Checkerboard Cake

T's birthday was around the corner and after much planning, considerations, and thought, I decided the checkered cake filled with buttercream and covered with chocolate ganache would be a great surprise for him.

So here's the recipe!

Disclaimer: it is every baker's nightmare to use a boxed cake recipe. However, it's one thing to use it and another to add extra ingredients in it to improve the flavor! Do not be scared of using a boxed cake. I'll have 2 recipes attached, boxed and from scratch. But do be brave and use the boxed cake recipe! It's really moist and tastes amazing.

BOXED CAKE

Chocolate Cake (half the recipe for a 6" cake pan, current recipe makes a 10-12")

• 2 boxes of chocolate cake mix (the more chocolaty, the better, and I’ve used boxes that are 16.5 oz (468 g) or 15.25 oz (432 g), both work well)
• 2 cups flour (all purpose)
• 2 cups sugar
• ¼ cup cocoa (I like dark cocoa)
• 1½ tsp salt
• 2⅔ cup water
• 4 Tab oil (canola or vegetable)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 2 cups sour cream
• 6 whole eggs

White Cake (half the recipe for a 6" cake pan, current recipe makes a 10-12")

• 2 boxes of white cake mix (15.5 oz or 16.5 oz boxed both work fine)
• 2 cups flour (all purpose)
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1½ tsp salt
• 2⅔ cup water
• 4 Tab oil (canola or vegetable)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups sour cream
• 8 egg whites (separate the yolk from the whites… yolks not needed)

CAKE FROM SCRATCH 

White Cake

• 170g butter
• 3 eggs
• 300g sugar (I reduced it to 150g)
• 263g cake flour 
• 3tsp baking powder
• 1.5tsp vanilla 
• 180ml milk
• 1tsp salt

Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-13/4 cups plain flour
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt 
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla 
• 1 cup boiling water

All cakes are baked at 180 degrees Celsius, bake till the stick comes out clean when inserted into the cake. It takes at least 25-35 minutes, but do the stick test to be safe. Do not over bake else it'll be dry.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

•  1 cup heavy whipping cream 
• 16.5 oz good quality dark chocolate (don't scrimp on this!)

Simple combine the above ingredients, microwave for 1 minute. Stir, then microwave for another 1 minute, stir and add another minute if necessary till its smooth and melted.

When slightly cool, whip it till its thick, fluffy, and spreadable like buttercream. Or allow it to cool till it reaches a good consistency.

HOW TO STACK A CHECKEREDBOARD CAKE

1. Using an A4 sized paper, cut out a circle the size of your cake tin
2. Use a compass, or some other round objects found in the kitchen to draw smaller circles within the first big circle. You should draw at least 4 circles.
3. Using the guide, cut circles out of the prepped white and chocolate layers.
4. Alternate the layers and apply buttercream between the different circles.

Layer 1 (make 2-3 layers)

Layer 2 (make 2-3 layers)

It's also important to note that you have to apply some buttercream between the rings.

To create a checkered board effect, alternate layer 1 and layer 2 in this fashion:

First apply a layer of crumb coat, allow it to cool and harden then apply your final layer of buttercream/ganache.

Finally, apply a generous layer of chocolate ganache and your cake is complete!

Decorate your cake with chocolate balls, buttercream flowers, etc to your liking.

Cake toppers are easy to make as well. Banner vectors can be found online.

Its a lot of effort to create checkered board cake, but what you see after slicing it is rewarding.