight tanginess really elevates the cake’s richness and flavor complexity.

Step 4: Divide and Flavor the Batter

• base batter from Step 3
• 2 tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder
• Red gel food dye
• chocolate mixture from Step 2
• 3 tbsp strawberry preserves

Divide the base batter from Step 3 into three equal portions.

In one bowl, fold the freeze-dried strawberry powder into one portion until well distributed, then add red gel food dye if desired for a more vibrant pink hue—the freeze-dried powder provides concentrated strawberry flavor.

In another bowl, stir the chocolate mixture from Step 2 into the second portion until the color is even.

Leave the third portion plain.

If using the strawberry preserves, keep them nearby for layering.

Step 5: Layer, Swirl, and Bake the Cake

• strawberry batter from Step 4
• chocolate batter from Step 4
• plain batter from Step 4
• strawberry preserves from Step 4

Pour the strawberry batter from Step 4 into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly to the edges.

If using preserves, dollop 3 tablespoons over the strawberry layer for concentrated bursts of flavor.

Layer the chocolate batter from Step 4 over this, then top with the plain batter from Step 4.

Using a knife or skewer, drag it back and forth through all three layers in a figure-eight or wavy pattern to create the classic Neapolitan swirl effect—don’t overwork this or you’ll muddy the distinct colors.

Bake for 50-58 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

I find that mine typically takes about 54 minutes, so start checking at the 50-minute mark.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely before glazing.

Step 6: Make the Glaze and Finish

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 3/4 tbsp freeze-dried strawberry powder
• Pinch of salt

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, freeze-dried strawberry powder, and a pinch of salt until you reach a smooth, pourable consistency—the mixture should be thin enough to drizzle but thick enough to coat.

Pour the glaze over the cooled cake, letting it naturally flow down the sides.

Allow the glaze to set for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing to ensure it firms up slightly and doesn’t smudge.