Pretty Checkerboard Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and lightly flour bottoms and sides of three 9-inch round pans of checkerboard cake set. Place divider ring in one of the pans, following manufacturer's directions.
• In medium bowl, beat cake mix, milk, cream cheese, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 2 minutes longer. Divide batter in half; stir gelatin into half of the batter.
• Spoon batter into each pan and using divider ring, following manufacturer's directions.
• Bake 23 to 29 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen side of each cake from pan with metal spatula; turn upside down onto cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Tint frosting with yellow food color until deep yellow color. Using a thin layer of frosting between layers, stack cake layers so outside colors of cake alternate. Place cake on serving plate; frost side and top of cake with frosting. Decorate with decorating icing; garnish with candy flowers. Store loosely covered.

Steps:

• Slice the top of both cakes to create a flat surface.
• Cut both cakes in half widthwise to create four cakes.
• Place a small plate on top of the cake and cut around to create a smaller circle.
• Place a glass in the middle of the cake and cut around to create an even smaller circle.
• Assemble the first layer by placing the outside chocolate ring on a plate or cake stand. Insert the next yellow cake ring and then the inner chocolate cake ring.
• Frost the cake with a thin layer of frosting in between each layer.
• Continue forming layers alternating the colors on the outside.
• After the fourth layer frost the entire cake and cool in the refrigerator.
• Slice and serve.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Grease and flour three 9" round cake pans.
• Trace three 9-inch circles on parchment paper; cut out. Draw 6-inch circle, centered, on each cutout; draw 3-inch circle, centered, on each cutout.
• Line bottom of each pan with 1 paper circle, pencil side down.
• In large heatproof bowl set over hot (not boiling) water, melt chopped chocolate. Stir in cocoa powder. Let cool to room temperature.
• In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs,one at a time, beating well after each addition, add vanilla.
• Beat in flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of buttermilk.
• Stir 3 1/2 cups of the batter into melted chocolate.
• Spoon white and chocolate batters into separate large piping bags(or spoon into 2 large resealable plastic bags and cut 1-inch hole in 1 corner of each).
• Pipe chocolate batter to fill outer ring of each of 2 of the pans.
• Pipe white batter over middle ring, then chocolate batter over inner ring.
• In third pan, pipe white batter over outer ring, chocolate over middle ring and white over inner ring.
• Bake in centre of 350°F oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.
• Let cool in pans on rack for 10 minutes. Turn out onto rack; let cool completely.
• For the filling, place chopped chocolate in bowl.
• In saucepan, heat whipping cream over medium heat just until steaming. Pour over chocolate, whisking just until melted.
• Refrigerate until thickened but still spreadable, about 30 minutes.
• Whisk just until color lightens.
• Using serrated knife, trim tops of cake layers to make level, if necessary.
• Starting with 1 of the cake layers with chocolate outer ring, spread with 1/3 cup of the ganache.
• Top with cake layer with white outer ring; spread with another 1/3 cup of the ganache.
• Top with remaining cake layer.
• Cover top and side with remaining ganache.
• Refrigerate before serving.
• Some people may find it easier to use one of "Checkerboard Cake Pan Sets" available online or in local stores.
• http://www.amazon.com/s/102-7283235-2715300?ie=UTF8&keywords=Checkerboard%20Cake%20Pan&search-type=ss&index=kitchen.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F Line bottoms of 3 9-inch round pans of a checkerboard set with parchment paper, or grease bottoms. Place divider ring into one of the cake pans, following manufacturer's directions.
• In a medium bowl, beat cake mix, milk, cream cheese, vanilla, and eggs with electric mix on low for 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Beat for 2 minutes longer. Divide batter in half. Stir gelatin into half of batter.
• Spoon batter into pan with divider ring, following manufacturer's directions. Repeat for other 2 pans.
• Bake 25 to 28 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen cake from side of pans with metal spatula. Turn cake upside down on cooling rack. Cool completely.
• Tint icing with yellow food coloring until a deep yellow color. If using the same icing for decorating, make sure to reserve enough to decorate cake. Using a thin layer of yellow icing in between cake layers, layer cake so the outside colors are alternating. Place cake on serving plate, and frost top and sides with yellow icing. Decorate cake with white icing and garnish with candy flowers. I used royal icing to make my candy flowers and the drop flower technique.

Steps:

• Grease three 9-in. round baking pans; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine 2-1/2 cups of cake flour, baking powder and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with milk. , Divide batter into thirds. To one portion, fold in melted chocolate and vanilla. To second portion, fold in 1/4 cup flour, almond extract and 3-4 drops red food coloring. To third portion, fold in lemon extract, 3-4 drops yellow food coloring and remaining flour., Spoon a ring of chocolate batter around edge of one prepared pan; spoon a ring of pink batter inside chocolate ring and fill center with yellow batter. Spoon a ring of yellow batter around edge of second pan; add a chocolate middle ring and a pink center. Spoon a ring of pink batter around edge of third pan; add a yellow middle ring and chocolate center., Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, cream butter and 2 cups confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate until smooth. Add milk and vanilla. Beat in enough of the remaining confectioners' sugar until frosting achieves spreading consistency. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake.