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neapolitan ice cream cake recipe
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Neapolitan Ice Cream Cake

Layers of delicious no-churn ice cream in classic neapolitan flavors (chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla), paired with decadent chocolate cake. It's nostalgic, so easy to whip up, and a true crowd pleaser!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Freeze Time 6 hours
Servings 20 slices

Ingredients

Chocolate Cake

  • 1 Cup (132g) all purpose flour
  • 3/4 Cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1/3 Cup (30g) natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 Cup (60ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 Cup (120ml) buttermilk*, room temperature
  • 1/2 Cup (120ml) hot coffee or hot water

No-Churn Neapolitan Ice Cream Layers

  • 3 Cups (720ml) heavy whipping cream, cold
  • 21 Oz sweetened condensed milk, divided
  • 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract, divided
  • 1/2 Cup (3oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled
  • 1 Cup (30g) freeze dried strawberries, finely ground
  • 1 Tbsp strawberry jam
  • 1 drop pink food coloring, optional

Instructions

Make the Chocolate Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350ºF/177ºC and prepare two 6-inch cake pans by spraying the sides with baking spray and fitting a parchment paper circle to the bottom of each pan.
  • Whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl to fully combine them. Add the vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix on low with either a hand mixer, the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, or by hand until combined. Add the hot coffee (or hot water) in a slow stream. Continue mixing on low until fully combined and smooth, 1-2 minutes. The batter will be very thin.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and bake for 20-24 minutes, until a wooden toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before layering with ice cream.

Make the No-Churn Neapolitan Ice Cream

  • Wait to make the ice cream layers until right before you're ready to assemble the cake. Place a large metal or glass bowl into the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to chill before you get started.
  • Add the heavy whipping cream and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla extract into the chilled bowl, then whip it with a hand mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form, 3-4 minutes. You can alternatively use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment for this part. Place the whipped cream into the refrigerator while you move on to the next step.
  • Divide the sweetened condensed milk evenly between three medium bowls. To one bowl, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla. To the second bowl, add the finely ground freeze dried strawberry powder and strawberry jam. To the last bowl, add the melted and cooled semi-sweet chocolate. Whisk the ingredients together within each individual bowl to create the three different flavor bases.
  • Divide the whipping cream evenly between each of the three bowls you created in the previous step. Fold each sweetened condensed milk mixture together with the divided whipped cream to create vanilla ice cream, strawberry ice cream, and chocolate ice cream.

Assembly

  • Once the chocolate cake layers are cooled completely, level them to about 1/2 inch tall. Place a 6-inch cardboard cake circle into the bottom of a 6-inch springform pan, then place the first cake layer on top. Wrap a sheet of acetate around the cake layer and tape it together once it's the same diameter as the cake layer. Here are more detailed instructions on how to prepare the acetate collar.
  • Add half of the chocolate ice cream mixture on top of the chocolate cake layer and smooth it with a spoon or spatula until it reaches the acetate. Add half of the strawberry ice cream mixture on top of that and smooth it down, then add half of the vanilla ice cream mixture and smooth it down. Place the second cake layer on top and continue the layering process with the remaining ice cream.
  • Freeze the ice cream cake for at least 6 hours. When you're ready to serve it, remove the cake from the springform pan and unwrap the acetate. Garnish with a crown of crushed freeze dried strawberries and chopped chocolate.

Notes

*DIY Buttermilk recipe: add 1 Tbsp of white vinegar to a jar and top it with 1 Cup of whole milk. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes before using in the recipe. 
Make Ahead Tips: 
  1. The chocolate cake layers can be made ahead and stored at room temperature, covered tightly in plastic wrap, for up to two days. Alternatively, you can cover with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to two months before thawing to room temperature. 
  2. The no-churn ice cream must be made right before assembling the cake and cannot be made ahead. 
  3. The assembled cake or leftovers can be stored in the freezer, wrapped in acetate or plastic wrap, for up to two months.