Neapolitan Hi-Hat Cake

I like to make really fun cakes for my kids on their birthdays. Well, this Neapolitan Hi-Hat Cake sure fits that bill.

It’s size alone is pretty impressive. Then there are all those supremely yummy components.

A super rich, fudgy brownie base is topped with a strawberry packed cake layer. A wicked chocolatey icing coats the sides.

Then….ta da! The Hi-Hat.

A piped crown of whipped topping gets coated with creamy milk chocolate which hardens into a crisp shell.

Wow!

Fun and delicious.

A few things to note:

You will want to have a look at Amanda’s cake by clicking on the link at the end of the recipe. Her’s is absolutely stunning.

My strawberry cake tasted amazing, but came nowhere near the lovely pink hue of Amanda’s.

Also, I used milk chocolate instead of milk chocolate chips since I had a ton of it on hand. I couldn’t get the chocolate to melt as smoothly as it was supposed to, so mine went on a bit thickly with some small chunks of chocolate. It might not have looked as breath taking as it could have if completely smooth, but it still hardened up into a delectable coating. So, use the milk chocolate chips.

Finally, next time I make this cake, I think I will divide the strawberry cake batter between two 9-inch pans since putting all the batter in one made for a very large cake that sunk a bit in the center as it cooled. Then I would sandwich the brownie layer between the two strawberry layers. Amanda leveled her strawberry cake to the height of the brownie, but my brownie layer was way too thin to want to lop off that much of my strawberry cake.

Neapolitan Hi-Hat Cake

Decadent Brownie Cake (recipe follows)
Strawberry Cake (recipe follows)
Chocolate Buttercream (recipe follows)
32 ounces whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, very well chilled (I only needed 24 oz)
12-ounces milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup canola oil

Directions:

1. Place the brownie cake on a cake stand, then set the strawberry cake on top.

2. Using an offset spatula, cover the sides of the cake with the chocolate buttercream.

3. Place the whipped topping in a pastry bag and cut off the tip so that you have an opening about 1 inch wide. Pipe out a circle of whipped topping around the perimeter of the cake. This helps to keep the whipped topping in place.

4. Scoop extra whipped topping onto the cake and smooth it with an offset spatula.

5. Moving slightly in, pipe out another circle on top of the layer of whipped topping. Fill the center with more whipped topping. Continue this process until whipped topping comes to a point on top.

6. Freeze the cake for at least 30 minutes before coating it in chocolate.

7. Pour the chocolate chips and the canola into a heat-safe bowl. Heat 1 cup of water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it comes to a simmer. Set the bowl of chocolate over the saucepan and heat, stirring, until the chips are melted.

8. Pour the chocolate into a high-sided container. Let sit for a few minutes to cool down.

9. Lay 4 pieces of parchment around the base of the cake. Pour the chocolate over the cake, coating the whole thing.

10.. Let the chocolate set for about 5 minutes, then remove the parchment paper. (I didn’t use the parchment. I just let the chocolate pool at the bottom of the cake plate.)

11. Keep the cake chilled in the fridge until ready to serve. Dip a knife in hot water before using it to cut the cake.

Serves 16 (or more!)

Decadent Brownie Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cake flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line with parchment.

2. In a standing mixer, using the paddle attachment, combine the granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well blended.

3. Combine the all-purpose flour, cake flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl.

4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture on low speed.

5. Fold in the chocolate by hand, using a rubber spatula.

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake the brownies for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out mostly clean (a crumb or two is fine). Let the brownies cool to room temperature in pan.

Strawberry Cake

Ingredients:

4 large eggs, separated and room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup strawberry purée (Blend one cup of thawed frozen strawberries and 1 tablespoon water)
2 cups fresh strawberries, diced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.

2. Grease one 9-inch round cake pan.

3. In a stand mixer, with the whisk attached, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form, about three minutes.

4. Add 1 cup of the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, to the egg whites while continuously mixing. Transfer the egg white mixture to a large bowl and clean the mixing bowl.

5. Using the paddle attachment of the stand mixer, cream butter and the remaining cup of sugar in the clean mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.

6. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts then beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing well after each is added.

7. In a medium bowl, mix the 3 cups of flour, salt and baking powder together.

8. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and thoroughly incorporate.

9. Add half of the strawberry purée, followed by half of the remaining flour mixture.

10, Add the remaining strawberry purée and then the rest of the flour mixture. Mix well after each addition. The batter will be thick.

11. Using a rubber spatula, fold the egg whites into the batter.

12. In a medium bowl, combine the diced strawberries with the two tablespoons of flour. Fold gently into the cake batter.

13. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. Bake for 50 minutes or until a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.

14. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes. Carefully remove and transfer cake to a wire rack to cool completely.

Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients:

½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 to 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
¼ cup milk

Directions:

1. In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream the butter, cocoa, and vanilla at medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Add the confectioners’ sugar 1 cup at a time, adding some milk whenever the icing gets too stiff.

3. After 4 cups of sugar have been added, add the rest of the milk and mix until the icing is smooth, about 2 minutes. If icing needs to be stiffer consistency, add more confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time.

Recipes from Surprise-Inside Cakes by Amanda Rettke