Eggless Checkerboard Cake

Some of you might remember seeing this cake more than a year back in the Home bakers guild group on Facebook. Since then, I have been wanting to add it in the blog, but unfortunately somehow it went on getting delayed. So, finally here is the complete recipe and the steps involved in making this Checkerboard cake. I have used used an eggless vanilla cake and an eggless chocolate

cake of the same size to make this Checkerboard cake.

You can refer the Neapolitan cake in the previous post to make an equal sized vanilla and chocolate cake. You can fill and frost the cake with the same ganache. However I have chosen to fill with milk chocolate ganache and frost it with dark chocolate ganache. Actually, this cake was made to welcome hubby’s niece at our place. The surprise and happy look on her face was worth the effort in making this cake. However, I should warn you guys that this ganache loaded cake is really too heavy. You can’t eat more than a piece. Atleast that’s what we felt. You can refer some YouTube videos to see the exact procedure of making a checkerboard cake. I am sorry that I was not able to take more pictures of each step.

As always I have used a 240 ml cup. I have used Amul fresh cream (the blue packet) which is commonly available in all stores. You can frost it the way you like. I am sure most of you would make it in a much more beautiful manner with your frosting skills.

Ingredients:

• Vanilla Cake
• Chocolate Cake
• Milk chocolate 250 gm
• Dark chocolate 200 gm
• Fresh cream 200 gm
• Strawberries for garnish
• Sugar syrup 2-3 tbsp

Method:

• Bake an 8 inch vanilla cake and a same sized chocolate cake. You can use any cake recipe that you like. Make sure that both the cakes are of same size.

• Allow the cakes to cool well on a wire rack or cooling rack.
• Once they are fully cooled, cling wrap them and store it in the refrigerator overnight or for few hours.

To make the ganache:

• Chop the milk chocolate and dark chocolate slab into small pieces. The smaller the piece, the faster it melts.
• Transfer them into two bowls.
• Hear the cream in a sauce pan till it is warm. Do not boil them.
• Pour 100 gm into each bowl. Cover and keep aside for 2-3 minutes.After 2-3 minutes, stir them gently till there are no lumps. If needed, you can strain them.
• Allow the ganache to cool. You may cover it with a cling wrap in such a way that the wrap touches the surface of the ganache.

To assemble the cake:

• Take the cake out of the refrigerator and trim the crust.
• Cut both the cakes horizontally into two equal layers. So, now we have two layers of each vanilla and the chocolate cake.

• Place one layer of the chocolate cake on the cake turn table and mark the centre of the cake.
• Divide the radius into three equal parts.
• Using a sharp lid or a ring mould cut out the central disc and the neighbouring disc.

• Repeat it for the remaining three layers of cakes.
• So now we have 4 big rings, 4 medium rings and 4 small round cake layers.
• Now place a cake board on the cake turn table and add a dollop of ganache in the centre of the cake board.
• Place the outer ring of the chocolate cake on the cake board and apply some milk chocolate ganache on the inner side.
• Carefully place the medium sized ring of the vanilla cake inside the outer chocolate ring and apply ganache on the inner side of vanilla ring.
• Now place the smaller round chocolate layer inside this to look like the picture below.

• Furthermore, moisten this layer by brushing it with the prepared sugar syrup.
• Apply a generous layer of milk chocolate ganache on this layer.
• Place the bigger vanilla ring on top of this layer, followed by the medium sized chocolate ring and finally the small vanilla layer.

• Repeat the process of moistening and applying ganache.
• Place all the four layers of cakes and crumb coat it lightly with the ganache.
• Refrigerate the cake for atleast half an hour.
• Now frost the cake with the dark chocolate ganache and finish it up with some fresh strawberries garnish.
• Refrigerate the finished cake for few hours and thaw for atleast half an hour before slicing.
• A very rich and extremely chocolatey Checkerboard cake is ready to be devoured 🙂 Enjoy !!