Celebrating 15th December with Neapolitan Cake

This is my first entry in the Baking Partner Challenge. And with this I really hope to improve my baking and specially my  decorating skills. I am super excited.

After seeing beautiful cakes of our FB group page by my friends, I am really nervous about my cake. Their cakes have come out so beautiful. Honestly, I am good at baking cakes. But when it comes to decorating, I go numb. So please bear with my decorating skills.
This wonderful recipe was suggested by Swati, Suja & Archana. 

Its been a long time I have made cakes using only egg whites. I love the texture of whipped egg whites. So this time I had to go for this cake only.
And we publish our recipe on 15th.

Well 15th of December has lots of importance in my life. 
This is the date I got married. 

This is the day I started  my blog. 
And  its a co-incidence , that this will be my first entry into the group of Baking Partners on 15th December. 







So today's my Marriage anniversary , my 1st  Blog anniversary and a beginning of a new chapter with a wonderful group of  Baking Partners.




TRIPLE Celebration Time 
Neapolitan cakes with its Triple layer is fit for this celebration.

I have gone with the original recipe for the cake changing only the round pan (18 cm) for baking instead of loaf pan. But have made changes in the filling. As we don't use gelatin (Made of Beef fat),  I have gone for simple whipping cream and opted out coconut flakes also (secret Mr P doesn't like coconuts).
I have made an angel cake before so this recipe was easy for me to follow. But this cakes required three separate layers of color.  I have a mini oven & can bake one cake only at a time.So was a  bit concerned that stiff peaks of whipped egg white might collapse for the waiting time. But thankfully I overcame this battle. My 3 layers of sponge cakes had risen nicely.

My camera battery has exhausted at last minute but was able to take few snap of the process.

Ingredients

1 cup cake flour

½ cup ground almonds

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

8 egg whites (about 1 cup)

¼ tsp cream of tartar

¾ cup granulated sugar

¼ tsp almond extract

Green and red food coloring

Filling

1 ¾ cup heavy cream

3 tsp confectionary sugar

¼ cup strawberry jam

 Red & Green Sugar crystals

Method:

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degree F. Coat three loaf 9 1/4x 5 ¼ inch loaf pan with non stick cooking spray and line with wax paper
2. Whisk together flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt.
3. In a separate bowl beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy.
4. Gradually add granulated sugar in medium high until stiff peaks are formed.
5. Sprinkle half of the flour mixture over the beaten egg whites and fold in gently. Repeat with the remaining flour and fold in almond extract.
6. Measure ¼ cup of batter into two separate bowls and mix one with green food color and another with pink and keep the remaining as white.
7. Pour this batter into three separate pans  and bake for about 12 minutes.
8. The center of the cake layers springs back when lightly pressed with finger tips. Invert cake into wire racks and allow cooling.

Filling

1. With a mixer on medium speed beat the remaining 1 1/2 cup cream and confectioners sugar till it thickens and is frothy. Beat until stiff peaks form
2. Place green cake on a platter and spread two tablespoons of jam over the cake and then spread 1/3 cup of whipped cream on top.
3. Repeat layering with white cake and finally place the pink cake on top. 
4. Refrigerate the cake for 45 minutes or till the whipped cream is firm.
5. Decorate with sugar crystals (added a few drops of red & green color to grainy sugar)

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