A checkerboard cake is impressive and surprisingly easy to make. Four layers of vanilla and chocolate cake frosted with chocolate ganache create this wonderful checkerboard effect. A fun new way to decorate a cake!
Table of Content
Have you tried making a checkerboard cake yet? Desserts don't get much more colorful or fun than this checkerboard cake, a festive treat for birthdays and other special occasions.
My daughter is crazy about these. She's especially fascinated with black and white or red and white. I was fascinated the first time my mom made a checkerboard cake for me and I remember it was blue and white
What is a checkerboard cake?
A checkerboard cake is two different colors inside a cake layered to create a checkerboard design. Also known as the black and white cake, it traditionally uses vanilla and chocolate cake layers, but lemon and buttermilk cake layers are also common.
These cakes may look intimidating but in truth, they are super simple and easy yet so impressive. In fact, compared to a regular layer cake, there is just one additional step to make the checkerboard. And, this step includes cutting the cake rings and rearranging them differently. It probably takes just 7 to 10 minutes more than the usual process.
Why make this recipe
- A cake recipe does not get any easier than this!
- We need two a chocolate flavor and a vanilla flavor for our cake but guess what? We make the cake batter just ONCE!! So no making the batter twice.
- We then divide half the batter into a separate bowl and add the chocolate paste to create the chocolate cake. So you see, just one batter two flavors.
- Most of the ingredients in this recipe are simple pantry staples or easy to find.
- The process is a standard tried and tested creaming method used in most successful cakes. So, you can be sure this one will work.
Timeline and process for this cake
- Cake batter - 20 mins prep + 25 mins baking
- Chocolate ganache - 20 mins prep + 4 hours chilling
- Checkerboard effect - 20 mins
- Assembling the cake - 30 mins
- Active time - 2 hours Inactive time - 5 hours.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Flour - While cake flour is great for cakes, due to the need for carving I prefer to use all-purpose flour. I believe it gives more stability to the cake with fewer crumbs.
- Fat - I've used a combination of good quality unsalted butter and cooking oil. I do believe the butter adds stability to the cake while the oil helps keep both the chocolate and vanilla batter moist.
- Sugar - Use fine grain white sugar such as castor if possible so the sugar will dissolve into the butter during the creaming process.
- Eggs - Large eggs work best for this batter. And, if you can't use eggs, you can also use my eggless vanilla cake with eggless chocolate cake instead. Do NOT substitute eggs in the batter with egg substitutes as it has not been tested with this recipe.
- Sour cream - gives the cake a nice soft tender crumb. In this recipe, you can also successfully use buttermilk or Greek yogurt instead of sour cream (I've tested!)
- Vanilla - I really like to use pure vanilla extract, but you can also use vanilla bean paste. In fact, you can even substitute some of the sugar with vanilla sugar.
How to make a checkerboard cake
Cake batter
- Oven - Preheat the oven to 325°F165°C/ Gas Mark 3
- Pans - Grease and line with parchment paper 4 x 7-inch round cake pans or 3 x 8-inch round cake pans.
- Chocolate paste - combine the hot water, cocoa powder, and coffee to make a thick chocolate paste. Set aside to cool while you prepare the batter.
- Dry ingredients - Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, Set aside.
- Wet ingredients - In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then, gradually add the oil followed by the eggs one at a time and the vanilla extract.
Pro tip - add the eggs one at a time making sure each is well incorporated to prevent it from separating.
- Combine - Next, add the flour mixture and sour cream in three batches making sure to combine well but do not overmix. This will be a thick drop consistency batter so do not add more milk or water unless necessary.
Pro tip- make sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to ensure no dry flour is left behind. - Divide - Using two similar size bowls divide the batter into two portions. One for the vanilla and one for the chocolate.
