Neapolitan Christmas Cake

This is a very delayed post, part of the Baking Partners challenge for December. Been busy and travel schedules popped up though I managed to complete it ahead of time. 

Ingredients

1 cup cake flour(not self raising)
( Tip : measure one cup of all purpose flour ,remove 2 tbsps from it and replace it with the same amount of corn starch)

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 ( I used pink and blue Wilton gel colors)

Filling and topping

1 tsp unflavored gelatin

1 ¾ cup heavy cream

3 tsp confectionary sugar

¼ cup strawberry jam

¾ cup coconut flakes, sweetened

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

Whisk together flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl beat egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add granulated sugar in medium high until stiff peaks are formed. 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.

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. Pour this batter into three separate pans  and bake for about 12 minutes. The center of the cake layers springs back when lightly pressed with finger tips. Invert cake into wire racks and allow cooling.

To prepare the filling

Sprinkle gelatin over ¼ cup of cream and let it stand for one minute to soften. Stir over low heat until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat.

With a mixer on medium speed beat the remaining 1 1/2 cup cream and confectioners sugar till it thickens and is frothy. Add gelatin mixture. Beat until stiff peaks form.

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 tp. Sprinkle with ¼ cup of coconut flakes. Repeat layering with white cake and finally place the pink cake on top. Sprinkle the rest of the coconut on top of the cake.

Refrigerate the cake for 45 minutes or till the whipped cream is firm.

Pink and blue - I love you they say ha ha..... 
I have used dessicated coconut and granulated sugar mixed with the gel color to make the checker board pattern on the cake.
This cake was made on my husbands bday on dec 6th. tastes super yumm......he loved the idea of no butter and no egg yolks.......

Recipe Source :

SusanKelliher Ungaro  (ed.)Family Circle-Best Ever Cakes and Cookies, Broadway Book, New York,2001, p. 214