a spring themed neapolitan birthday cake

Today is my Mom’s Birthday. Happy Birthday, Mom!

Last night my brother and his wife cooked dinner for her and i brought the cake. That was find with me, I’ll take baking over dinner cooking any day.

I wanted to try something different so i thought I would do a cake inspired by neapolitan ice cream. While baking and decorating I kept my camera close at hand so I could share my little adventure with you.

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Let’s get baking!

I used boxed cake mixed. Duncan Hines. First up, french vanilla.

Then strawberry.

Then chocolate.

I prepared and baked according the directions the box. I lined my baking pans with parchment paper for extremely easy cake removal.

This gave me six cakes. I was originally planning on using all six, but later realized that was going to be way too tall. I decided to just use one of each and froze the other three to use another time.

As the cakes cooled, I made the icing. 

My go-to icing recipe: (this recipe was doubled for this cake)


1 cup (2 sticks) room temperature butter unsalted)
4 oz cream cheese (use phildelphia, generic cream cheese is a no-no)1/4 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 tablespoons heavy cream


With an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment; beat butter, salt and cream cheese (on medium speed) until completely smooth
One cup at time, add 2 cups of powdered sugar, beating after each addition.
Add vanilla and about 1 tablespoon of cream, and continue beating. 
Add the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar, one at a time.
Add an additional 1-2 tablespoons cream until desired consistency is reached.  

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Icing done, cakes still cooling, time to whip up some quick decorations for my cake.





To make the pennants I just cut a diamond shape out of some pretty scraps of fabric. I applied some tacky glue to one side of the diamond, placed a wooden skewer in the middle and folded the other side over. Yep, it’s seriously that easy.


I tied on some scraps of ribbon and rick rack to make it a little more interesting and fun!

For more fun decorations, I found these malted eggs and edible, yep EDIBLE, grass at Joann’s.

The edible grass is oddly good. It takes like those little flying saucers wafers with a hit of green apple flavor. It’s also available in green and pink.

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After my cakes were cool, it was time to put the cake together.

I lined my cake plate with some wax paper stripes to prevent it from being complete covered in icing by the time I was finish. Thanks Ina Garten.

I also cut off the tops of my cake so the layers stacked a little bit nicer.

I am not a cake decorator and don’t want to be. I actually love imperfections in cakes.

So all you fancy cake deocrators out there can just look the other way.

Once it was iced it was time for some edible grass and eggs.

And don’t forget the flags!

Tada! My spring themed neapolitan birthday cake!

Pretty stinkin’ cute, right!? Time for a slice.

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And let me tell you, for boxed cake, it was incredibly moist, light and delicious! Neapolitan cake may just be my new favorite.

I hope you enjoyed my little baking adventure!

Have a great Monday everyone!  I’m sure my mom will be reading the comments if you want to send her some birthday love.

Time for a diet,