Pro tip - I like to use two similar bowls and divide the batter approximately. Alternatively, you can also use a scale so I have two equal portions. - Vanilla batter - Nothing needs to be done. Divide the vanilla batter between the two prepared baking pans. (2 vanilla cake layers)
- Chocolate batter - Add the chocolate paste mixture to the second batter. Then divide this batter between the other two prepared baking pans. (2 chocolate cake layers)
- Bake - Transfer the pans to the oven and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Pro tip - if necessary rotate the pans in the oven halfway through the baking. - Cool - When baked cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert on a wire rack and cool completely. At least a few hours before frosting
Pro tip - I prefer to let the cakes cool overnight. Frosting warm cakes will cause the frosting to melt.
Frosting
- Chocolate ganache - In a microwave-safe large bowl, heat the chocolate and cream until melted and smooth. Let cool at room temperature overnight or for a few hours in the fridge until set. You want the ganache to set to about peanut consistency.
Pro tip - Alternatively you can heat the heavy cream in a saucepan and pour hot cream over the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Then cool until thick. - Whipped chocolate ganache - Whip the chilled ganache in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy. DO NOT OVERWHIP.
Pro tip - Overwhiped ganache will become hard. If that happens add one or two tablespoons of hot milk and whip until smooth.
Checkerboard effect
- Level - Once cooled, use a bread knife to cut the domes off the cake layers.
- Cut the circles - For the 7-inch cakes, I used a 5-inch and a 2½-inch cookie cutter.
- Using the cookie cutter cut each cake layer into 3 rings as shown in the video.
- Do this with all four cakes.
Pro tip - you can also use a small plate, bowl, glass, etc. as a guide to cut the cake into even rings.
- Arrange the circles
- Rearrange the cake rings so you have a chocolate ring and a vanilla ring in each cake as shown in the video.
- Now, do the same with all until you have 4 similar cakes with alternate colors.
Pro tip - it is easier to work with two cakes at a time so you can interchange the rings without confusion.
Assemble
- Simple syrup - Brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup.
Pro tip - simple syrup is sugar boiled in water until melted and cooled. It helps keep the cakes moist. - Stack - Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand.
- Top with a big dollop of ganache spread evenly using a straight-edge spatula.
- Top the second cake layer on top followed by more ganache until you have used up all the cake layers.
- Crumb coat - Spread more ganache on the top and sides of the cake with a spatula. Then, place the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes this will prevent the layers from moving while you frost the outside of the cake.
- Frost - When chilled spread more ganache around and on the top of the cake. Use a cake bench scraper to smooth the sides and an offset spatula for the top. Smooth with a bench scraper as best you can.
- Borders - Put any remaining frosting in a piping bag and pipe a border around the cake as well as on top of the cake.
- Garnish with chocolate decorations as desired.
Tips for Success
- Measure the ingredients correctly using a weight measure with a scale.
- Ensure all your ingredients are at room temperature, especially the butter and eggs. Eggs can be placed in warm water for 5 minutes to bring to room temperature.
- Divide the batter equally so you have equal layers of cake.
- Uneven height in cakes will lead to different size boxes in the final checkerboard pattern.
- The cakes can be baked up to 2 to 3 days ahead and kept wrapped in the fridge. You can even freeze the cake for up to a month
- I am using ganache today, but you can also use white chocolate ganache, vanilla buttercream, or cream cheese frosting. All these frostings can be made a few days ahead and kept in the fridge.
- Cake frosted with ganache and vanilla buttercream can be kept on the counter at room temperature for up to 3 days. Cakes with cream cheese will need to be kept in the fridge at all times.
- To make other colors - just omit the melted chocolate. And, use a few drops of gel food colors to the batter after dividing.
More cake recipes
How long will this checkerboard cake keep?
This cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Once cut it is best to keep in the fridge with the cut side of the cake well wrapped to prevent drying out.
What colors are best to make a checkerboard cake?
The choice of colors doesn't matter. You can make as many colors by simply using food gel colors to dye the vanilla cake batter. Then, do the same as we did with creating the rings and rearranging them. You can even use different flavors for different colors. For example, a yellow lemon cake, red velvet cake, orange cake, and blue for blueberry cake, etc
How do you ensure perfect squares in a checkerboard cake?
- First, make sure that your cake layers are all the same height. I recommend measuring your cake batter and putting the same quantity when baking so you do not have to do too much trimming of your layers.
