Italian spumoni cake for National Spumoni Day

Spumoni is a classic Italian dessert made with layers of ice cream, whipped cream, candied fruit and nuts. Traditionally, the flavors are chocolate, pistachio and cherry ice creams with bits of chocolate, pistachios and candied cherries throughout. This Italian Spumoni Cake layers those same flavors using cake rather than ice cream and tops it all off with a light whipped cream frosting for the perfect way to celebrate National Spumoni Day.

Because shelled pistachios can be a little pricey at the grocery stores, check out local Trader Joe's for bags of shelled pistachios at a great price.

Italian Spumoni Cake

1 18-19-oz white cake mix
4 eggs
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
half of one 3.5-oz (small) box instant chocolate pudding mix
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
2 tablespoons maraschino cherry juice (liquid from the bottle of maraschino cherries)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 drops red food coloring
1/3 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
half of one 3.5-oz (small) box instant pistachio pudding mix
3 drops of green food coloring
1/4 cup shelled and chopped pistachios
4 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Butter and flour 3 8-inch round cake pans.
• In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cake mix, eggs, water and vegetable oil.
• Divide the cake batter evenly into three separate mixing bowls.
• In the first bowl, beat in half a 3.5-oz box of instant chocolate pudding mix. Stir in the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. Pour chocolate batter into one of the prepared cake pans.
• In the second bowl of cake batter, beat in the maraschino cherry juice, almond extract and 3 drops of red food coloring. Stir in the chopped maraschino cherries. Pour the batter into another of the prepared cake pans.
• In the remaining cake batter, beat in half a 3.5-oz box instant pistachio pudding mix and 3 drops of green food coloring. Stir in the chopped pistachios. Pour batter into remaining prepared cake pan.
• Bake cakes in preheated oven for about 25 minutes until cake tester or wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 5 minutes then remove from pans and let cool completely on a rack.
• After cakes have cooled completely, make the frosting. In a large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, whip cold whipping cream, sugar and almond extract together until stiff peaks form when the beaters are lifted.
• Place the chocolate cake layer on a serving plate and frost with whipped cream frosting.
• Place the pistachio cake layer on top of the frosted chocolate cake layer and frost with whipped cream frosting.
• Place the cherry cake layer on top and frost with whipped cream frosting.
• If desired, garnish the top of the cake with sliced almonds, shaved chocolate and/or maraschino cherries.
• Keep cake refrigerated.

For other delicious cakes, try:

Root Beer Float Cake
7-up Cake
Caramel Applesauce Cake
Italian Espresso Hazelnut Cake
Lime Angel Food Cake
Chocolate Éclair Cake
Pistachio Cake

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