I have great news! My temporary cake-diet, you know, the one during which I stopped eating cake, is over, and I’ve resumed my more permanent cake-diet, the one where all I think about and often indulge in cake. And, let me say, I ended it and restored order just in time: 3 layers of rich Southern Devil’s Food Cake stacked between fluffy Neapolitan flavoured Swiss Meringue Buttercreams: Belgian Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry, and topped with pure dark chocolate sprinkles from Holland. If you read the past post of mine, Neapolitan 5-Layer Birthday Cake with Strawberry Frosting, you’ll recall that I adore Neapolitan. In that case, the cake itself was Neapolitan. The flavours really bring me back to my childhood, and I was so happy to see that so many of you felt the same way after reading that post. Lately, I’ve been thinking more and more about Neapolitan and how I think there may be a serious shortage of it in my day-to-day life, so I’ve been dreaming up new ways to incorporate it into my world. This was a really fun start to that mission! 
If someone was ever cruel enough to force you to choose, would you say that you’re a cake person, or a frosting person? I find the older I get, the more I appreciate the cake itself. I would say that most times I would be perfectly content with a fresh piece of cake icing free, but wow, Swiss Meringue Buttercream makes me so very happy, and I’m pretty sure, with some focus, I could sit down and eat an entire bowl of it. Of course, its rich-but-light texture that’s not too sweet but just sweet enough is a dream in itself, but working with it, well, there’s just nothing better. It’s so satiny and holds up so well under fondant, on its own, in ruffles, smooth & perfect, or just about any way at all. You can flavour it with just about anything, and it can be frozen, then thawed, refrigerated, then room temperature–it will take just about anything! It may seem intimidating to make at first, but it’s really quick once you get the hang of it, and you will never look back. It’s also a really great way to take a simple layer cake and make it a bit more special and luxe.
As for the cake itself, I decided to take a break from my favourite Dark Chocolate Cake and go for a really rich and decadent Southern Devil’s Food Cake recipe I found, from Fine Cooking, that’s made with a few different ingredients than my usual recipe, such as mayonnaise, butter, and dark brown sugar. I did, though, make sure to include my must-have cocoa powder, Cacao Barry Extra Brute, for that really dark and rich taste. Divine. I really can say that I notice that extra richness that the butter and mayonnaise add–incredible!
What better way to show off all of these buttercream flavours, than to just tie it into the design of the cake, and leave the frosting off of the outside? I personally love cakes that are left open like this, and I think it’s a really refreshing change once in awhile, particularly when you play with interesting filling flavours, textures, and colours. Now, I did go quite generous with this filling because of the gorgeous, not-so-sweet Swiss Meringue Buttercream, but I wouldn’t recommend this with sugary frosting. As a “rule,” not that I’m big on those, you would aim for your layer-cake filling to be about 1/2 of the thickness of your cake layers.
I sliced this piece for the photo, and then covered it with wrap once I was done with the photographs. I wasn’t going to eat it (I promise), but then as the girls were walking to the bathroom for bath-time, they discovered it, and well, there we sat in the upstairs hallway sharing this with 3 forks and a lot of “mmmm”s. Nothing could have prepared me for the extreme cute that is watching a 4-year-old and a 19-month-old eat cake and sprinkles while sporting bare bums.
Speaking of sprinkles, I have to tell you about this incredible range of imported sprinkles I found at the cutest little bakery and European grocer located in a wee little town near me, Orono, where I buy most of my antiques. I was there this past weekend, and I discovered an entire shelf of these gourmet sprinkles from the Netherlands! Aside from the fact that they offer pure dark chocolate, milk chocolate, anise, and many more sprinkle variations, they won me over at first glance–can you guess why? Yes! They have smothered these sprinkles all over toast, and this is, what I since discovered something the Dutch love to do! I can’t say it ever crossed my mind to do that, but I think I need to give that a try–immediately. Besides, any country that swears by mayonnaise and french fries is clearly on the brink of culinary genius (did I mention that the little grocer also sells large squeeze bottles of the french-fry-designated mayo?), and I trust them completely. I sprinkled a handful of the dark chocolate variety as the finishing touch to this cake. Love them! You can learn more about these De Ruijter sprinkles here or buy them here.
I hope you enjoy this cake as much as my bare-bummed little cakelets and I did!
