Hello world, it’s nice to see you again! I’ve been in the crawl space of our “basement” for the last two days, while we have been cutting cement, digging cement, carrying cement, and digging dirt out of two trenches so we can protect the house from water damage. Water has been coming in the basement every time the snow melts, which has been about 5851456 times this winter, and every time it rains. It’s looking like we have one more day to be down in the dungeon to lay gravel and pipes, and then we should be finished. For now. There are a couple more things to do, but my brain can’t handle the thought of crawling on my knees for much longer.
Anyway, the cake that we’ve done the tutorial for this time is one that I have wanted to do for a very long time. When I first saw a checkerboard cake, I was in complete awe at how to do it, but I quickly discovered through research that it is actually really easy! Once I had the procedure mastered, it was time to figure out what flavours of cake to do. I have always loved Neapolitan ice cream since it’s the best of ALL worlds- strawberry, chocolate and vanilla! There is no need to pick your favourite, you can have all three in one scoop. The same goes for this cake. In one slice, you can have all your favourites, no matter what they are- you just can’t call it neapolitan . . . you’ll have to call it checkerboard 🙂 Apparently when the trio of flavours was chosen, it was led to believe that they were the most popular at the time . . . like early 1900’s! Who would have thought?
Neapolitan Checkerboard Cake
Ingredients:
- 8″ chocolate cake
- 8″ vanilla cake
- 8″ strawberry cake
- chocolate buttercream
- vanilla buttercream
- pink or strawberry buttercream
- pink, white and chocolate candies
- 3″ cutter/or tracer
- 6″ cutter/or tracer
- piping bags
- Wilton tip #104 (or any petal tip)
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Prepare cakes and buttercreams before starting recipe. Level each cake so that they are all the same height.
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With the chocolate cake layer, use a 3″ (8cm) cutter/tracer to cut a circle in the middle. Then, cut out another ring of cake using a 6″(15cm) cutter/tracer. Separate each ring and set aside individually.
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Repeat for the vanilla cake layer, and for the strawberry cake layer.
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Once all three cake layers are cut, put the cake layers back together, but mix up the flavours of each cake so that each “new” cake layer has a ring of vanilla, chocolate and strawberry. In between each ring, apply a thin layer of *strawberry buttercream to help the rings stick to each other.
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Place first cake layer onto a cake board, or plate, and apply a thin crumb coat of strawberry buttercream on to the top. *You can use vanilla or chocolate buttercream in between the rings and layers.
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Stack second cake layer on top of the first layer, cover in a thin layer of buttercream on top.
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Stack the third layer on the top of the cake stacks, and cover the entire cake in a thin layer of buttercream (crumb coat).
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Place into the freezer for at least 30 minutes to solidify the cake.
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While waiting, place each buttercream flavour into a piping bag fitted with a #104 petal tip.
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Once the cake is cold, starting at the bottom next to the cake board, take your chocolate buttercream, place the wide part of the tip against the cake, with the narrow part of the tip towards the edge of the cake board/plate. Moving along the base of the cake, squeeze your piping bag while moving the tip about an inch up the cake, and then back down to the base. Repeat while squeezing up and down, until all the way around the base.
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Switch to the strawberry buttercream next, repeat the ribbon technique above the chocolate layer of buttercream. Repeat again with the vanilla, above the strawberry layer, and then repeat until the sides of the cake are covered.
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Place each colour of the candies on the top of the cake, until the whole top is covered.
- Keep cake refrigerated and remove from fridge 3-4 hours prior to serving. Cake is best consumed within 2-3 days.
hi! can you share your recipe for all the cake and buttercream please? appreciate it!
Everything is linked above in the ingredients.
Hi Jen!! Where do you get all of your tips for the
piping bags??? Thank you!!!;)
I usually buy them online or in cake decorating stores.
I didn’t see the recipe forhe strawberry buttercream frosting??
Hello Jenn,
This cake looks so cool, I just have to try and make it, but I have one question: the strawberry cake that you make in the linked in video does not seem to turn out pink like the one you use for the checkerboard cake. Since the colors are very important in this project, can you please tell me how much dye is needed to make the strawberry cake as pink as the one you’re using? Or do I need to use another recipe for that altogether?
Thank you,
Anne from Denmark
You can add pink dye to the batter in the strawberry cake to make it look more pink.
Hi Jenn!
What candies did you use?
Hi!
Can you use a pink dyed cake instead of a strawberry one?
Thanks!
Yes, definitely. Enjoy!
hiya! really love the idea of this cake so im going to make it for a friend, just one question – if I was to make it on a Saturday and her birthday is on a Wednesday, how long would it keep and where should it be stored?
thanks!
Cakes are best consumed within 2-3 days of making. I always keep mine in the fridge to make sure that they stay fresh.
thank you, im sure shell love it 🙂
I made this last Thursday for our family dinner and my family was blown away. I used to think doing a checkerboard cake would be too hard but this was so simple. I am SO glad I found your videos on youtube!
That’s awesome! Thanks so much for letting me know! I’m glad they all liked it so much.
Hi!
Do you have the recipe for the strawberry cake for the checkerboard cake?
The recipe is linked in the blog post already. Enjoy!
Hi!
This cake looks amazing and I’d love to make it for my friend’s birthday!
Just one question: I’m not the biggest fan of buttercream, do you think I could use cream cheese frosting instead? 🙂
I just made this cake and I love it! I don’t like buttercream so I used whipped cream frosting instead. The only thing is that my strawberry cake didn’t turn out to be pink and I ran out of food coloring, but thank you so much for the recipe. I love it and will probably make it again 🙂
Hi Jenn
I am a novice cake decorator, and I know how to bake cakes and make basic butter cream; however I never know how much icing to make. Is there a way to know how much to make? And how much do I need for this checkerboard cake? Thanks in advance!
For this cake you are using three different types, so I suggest making three different batches. As far as exact measurements, I don’t know. If I make to much, I store it in the fridge, if I don’t make enough, I make more.
Thank you so much for this tutorial 🙂 Now I have to try it. Love the colours …
Thanks so much for taking the time to let me know! I hope you enjoy it!
Hi Jenn
Love your channel and videos!! I tried to make your checkerboard cake but using my butter cake recipe. Mine was very crumbly and had large holes within the cake. Any chance of some long distance trouble shooting advice?
Many thanks
Seema
Hi…it sounds like your cake might be too dry for this sort of creation?? You can also try freezing the cake, and cutting it when it’s frozen.
Thanks for all your cool videos! My six year old has started watching you and now she is baking. She has made an Easter cake using your design ideas. You have help sparked her creativity!
Thank you so much! I’m so honoured to have a place in her life!