Neapolitan Cream Cheese Trifle

Strawberry, Orange, Chocolate, and Whipped Cream

Chef Wayne Johnson of FareStart | Seattle
Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Adapted by StarChefs | February 2020

INGREDIENTS:

For the Cake:
Butter
½ cup all-purpose flour, plus additional as needed
½ cup sugar
3 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup buttermilk
⅛ teaspoon canola oil
1 egg yolk
Seeds from 1 vanilla bean
¼ cup boiling water

Neapolitan Cream Cheese:  
3¾ cups Smithfield pourable cream cheese
½ cup strawberry simple syrup
½ cup orange simple syrup
½ cup chocolate simple syrup

To Assemble and Serve: 
Whipped cream 
Mint sprigs 
Orange zest twists 

METHOD:

For the Cake:
Heat oven to 350⁰F. Prepare a half-sheet tray (18 by13 inches) with butter and flour, coating sides and base, and shaking off excess flour. In a medium bowl, which to combine sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and ½ cup flour. In a separate bowl, combine buttermilk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Add wet mixture to dry mixture. Combine, careful not to overmix. Add boiling water and mix to combine. Pour batter into prepared sheet tray. Tap tray to allow air bubbles to escape. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out dry. Cool 15 to 20 minutes. Small-dice cake and allow cubes to dry slightly. 

For the Neapolitan Cream Cheese:  
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk, whip cream cheese to stiff peaks; reserve. Attach separate bowl to mixer and add 1¼ cups whipped cream cheese and ½ cup strawberry simple syrup. Repeat with orange and chocolate syrups. 

To Assemble and Serve:
In a large martini glass, begin layering dessert by adding 3 tablespoon chocolate cream cheese. Top with ¼ cup Cake cubes, followed by 3 tablespoons strawberry cream cheese and additional ¼ cup Cake cubes. Finish with 3 tablespoons orange cream cheese. Garnish with a dollop of whipped cream, mint sprig, and orange zest twist.

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