Inside-Out Neapolitan Layer Cake (3-layer Southern Devil’s Food Cake with Neapolitan Swiss Meringue Buttercream) {click here for printable recipe}
Yield: One 3-layer 8″ round cake
Devil’s Food Layer Cake
Ingredients
6 oz. (3/4 cup, 170 g) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (400 g) packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp. (10 mL) pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature
8 oz. (1-3/4 cups, 227 g) all-purpose flour
2-1/4 oz. (3/4 cup, 65 g) unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder (I can’t live without Cacao Barry Cocoa Powder – Extra Dark
1-1/4 tsp (7 g) baking soda
1 tsp (6g) baking powder
1 tsp (8 g) kosher salt
1-1/2 cups (12 fluid ounces, 375 mL) buttermilk, at room temperature
1/4 cup mayonnaise (2 liquid ounces, 60 mL, 4 tablespoons)
Method
Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter three 8″ x 2″ round cake pans, line with parchment rounds, and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until lighter in color and slightly increased in volume, 3 to 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder into a medium bowl. Add the salt to the dry ingredients after sifting, and whisk dry ingredients. Alternate dry ingredients and buttermilk into creamed mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until just incorporated, or finish by hand gently. Fold mayonnaise into batter with a whisk, until just blended.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. If possible, weigh the batter in each cake pan for 16 oz/1lb/454 g each (excluding the pans–you will want to tare the scale each time.) This ensures even layers. Smooth with small offset palette knife, and bake for about 30 minutes, rotating once after 20 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick or skewer comes barely clean. Try not to over-bake. I tend to under-bake a few moments, so the skewer is a little bit gummy. This works well for a moist chocolate cake (not vanilla). Let pans cool on wire rack for 20 minutes, then invert cakes onto racks, gently, peeling away parchment rounds. Let cool completely.
Southern Devil’s Cake Recipe adapted from Fine Cooking, by David Guas.
Swiss Meringue Buttercream {click here for printable recipe}
Just a note that you will need approximately 2 times the Swiss Meringue Buttercream recipe for this cake. Because it does take some time to make, I always make in batches of 3, because it freezes so well and saves time. A batch of 3 fits perfectly in a 5 QT KitchenAid mixer bowl.
Ingredients
5 large egg whites (30g each–total 150g)
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons superfine granulated sugar
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, cut into cubes
2 teaspoons (10 mL) pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Method
Wipe the bowl of an electric mixer with paper towel and vinegar, to remove any trace of grease. Add egg whites and sugar, and simmer over a pot of water (not boiling), whisking constantly, until temperature reaches 140 degrees F, or if you don’t have a candy thermometer, until the sugar has completely dissolved and the egg whites are hot.
With whisk attachment of mixer, begin to whip until the mixture is thick, glossy, and cool. Switch over to paddle attachment and, while mixing on low speed continously, add softened butter in chunks until incorporated, and mix until it has reached a silky smooth texture (if curdles, keep mixing and it will come back to smooth). Add vanilla and salt, mix well. You can also add a wide variety of flavourings, extracts, and more.
Notes:
Keep in airtight container in refrigerator for up to one week, leaving out at room temperature when needed, rewhipping in mixer for 5 minutes.
Can freeze for up to 6-8 weeks. To thaw, place on counter overnight, and rewhip for 5 minutes with paddle attachment in an electric mixer.
Makes approximately 5 cups of buttercream.
For Chocolate Buttercream, add 150 g (3/4 cup) melted bittersweet Belgian chocolate (the best you can get–I use Callebaut) to Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream and beat until incorporated.
For Strawberry Buttercream, add strawberry puree to taste, OR a few drops of LorAnn Strawberry Flavor Oil.
*Recipe for Swiss Meringue Buttercream adapted from Martha Stewart.
Assembly of the Inside-Out Neapolitan Layer Cake
1. Split buttercream into 3, and flavour 1/3 chocolate and another 1/3 strawberry. Leave remaining buttercream vanilla.
2. Add a few drops of pink gel food colouring to strawberry buttercream
3. Trim any doming on your cake layers with a very sharp, serrated bread knife. Wrap layers in plastic wrap and chill for 15 minutes in freezer.
4. Spread a 1″ circle of icing onto an 8″ round thin cake board using an offset palette knife and place the first cake layer on top, face up.
5. Using a small offset palette knife, spread 1 cup of chocolate buttercream on top, leaving about a 1″ gap from edges.
6. Place second cake layer on top, face up, and repeat step 5, using Vanilla Buttercream.
7. Place final layer on top, face down and repeat step 5, using Strawberry Buttercream.
8. Fill 3 piping bags with remaining buttercreams fitted with Wilton 8B decorative tip, or the tip of your choice, decorate edges, filling in gaps.
9. Top with dark chocolate sprinkles.
Good luck & enjoy!
Love, Rosie xo
PS. I love receiving your baking questions, and I find it works really well if you ask them in the comments section, so that when I reply to post-related questions in the comment section as opposed to via email, other readers with the same questions can read the information as well. Thanks so much!
I’d break a diet for this cake too! Such pretty colors – you’ve outdone yourself, Rosie!