- Use ring /cake circles/ disc that is spaced equally apart - so if you have a 9-inch cake - the second circle should be cut at 6-inch circles then 3-inch circles.
What other frostings can I use for this cake?
There are so many other choices for frosting. Such as:
Swiss or Italian Meringue Buttercream
French or German Buttercream Frosting
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Ermine Frosting (Less Sweet)
I have over 30 plus frosting recipes on this blog. And I highly recommend checking them out
Printable Recipe
Checkerboard Cake Recipe
Print Pin Rate Share by Email Share on FB Save GrowCalories: 636kcal
Adjust Servings Here: 12 servings
Description
A checkerboard cake is impressive and surprisingly easy to make. Four layers of vanilla and chocolate cake frosted with chocolate ganache create this wonderful checkerboard effect. A fun new way to decorate a cake!
Video
Ingredients
Vanilla cake batter
- 4 cups (500 g) All-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ cup (340 g) Unsalted Butter (unsalted, room temperature)
- 2 cups (400 g) Sugar (granulated)
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) Cooking oil
- 5 large Eggs
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 cups (470 ml) Sour cream
Chocolate cake batter
- ¼ cup (20 g) Cocoa powder
- ¼ cup (60 ml) Hot water
- 1 teaspoon Coffee powder (instant)
Chocolate ganache
- 1 lb (450 g) Chocolate (semi-sweet or dark)
- 1½ cup (350 ml) Whipping cream ( 38% fat )
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
Cake batter
- Oven - Preheat the oven to 325°F165°C/ Gas Mark 3
- Pans - Grease and line with parchment paper 7-inchpans4 x 7-inch round cake pans or 3 x 8-inch round cake pans.
- Chocolate paste - combine the hot water, cocoa powder, and coffee powder to make a thick chocolate paste. Set aside to cool while you prepare the batter.¼ cup Cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon Coffee powder, ¼ cup Hot water
- Dry ingredients - Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, Set aside.4 cups All-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon Baking powder, 1 teaspoon Baking Soda, ½ teaspoon Salt
- Wet ingredients - In a bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Then, gradually add the oil followed by the eggs one at a time and the vanilla extract. Pro tip - add the eggs one at a time making sure each is well incorporated to prevent it from separating.1 ½ cup Unsalted Butter, 2 cups Sugar, ⅓ cup Cooking oil, 5 large Eggs, 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- Combine - Next, add the flour mixture and sour cream in three batches making sure to combine well but do not overmix. This will be a thick drop consistency batter so do not add more milk or water unless necessary.2 cups Sour cream
- Divide - Using two similar size bowls divide the batter into two portions. One for the vanilla and one for the chocolate.Pro tip - I like to use two similar bowls and divide the batter approximately. Alternatively, you can also use a scale so I have two equal portions.
- Vanilla batter - Nothing needs to be done. Divide the vanilla batter between the two prepared baking pans. (2 vanilla cake layers)
- Chocolate batter - Add the chocolate paste mixture to the second batter. Then divide this batter between the other two prepared baking pans. (2 chocolate cake layers)
- Bake - Transfer the pans to the oven and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.Pro tip - if necessary rotate the pans in the oven halfway through the baking.
- Cool - When baked cool in the pan for 10 minutes then invert on a cooling rack and cool completely. At least a few hours before frostingPro tip - I prefer to let the cakes cool overnight. Frosting warm cakes will cause the frosting to melt.
Frosting
- Chocolate ganache - In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the chocolate and cream until melted and smooth. Let cool at room temperature overnight or for a few hours in the fridge until set. You want the ganache to set to about peanut consistency. Pro tip - Alternatively you can heat the heavy cream in a saucepan and pour hot cream over the chocolate. Stir until smooth. Then cool until thick.1 lb Chocolate, 1½ cup Whipping cream, 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- Whipped chocolate ganache - Whip the chilled ganache in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment until light and fluffy. DO NOT OVERWHIP.Pro tip - Overwhiped ganache will become hard. If that happens add one or two tablespoons of hot milk and whip until smooth.
