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How to Make a Checkerboard Cake

December 2, 2021 By Gretchen Leave a Comment

Have you ever wondered how to make a checkerboard cake?

Perfect squares of multicolored cake in each slice!

Would you believe me if I told you it’s easy as two recipes and two cookie cutters!

The checkerboard cake was one of the best selling cakes in my bakery

Winter Wonderland Checkerboard Cake

 

We sold them daily and for each holiday they got all jazzed up for the season!

This time I am making a winter wonderland cake with a Christmas tree forest for the decor

Winter Wonderland Checkerboard Cake

My famous vegan vanilla cake recipe takes on color really beautifully

I am using spirulina today for a natural food color in graduating shades of green

Winter Wonderland Checkerboard Cake

Matcha Powder works equally well

However I find that it lends a more yellow – green color to the cake

The spirulina also worked great for coloring the white chocolate to make the pine tree forest!

Winter Wonderland Checkerboard Cake

For any chocolate decor you must temper the chocolate

Unless of course you take the easy route and use what is called Summer Coating or Non Tempering Chocolate

Such as King David, the brand that I use *not sponsored

If you are using real chocolate couverture you must temper~ CLICK HERE FOR HOW TO TEMPER CHOCOLATE

If you have ever tried to color white chocolate before you know it can be disastrous!

So be sure to add a bit of warmed vegetable oil to it for best results *see recipe notes below

Keeping it simple today with my American Style Buttercream recipe

But you can use whatever fillings or flavors you prefer.

Just keep in mind that a checkerboard cake needs very little filling

Winter Wonderland Checkerboard Cake

Or you will lose the design quickly to too much filling

The checkerboard design can only be achieved using four layers of cake

Each layer gets cut out with cookie cutters

Winter Wonderland Checkerboard Cake

Then rearranged like a puzzle with alternating colors

Winter Wonderland Checkerboard Cake

The video tutorial shows the best visual description for how to cut the layers

But essentially you will need a 4″ cookie cutter and a 2″ cookie cutter for 6″ layers

If you decide to make a larger diameter cake adjust your cookie cutter sizes accordingly

For those who think this cake project is a bit much to take on

Try your hand at making cupcakes with those cute little white chocoalte pine trees for decor!

Winter Wonderland Checkerboard Cake

Vegan sprinkles from Sweetapolita & Baking Time Club if you are in the UK *not sponsored

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL YOUTUBE VIDEO TUTORIAL FOR HOW TO MAKE THIS CAKE!

Winter Wonderland Checkerboard Cake

Notes for Success:

My famous vanilla cake recipe is made with flax meal as the egg replacer

Some people do not like that the specks of flax show through the batter

You can replace the flax meal with any dry blend egg replacer of your choice with great results!

You will notice the recipe listed below makes 4 ~perfect 6″ layers

For those wanting to make a larger cake double the recipe for 8″ layers

Triple the recipe for 10″ layers

For more awesome Christmas and Holiday Cakes click the links below!

Cookies and Cream Cake
Cookies ‘n’ Cream Cake
Vegan Fruitcake Recipe
Vegan Fruitcake Recipe
Easy Grinch Cake~ 2 recipes no special tools!
Grinch Cake

Cookies and Cream Cake

Vegan Fruitcake Recipe

How to Make a Grinch Cake Simple Two Recipe Cake

Winter Wonderland Checkerboard Cake
 
Print
Prep time
2 hours
Bake time
30 mins
Total time
2 hours 30 mins
 
The cake recipe linked below will make 4 perfect 6" layers, for a larger 8" cake you will double the recipe
Serves: serves 8ppl
Ingredients
  • 1 Recipe Vanilla Cake
  • Green food color/ natural or gel paste as needed
  • 1 Recipe Buttercream
  • FOR THE TREE DECOR:
  • 8oz Vegan White Chocolate *I use King David *not sponsored
  • 2 tsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tsp spirulina OR
  • Couple drops green dye
  • Green food color or spirulina
  • Skewers or Pretzel sticks as needed
  • Vegan Sprinkles and assorted decorating sugars
Instructions
  1. Prepare the vanilla cake recipe as per the instructions on that page
  2. Divide the batter equally into 4 small bowls and add food color to your liking
  3. I used Spirulina as the food color this time , matcha powder works great too
  4. Bake the cakes in greased & parchment lined 6" cake pans for approximately 25-30 minutes or when they are springy to the touch when you gently press the centers
  5. Cool the cakes in the pans until you can touch them without burning yourself then turn them out onto a cooling rack, remove the parchment paper cool completely
  6. Prepare the buttercream recipe as per the instructions on that post
  7. Build your cake as shown in the video tutorial for how to cut your layers for the checkerboard design
  8. Decorate the finished cake with sprinkles and the white chocolate trees decor
  9. For the chocolate trees:
  10. Melt the vegan white chocolate reserve.
  11. Warm the vegetable oil and mix it with the spirulina or the green dye, whisk smooth
  12. Add the melted white chocoalte, whisk smooth use immediately
Notes
Checkerboard cake with buttercream filling & icing can be stored at room temperature for up to 1 week wrapped to prevent drying.

Cake can be frozen for up to 1 month wrapped well
3.5.3251

Filed Under: All Recipes, Cake Decorating, Cake Recipes, Holiday Baking

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Yep, it's me Gretchen~ Owner of Gretchen's Bakery. Well, I no longer own a physical bakery since I sold mine in late 2014 & since 2016 I make nothing but the best vegan recipes! Read More…

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