Thanks so much, Aimee! xo
Omg!, ..that’s it, that’s all! ..oh and I love mayo in a choc cake, it just makes it extra yummers! oh and I love love love your blog and fb page. ok that’s really all for now! :)
I knew this was you as soon as I opened my reader and all I could see was the title! This is beautiful, and I REALLY think I am going to try the swiss meriengue BC. Say a little prayer for me! =)
Thanks, honey! You can do it, trust me. I’ll work on a post about making it right away–it seems a lot of people are nervous, so we best fix that!
IT ISN’T FAIR HOW BEAUTIFUL ALL OF YOUR CAKES ARE! You’re amazing, Rosie – and such an inspiration!! I love that you piped the frosting along the edges of each layer. It’s gorgeous!
I like a nice ratio of cake to frosting myself, but I am totally a cake person. I typically brush the frosting to the side – I just like how it looks when there’s a ton.
oh my goodness, this looks so good!
Your beautiful post reminded me of my Mom. She always put mayonnaise in her chocolate cakes. I love Swiss meringue buttercream frosting. It’s easy to work with and so delicious without being too sweet. Like you, I prefer the cake over the frosting as I think frosting should compliment a cake and not outshine it.
You created another showpiece Rosie! Love your paragraph on the girls having some on their way to bath time :)
This looks spectacular!
Sensational as always. It could walk along with all the haute couture models on the runway.
I think that mayonnaise adds great depth to chocolate cakes! Perhaps though I am biased, being (maybe) the hugest fan of mayo ever born.
In between my oft-enjoyed mayo/fry consumption I will have to try my luck at this cake – I was going to say that it looks divine, but then I reached the point in the post where you said that for me:)
Wow…. That cake looks delicious! I won’t lie, though, the mayo makes me nervous. I hate mayo!
mayo only makes the cake more moist. You’d never know it was in the recipe if someone didn’t tell you.
I completely agree, Diane!
Thanks so much! Oh, and don’t be nervous of mayo :) Mayo is made of oil and egg, so it just adds a ton of moisture. I promise!
once again…I’m in cake heaven! Oh what I wouldn’t do for a slice of that gorgeous cake.
Thank you for always sharing your recipes and beautiful photos.
I LOVE THIS CAKE!!! YOU ARE THE BEST!
ETTA
Mayonnaise! Wow… I guess it plays the role of vegetable oil to keep the cake moist since a basic mayo is about 60 to 70% oil content…
Interesting! :)
This is the most beautiful dessert I’ve seen on a blog in a long time! Now I’m craving Neopolitan…
Well I’ve been intimidated by the Swiss meringue, but I think this has pushed me over the edge. This is on my to be baked list, sigh…
Looks great! I’m definitely an icing sort of person, so I just want to eat this cake right up!
Brilliant Rosie!!
So beautiful! I don’t know how you keep outdoing yourself, but I just love to stare at your photos! Thanks for posting the link to the sprinkles – I’m off to check them out right now…
I am so in awe of everything you do. Your cakes are incredible and your photography is sublime – you are a star. You need a show.
Lovely cake again! I love seeing the layers on the outside! Your baking is always so phenomenal! I love the discovery of chocolate sprinkles on toast! As a child, I had a friend who was Dutch and would put sprinkles and shaved chocolate on her toast. I was wow’ed by that! My parents would never let me do it :) It was worth the wait, much like a good bocadillo de chocolate.
Hi!
I’m from the Netherlands and you can do so much with those sprinkles. We call it hagelslag and it’s a very common product to put on bread,first spread butter(the real stuff) and then pour sprinkles.Or try it with peanutbutter :) stick it to the side of a cake,or just swirl it in a cake batter :)Let’s just say, I have every variety in the pantry,dark milk white,dark and white mixed,fruitflavoured in 2 flavors,anise,xxl sprinkles in all 3 flavors(brand is venz)extra dark,creamy white and mocca….look for them they are good!
I have to say I love this cake :D
My parents are from the Netherlands and Hagelslag is one of our favorite Dutch treats (who doesn’t love chocolate for breakfast). I get them in Canada in the dutch delis. There are a couple around Edmonton, I am sure there are some out east too!
Awesome cake! I am in a cake making zone and I’ve been trying out quite a few of these.
I just posted a comment and it dissapeared?
never mind it just reappeared :)
Your cakes are always beautiful, and this one is no exception! It looks delicious!
As for the chocolate sprinkles… I am from a Dutch family, and the chocolate sprinkles on toast was a special treat that I always got to have at my Oma’s house. If you’re going to try it, I recommend using white bread. I’m a wheat bread girl for everything else, but for that particular item, white bread is just the best! :)
Love your blog!
What a great cake! It looks so fancy and delicate!
Another gorgeous cake! I am getting ready to make the strawberry cake and icing from your other neapolitan cake:-)
Way to resume the cake diet! This looks just incredible. I’m also rather intrigued by these sprinkles that go on toast…
I think I’m in love Rosie with this cake! It’s gorgeous and I think I could eat my computer screen. Thanks for posting the recipe I’m sure I’ll be putting it to good use.
Your talent is only superseded by your creativity.
PS! LOVE LOVE the look of your page. Fabulous gal!
Tara
http://www.thebutterdish.net
Beautiful cake and it looks yummy too! I can’t wait to try this recipe. Awesome job Rosie!
I made Swiss Meringue Buttercream for the first time after seeing your gorgeous pink ruffle cake. It is my new favorite frosting! I was afraid I would have trouble making it, but thanks to your directions and the answers you gave to questions in the comments, I had no trouble at all. I say it tastes like a slightly sweetened cloud. I made a practice ruffle cake for a baby shower, which was later postponed, and I have already made the frosting again for a cake for a coworker who was leaving the company. I cannot wait to make the ruffle cake! Everyone will be so impressed at the shower, and the mom-to-be will adore that cake. Thanks for all the inspiration and instruction!
I don’t think I ever ate a cake using mayo in the batter but i’m very intrigued.
my diet would go out of the window with a cake like this. perfection.
thanks for sharing
This cake looks wonderful! I think I will have to make it this weekend! Your blog is wonderful by the way!
I can’t wait to make this cake. I am going to make it for my family for Easter! I love love love your blog! You do amazing work!
How to eat your chocolate sprinkles:
1) take a slice of bread. White or wheat, doesn’t matter. Breadism isn’t an issue here.
Do not toast it.
2) spear butter/margarine on slice of bread, mainly so the sprinkles don’t fall off.
3) cut bread into squares.
4) Do a weird al and eat it. Eeeaaat iiiiiit!
This is how I’ve eaten mine these past 20 years. And I’m from Holland ;)
alternative: peanut butter instead of butter. Reese’s cup on a slice of bread.
spearing butter is so hard it could be an Olympic sport. Spreading butter is far more enjoyable during lunch hour. And slightly more productive.
Henri, eet smaakelijk! (sorry if I got the spelling wrong)
*sigh* that cake just makes me happy.
Thank you.
I am in constant awe of your ability to make such perfect and delicious looking (and I’m sure tasting as well) cakes! Beautiful!!
this is beautiful – as usual! I wish had a slice right now.
I’m obviously not a cake baker because I have never ever thought to put mayo in my baked goods. But why not??? Makes sense now that I think about it.’
This looks phenomenal.
Thanks, Brian! :)
Lots of frosting:) That’s my kind of cake. It’s a beauty!
My kind of afternoon delight. Mayo in cake has been used for years for moisture, mmm.
-Gina-
Such a cool concept…I love the inside out!!! Looks mighty tasty…wish I was there to enjoy it with you and my lovelies. Speaking of the sprinkles on bread…when I was living in Aus. the kids would come to school with white bread, buttered and topped with multi-coloured sprinkles (100′s and 1000′s I think they called them there?). Here’s the best part…they call it Fairy Bread…how enchanting! Beautiful work Rosie, as always xo
THIS CAKE IS SO BEAUTIFUL, IT COULD TASTE LIKE GARBAGE WRAPPED DOG POOPY AND I WOULD STILL WANT IT @ MY BIRTHDAY
Gorgeous cake! I love your pics!
Everyone else may already know this, but what is the difference between swiss buttercream and regular american buttercream?
Thanks, Jennifer! The difference between Swiss Meringue Buttercream and American Buttercream, is that it contains no powdered sugar, and is made by heating egg whites and granulated sugar over a bain marie then whipped into a fluffy meringue, then by adding butter and flavourings. It’s satiny and not super sweet, but incredibly delicious! American Buttercream is more like a sugary party frosting that is very sweet and buttery, as it’s made of powdered sugar and butter, for the most part. Hope this helps!
So pretty! I’m definitely adding this to my inspiration list.
Oh wow. I usually don’t care for frosting–I’d rather a bit of powdered sugar or a simple ganache–but this is just so gorgeous! I love how the frosting doesn’t occlude the cake, but just sits between layers. I’m also intrigued by the merigue-based frosting. As a meringue addict, I might like it more than your standard too-sweet frosting.
Gorgeous cake!!!
I am definitely a FROSTING person!
Of COURSE you’re going to eat the sprinkles on bread. They’re also great on cake. My mom used to make this amazing sponge cake for our birthdays. It was filled with whipped (and sweetened) cream and fruit cocktail, and decorated with whipped cream. She’d use a star tip to divide the top into pie-shaped sections, and then alternate the sections that got sprinkles. Droste chocolate coins went on the side, and there was usually 1 maraschino cherry in the middle. Yum! De Ruijter (sp?) is the best!