Checkboard cake
- Level - Once cooled, use a bread knife to cut the domes off the cake layers.
- Cut the circles - For the 7-inch cakes, I used a 5-inch and a 2½-inch cookie cutter. - Using the cookie cutter cut each cake layer into 3 rings as shown in the video. - Do that with all four cakes. Pro tip - you can also use a small plate, bowl, glass, etc. as a guide to cut the cake into even rings.
- Arrange the circlesRearrange the cake rings so you have chocolate and vanilla in each cake as shown in the video. Now, do the same with all until you have 4 similar cakes with alternate colors.Pro tip - it is easier to work with two cakes at a time so you can interchange the rings without confusion.
Assemble
- Simple syrup - Brush each layer with the cooled simple syrup. Pro tip - simple syrup is sugar boiled in water until melted and cooled. It helps keep the cakes moist.
- Stack - Place a cake layer on the cake board or cake stand. Top with a big dollop of ganache spread evenly using a straight-edge spatula. Top the second cake layer on top followed by more ganache until you have used up all the cake layers.
- Crumb coat - Spread more ganache on the top and sides of the cake with a spatula. Then, place the cake in the fridge for 15 minutes this will prevent the layers from moving while you frost the outside of the cake.
- Frost - When chilled spread more ganache around and on the top of the cake. Use a cake bench scraper to smooth the sides and an offset spatula for the top. Smooth with a bench scraper as best you can.
- Borders - Put any remaining frosting in a piping bag and pipe a border around the cake as well as on top of the cake.
- Garnish with chocolate decorations as desired.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Measure the ingredients correctly using a weight measure with a scale.
- Ensure all your ingredients are at room temperature, especially the butter and eggs. Eggs can be placed in warm water for 5 minutes to bring to room temperature.
- Divide the batter equally so you have equal layers of cake.
- Uneven height in cakes will lead to different size boxes in the final checkerboard pattern.
- The cakes can be baked up to 2 to 3 days ahead and kept wrapped in the fridge. You can even freeze the cake for up to a month
- I am using ganache today, but you can also use white chocolate ganache, vanilla buttercream, or cream cheese frosting. All these frostings can be made a few days ahead and kept in the fridge.
- Cake frosted with ganache and vanilla buttercream can be kept on the counter at room temperature for up to 3 days. Cakes with cream cheese will need to be kept in the fridge at all times.
- To make other colors - just omit the melted chocolate. And, use a few drops of gel food colors to the batter after dividing.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 636- kcalCarbohydrates: 73- gProtein: 8- gFat: 36- gSaturated Fat: 22- gCholesterol: 149- mgSodium: 368- mgPotassium: 242- mgFiber: 2- gSugar: 40- gVitamin A: 1047- IUVitamin C: 1- mgCalcium: 104- mgIron: 3- mg
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Did you make this recipe? Share it with me.Tag @veenaazmanov on instagram or #hashtag it #veenaazmanov
Rhonda
Cooled simple syrup?
Veena Azmanov
Yes, always use cooled simple syrup.
Jesus Anguiano
Hello , i really like it your recipies and methos of cakes and tecnics . Have a nice day .
Günay Bozkurt Solak
Beautiful,I like this cake, It was the perfect recipe. Everyone thought it looked so pretty and tasted so delicious. thanks.
tosin coker
Thanks for always sharing your work because I am one of those learning from it. I need to make this and did'nt know where to start. Thanks
Veena Azmanov
Thank you so much !
Connie Hall
I really love this site, and I love all your recipes. I just made this cake. My vanilla cake seemed a bit dry but the chocolate was perfect. I also made the buttercream frosting and it was fantastic!! Do you know what could of happened with the cake? I will recheck the recipe with what I printed out. Thank you for always being to detailed
Veena Azmanov
Hey Connie. Happy you enjoyed this cake. Sounds like the vanilla was a bit overbaked. Next time give it a few minutes less baking. Happy you are enjoying my blog. Thanks for the lovely feedback