I adore REAL chocolate sprinkles – and the piping on your pretty cake :)
I’d break a diet for this cake too!!! Simply gorgeous! I love the inside out idea. So fun!
Perfection! Nothing beats the colours and flavours of neopolitan :) And you do it best. I love those Dutch chocolate sprinkles too!
That looks delicious!!
I get those sprinkles (that very brand of delicousness) from my dollar store! For some reason our dollar store has a dutch import section and a british import section. best dollar store in the entire world!
I already enjoy the photos! Sooooo delicious!!!
Oooh Im bookmarking this! so beautiful. I’m an American living in The Netherlands and they have sprinkles in all different colors and yep they love them on top of butter on their bread aswell as peanut butter. They go nuts over Nutella aswell.
love the “look” of this beautiful cake!! & i am certain the taste is incredible!
thanks for the info on the sprinkles…i am always looking for “tasty” ones!
Hi! Great looking cake! I have a question: is the amount of chocolate listed to make just one 1/3 recipe of frosting, or a whole batch of chocolate frosting? I do love SMBC! But it has so much butter in it it gives my husband heartburn! I really want to make this cake though!
Thanks, Erin! To answer your question, that quantity was to create chocolate buttercream with 1/3 of the recipe, but honestly, it’s really just to taste. You could triple that for a full batch, but you could start with doubling it and then add more as you see fit! Good luck!
Thanks Rosie! I think I will make this cake this weekend… :-D
Love this gorgeous cake!! They always look so perfect! This cake inspired my blog post today on other neapolitan treats at http://www.howsweettreats.com !
Thanks so much Aubrey! Great post too!
Oh, that looks so wonderful!!! I am equally a cake and frosting person….I would eat either one all day long if I could. Thanks for sharing!
I love love love Swiss meringue buttercream, especially those adapted from Martha. For people who say they are not a fan of frosting, this one proves them wrong, always!
My question to you is how long do you keep your cakes out after they are frosted? I’ve read Swiss meringue buttercream can last 5 days at room temperature, however I am still weary and always refrigerated my cakes/cupcakes if serving the next day. But refrigerating cakes dries them out a bit. What are your thoughts on this?
Thanks!!
Hi Rebecca! Well, I keep buttercream cakes out for up to 6-9 hours or so, but then always refrigerate them in between in an airtight container, or wrapped really well. If the cake has fondant over it as well, that always helps keep moisture in too, but I just don’t like leaving the buttercream cakes out too long. I always bring the cakes back to room temp to serve, and chocolate cake in particular does just fine. It does seem to dry out vanilla a bit more, but I really don’t keep a cake around for more than 3 days either way, so it seems to all work out. I hope this helps!
Oh my goodness, this looks beautiful and delicious! I have never tried my hand at baking cakes as gorgeous as this, but I think I might need to try!
Beautiful…and you totally rocked the bare sides. I’ve always thought that was a brave move because frosting can hide SO much. Your deep, dark cake doesn’t need to be hidden at all, just accentuated by those luscious frosting colors!
You are magical.
Also, when I tried making the Swiss Meringue Buttercream it was really soft. Any idea what I could have done wrong?
Hi Kitty! I was just here online when your comment came through, and I wanted to first, say thank you for the sweet words about being magical! Secondly, it would likely be that your butter was very soft when you made it. If you pop it into the fridge, covered, for a bit, it will harden quickly. If, in turn, it hardens too much, just leave it out at room temp for a bit. Just a note that so many of my readers are asking SMB questions, so I am drafting a post as we speak devoted to making, using, and storing (and even troubleshooting) Swiss Meringue Buttercream. Check back in the next 2 days!
Love the cake! I checked out the link for the sprinkels and I think they have the best idea to put sprinkels in toast!! I am going to get some chocolate shavings for my toast! So yummy :)
Recently discovered your blog. Love it :) Thanks for the recipes. All your desserts look so yummy!
Somedays I hate you… seriously.. other days I wish I could fit in your apron pocket and catch all the delicious bits that might drop – a sprinkle here, a little icing maybe.. then I go back to hating you… It’s not you, it’s me.. I have a love hate relationship with your blog.. haha I think I would feel so much better about you and your blog if you cut off a piece and sent it to me in an envelope. Doesn’t matter if it squishes.. I’ll eat it anyways..
How gorgeous is this cake and I’m so glad I stumbled upon your site!
Gorgeous cake- and love the use of the Dutch sprinkles. My Dad’s family is Dutch so I’m grown up with them and it’s great to see other people realise how awesome they are! When I was in Holland I even found little tiny boxes of them that you can take on a picnic, or travelling. So adorable!
Hi Rosie,
Thank you so much for commenting on my blog. It really means a lot to me! This cake is so so pretty and perfect just like everything you create. I have to say your daughters are the most beautiful kids I have ever seen!
Hello. I just found your blog and OH MY GOD, this was no good site for me. I´m going to weigh like a gigant if I go through your blog. Everything looks delicious. And I looooooove chocolate.
Holy cow this is beautiful! I love love love the Neapolitan twist. And now I’m dying to get my hands on some of those sprinkles.
Damn girl ! that looks awesome ! I love all your sweets, yum yum ! xoxo
This cake looks amazing!
This cake is so beautiful! Lovely recipe.
Just too gorgeous (as usual!) not to share! Just posted this link on our Bellenza FB page.
Thanks so much for all of the sweet words about this cake, everyone! xo
Not frosting the outside of the cake is such a great way to high-light your use of buttercreams! That is a great idea and could be used with other cakes to showcase interesting fillings.
Great pictures!
This cake looks amazing. I made your other Neapolitan one for my daughter’s birthday last weekend. It was delicious and everyone loved the look of it. My husband is in the military and we are actually stationed in the Netherlands right now. I love it here and love the food. My daughters love the sprinkles as well. We also LOVE stroop waffles! This has been a great experience living here.
We have a little dutch store just outside of town with an amazing array of all of those wonderful sprinkles! I had been meaning to stop in for some real chocolate sprinkles and was reminded when I read your post a few days sgo…the milk chocolate sprinkes on a toasted croissant…OMG!
This cake looks beautiful and I’m planning to make it for dessert tonight!
A diet without cake? That sounds miserable! I too made a neapolitan cake after seeing yours and it was the best cake I have eaten all year long. I absolutely loved it. This version sounds incredible too.
Thanks for the wonderful recipe! I made this as a birthday cake for a coworker and it was a huge hit! One person said he kept expecting the ice cream and kept being surprised with frosting!
I’m trying to find a really good Raspberry frosting, this frosting looks delicious but I was wondering if you think it would taste ok with a raspberry coulis in it?
I love your recipes, thank you for sharing these delicious treats.
Looks awesome!
And living in Belgium I’m in range of those prinkles :)
And just a fun fact, it’s Belgium that’s the french fries addicted country! We got a bit of a competition going on with Holland ^^
Just love the cake, but when I clicked on the link “where to buy” the sprinkles it notes at the top of the page that the page is a demo and no orders will be honored. Is there a valid link to purchase them?
Thanks, Margaret! Sorry about that link. I’ve changed it to an active online shop that sells the sprinkles. Here’s the link: http://www.onlinefoodgrocery.com/onlinefood/sprinkles-(milk-chocolate)-hypen-7oz.html
Good luck!
I just love this cake!!
So funny to see your story about the sprinkles, I live in Holland and we do have a lot of those. I just never thought of it to use it as sprinkles. Well, that’s not true, i used the XL Hagelslag (chocolate sprinkles) on cupcakes once before. I like ‘hagelslag’ with peanutbutter on a slice of bread in the morning :) When I am on vacation in a foreign country it’s hard to find this in stores, so I bring my own :) lol
I just stumbled across your blog while looking for a coconut frosting recipe (I am going to try your carrot cake frosting!) and a few clicks later I found my way to this post. I’m originally from the USA but I have lived in Holland for the past six months. The Dutch are notoriously obsessed with sprinkles, and yes, you are right!! They eat it on bread. Add some soft butter and you have a delicious snack! It is hard to find more typical American cooking ingredients here – baking soda, baking powder, powdered sugar, etc – but it’s nice to be reminded that some Dutch specialties also make for AWESOME cakes and can be found in abundance! We have a whole aisle of sprinkles at my local shop! Thanks for the great recipes and cute cultural reference!
Hi Rosie,
I’m just writing to let you know, you are one of my inspirations. And like you, I also have two little girls that are my sun and moon! I made your recipe above and just finished posting it on my blog, linking back to you blog as my source. Thank you to you for sharing your ideas, recipes and pictures.
Best always,
Jackie Hale
Galexi Cupcakes
I LOVE those De Ruijter sprinkles (their licorice powder is freaking amazing) my dad and I get them from this dutch bakery near my house that was run by my opa’s (my dad’s dad) best friend from the Netherlands. They taste sooooooo good on toast ;)
Hi– All of your cakes look delicious!! but where did you get the sprinkles!!! I am a dutch girl in america, and the only way i get them is when my grandparents send them over from the netherlands! (they are even better on round baked biscuits– I only know that they are called beschuitje met hagelslag as a finished product!)
What store did you buy the sprinkles at!??!
Ahhh…It looks so good I’m practically speechless. Would that I were speechless because I was eating a piece of that cake!
Yum!
Thank you!
Julie M.
Hi Rosie,
The mayo…is that the same mayo u use in sandwich?
Thanks,
Cindy N.
This is gorgeous, and I am planning to make it for a coworkers birthday Monday, but I had one question: for the strawberry frosting, how much puree should I add, also is it just processed strawberries, or do you add any sugar to the puree?
I love your blog, I have now made two of your cakes, and both turned out gorgeous, delicious, and were gone before I knew it! You’ve certainly helped me become a better anymore confident baker and cake maker
Thanks Mai! It looks like my answer comes a bit late, but to answer your question, you can add just processed strawberries, or add a bit of sugar, or even just add a few drops of strawberry flavoring (I like LorAnn oils) and some pink gel colour. It all works well and you can do it to taste. The puree will change the consistency slightly, so you would want to start with about 1/4 cup for a 5 cup batch, and then add slowly. If you did make it already, I hope it went well!
Ok I’m not a baker but totally am inspired however I don’t own a stand mixer. So should i qttempt this beautiful creation? Any tips?
Jamie,
I would definitely go ahead and make the cake with a hand mixer, but the Swiss Meringue Buttercream would take a bit of extra time during the whipping the meringue portion. You can still do it with a hand mixer, though. You could opt for an easier frosting, which could make the process less time-consuming for you. I hope this helps!
What would an easier frosting be? Would an american buttercream be as good as swiss meringue in this cake?
Another beautiful cake!
I made this for my son’s 4th birthday, and he loved it! Also, it was a total crowd pleaser– every thought it gorgeous and delicious. What I thought best was that its beautiful in its flavor, color, and simplicity of decoration– I’m not a great decorator, but I could make this look good :)
Thanks so much!!!
Hi There…I’m in Ajax – where in Orono did you find the sprinkles? I’m thinking a road trip may be necessary soon. Starting Bonnie Gordon school soon and would love to have some of these on-hand!
Thanks!
Michelle
Hi Michelle! The sprinkles are from The Village Bake Shop on the main street in Orono. There’s a wall at the back of the store filled with imported items, including a large variety of the sprinkles. On a side note, I think you’re going to love Bonnie Gordon College! Good luck!
I’m so excited about Bonnie Gordon College!! It’s a dream come true for me. As a hobbyist up until now I’m hoping to make it my career in the near future!! You may see my resume and portfolio cross your desk at some point!!
Thanks for having such a fantastic blog and website!
Regards,
Michelle
That’s so great, Michelle! I wish you so much luck–I just know you’ll love it. Oh, and guess what? Today I found the chocolate Ruijter sprinkles at Metro in Bowmanville in the International section–I suspect your Metro would have them too! Just in case you didn’t want to make the trip to Orono. Good luck!
Thanks for the info Rosie, I’ll be checking out Metro asap!!! We’ve one nearby in Whitby.
That is the sweetest cake I have ever seen. Thinking outside the box. Well done!
I just made this cake tonight and mine is the ugliest cake ever!!!! Not pristine like yours!
He incluido tu post en Mis Favoritas, puedes verlo en
http://blocderecetas.blogspot.com/2011/09/mis-favoritas-adios-verano.html
Espero que te guste!
Hello! I LOVE your blog, your baking, your photos, all of it. I also love how detailed you are in the recipes and the tips you give, so helpful! I want to try to make this cake because I’ve been dying to make one of your recipes and I think this looks wonderful. Is this cake really super chocolatey? I don’t want it to be too overwhelming in chocolate (I’m not a huge fan of really rich chocolate)- should I just use less of the cocoa powder? Would using store bought cocoa powder work well also would you think? Thank you!
Hi, I’m in New Zealand and we don’t have buttermilk. I know I could google it, but what would you recommend as a substitute?
Your photos are as glorious as your cakes. How do you cut them so cleanly? Every time I cut one to photograph, they cake smears into the frosting and looks sloppy.
Hi Rosie – I’m scouring your blog to find the perfect chocolate cake for my husband’s 50th birthday this Saturday. I was planning to make vanilla but he announced that he would like chocolate cake, lol, so I guess it is chocolate. I’m going to try this Devil’s Food layer cake.
I noticed you said that you live near Orono – so do I! I live in Durham Region, what are the chances? I found your blog via my SIL who lives in Miami, Florida…again, what are the chances? I look forward to trying this recipe – I’ve mostly been a “Betty Crocker” baker so this will be an experiment of sorts. Thanks for all of the great recipes, stories and pictures.
o my… that cake is awesoem!
But those sprinkles we eat on our breath here in the netherlands. They call it hagelslag.
But what a price you pay when you buy them online!!!! Shamefull!!! in the stores here they are much cheaper!!!
Hi Rosie,
I stumbled upon your blog doing a search for cinnamon rolls. Your recipes look wonderful, and your photography is stunning! Thank you for posting your beautiful work. I recently purchased Callebaut cocoa powder ~ do you think the cake and frosting will taste good with that? I’m kind of looking for the ultimate chocolate cake I guess you could say. Thanks
Beautiful cake! I a making it this weekend for a birthday and am wondering how much ahead of time I can make the cake? Can I make it a day or two in advance and then frost or should I make it the day of?
Thanks, Katy! I’m not sure if you’ve already made the cake, but to answer your question, you can make the cake portion up to 3 days ahead of time as long as it’s well-wrapped in plastic and at room temperature. Hope this helps!
Hey, the cake looks great! i was thinking of giving it ago for christmas afternoon tea for the family!
though, theres opne problem, i only have one cake tin, not three… what do you suggest? cook the mixture 3 times…? or cut the cake after baking?
Thanks!
Help Rosie!!! why is my swiss meringue when added melted dark chocolate it becomes very liquidy? Where did it go wrong? The smb was ok before adding.
Okay I know this may go against everything you believe….but could I substitute vegetable oil for the mayo? I am not a fan of mayo at all and the thought of it in a cake grosses me out. Since I’m the one that would be making the cake I definitely wouldn’t be able to eat it. (I know it’s crazy). Let me know what you think!
Hi Melissa! Nope, I’m definitely not against that idea, but I promise, since mayo is just an emulsion of oil and egg, that there’s really nothing icky going in the cake :) If you really don’t want to, then you could try using oil in its place. Good luck!
I’m so glad you added a ‘how to’ of how to assemble this cake as I love how it’s frosted and the cupcake version of it.
Beautiful cake! Glad I found your site.
Quick question about the mayonaise–is there something I can sub for it? I live in Japan and Japanese mayonaise is made/flavored differently, so I think it will affect the cake results. If you don’t know, no worries. I can try another chocolate cake for the base. :)
Also, for the mayonaise measurement, would it be 4 tablespoons for 60 ml? (Maybe Japanese measurements are different…)
Thanks!
Oh my… I’m planning my mums 50th birthday party and I’ve been looking for a perfect layer cake recipe which could also be relatively easily modified into a gluten-free version. I think I found it. I simply fell in love with this cake immediately!
I’m new to your blog (discovered it yesterday vie The Pioneer Women) and am amazed. This blog is such a beauty.
what kind of containers do you use when you freeze your butter cream?
thanks for inspiring us with your beautiful desserts and fabulous blog!!
Hi!
Just wanted to say, beautiful cake, and I’m baking up the chocolate one right now. But I’m also freaking out a little because I was using the grams on my scale and I realized the grams and ounces are incorrect for the cake (only the chocolate, I’m not making the others)…
8 oz of flour is about 226-228g, and a 1/4 cup is 4 tbs not 2…
I haven’t double-checked the baking soda or the powder, but I did measure them out in the grams listed. My cake is baking in the oven right now so we’ll see!
Just thought I’d let you know though, unless I’m getting something wrong…
Anyway, love your blog, and all your beautiful photos and kids! :)
Thanks, Amrita! The all-purpose flour is 227, you’re correct–when I did the conversions initially, my cup of flour weighed a slight bit more, so I used my exact measurement, but the minor 10 gram difference really won’t affect your cake, luckily. The 4 tablespoons for the mayo was my typo, so I apologize for that! The rest of the measurements should be accurate, and I’ve made it this way many times, so I promise it’s yummy!
So, I have been prepping to make this cake for days now. Tonight is the final production and I have to say everything appears (at the moment) to be totally worth it. Although I am nervous that my layers are going to be a little dry (I only needed to bake them for 18 minutes and toothpicks came out clean). Is there a way to remedy a dry cake?
Looks great! I was wondering how your devil’s food cake would hold up to carving and stacking and being covered in fondant? Thanks!
Neapolitan + Cake = Heaven! Can’t wait to give this a go!
This cake looks amazing! I want to make a version for my daughter’s first birthday. If I made a white cake instead, which one of your white cake recipes would work the best if I wanted to make SMB in strawberry and chocolate to go with it?
You had me until the mayonnaise – yuck!
Connie, have no fear–mayo is simply an emulsion of oil & egg–two ingredients that are already in the cake. It simply adds a punch of awesome moisture to the cake. One of my favourites!
I made this cake for my coworkers Thursday. Thanks for the inspiration and ideas. They were almost giddy at the prospect of eating it once they saw it! The buttercream flavors were to die for.
What a beautiful cake! I would love a slice right now!
Mayonnaise, who’d have thought! I dread the idea of cooking something like and you’ve answered my question about the whole raw egg in the icing thing, I might be slightly paranoid about that! :)