Today I’m going to show you how to make a checkerboard cake! These cakes are so much fun, surprisingly easy, and no special pans are required! I love this fun cake design option for creatively incorporating two different cake flavors or colors into one slice of cake!
Let’s get started!
I started out with four, 6″ round cake layers, leveled. You will need to cut two circles from each layer— I used 2″ and 4″ cookie cutters. The size of your cutters will vary depending on the size of your cake. The more evenly spaced your rings, the better. It helps to see this done in pictures…
First, insert the smallest circular cutter into the center of each layer (You can also use a template and cut your circles out with a knife.) Carefully remove the center, leaving them intact. ** Note– this cake is most easily cut & assembled when partially frozen.
Now, it’s time to cut your larger circles! The idea is to make the width of the cake in each of your rings as equal as possible, so that the squares of your checkerboard will all appear to be equal in size.
For this reason, I used 2″ and 4″ circles for a 6″ cake. For a larger cakes, you’ll slightly adjust the size of your cutters (or templates).
Circles, circles everywhere! These become our puzzle pieces. Let’s put the puzzle back together.
How cool is this? Suddenly…I want to go to Target :0)
Things are coming together!
I decided to place these cakes in the freezer to firm up a little before stacking, just to be on the safe side for easy handling. I stacked on a cardboard cake circle, and then stacked my layers with waxed paper in between.
Once your are ready, frost as usual…I’m using our Classic Chocolate Buttercream. YUM!
Make sure that the outer rings of your layers alternate as you stack them.
I crumb coated my cake with chocolate buttercream frosting just before breaking out my star tip 21 for a little piping fun…
I didn’t have any piping design in particular in mind when I started, ha! But I like the whimsical outcome! Buttercream piping is such a versatile way to decorate a cake…whether you are piping intricate designs, or quick and easy styles like this one!
We’re finished! The cake is just so pretty sitting there on the pedestal…but you know the inside is even better!
Ahhhh….love it! Such a cool design, and checkerboard cakes are such a creative (and unexpected) way to incorporate multiple cake flavors! Marble Cakes and Zebra Cakes are perfect for this too if you’d like even more options!
Hope you enjoyed this little tutorial!! Sometimes the most interesting cakes are actually very simple to make! Do they still make checked ice cream? I’m going to have to look into that!
Keep in mind that checkerboard cakes don’t necessarily have to be chocolate and white! Have fun experimenting with various flavors and colors! For instance, chocolate & pink checkerboard, red and white, and so on! Enjoy!
**Make sure to stop by our Recipes Section for a full collection of our FAVORITE cake and frosting recipes, and also our Free Tutorials Section for simple and creative cake decorating ideas!
Can’t wait to try this! Thanks!
Love, love, love this!!! Thank you so much for sharing!
You are welcome! I think you will love it!
I would love to experiment more with different colors—I’m already thinking about red velvet & white checks for Valentine’s day :0)
Melissa, I am not even joking, I’ve so been wanting to try this! You are always right on target. Thank you!
Ha– I guess we’re on the same wavelength! Glad you can put this tutorial to good use :0)
I have always wanted to know how to do this thanks for the tutorial can’t wait to try it…
hi melissa my name is monica and i love ur school , my baby turn 15 this july and she want a cake black yellow and zebra like her dress, can u help me with ideas
This looks amazing can’t wait to make this!
This will be my next try… i hope i’ll be successfull… promiss as soon as I do it, I send pictures.
Can you explain how you used the star 21 tip to make the beautiful design on your frosting?
Hi Cass–I used my tip 21 and held it so that the piping tip was perpendicular to the surface of the icing. I made the semi-circle shapes first—starting with a tiny curve in the middle, and just piggy backing each row after it (sort of like piping a rainbow). Did some right side up—some upside down, all the way around the cake. After making all of these rainbow patterns, I filled in the spaces in between with a squiggle here and there. You’ll have to try it! :0)
what other frosting or iccing or filling can I use instead of buttercream???? to stack them together??
Hi Sandra–anything would work. I kind of like the look of the chocolate icing and so if I weren’t using buttercream, I would use ganache or whipped ganache. Or chocolate cream cheese filling :0)
Hi melissa, I love this cake! Did you leave the cake boards in between each cake? It seems so easy to carve. In Autralia it’s pretty much impossible to get the “waffle-carboard” circles you use which cut easily. We have cardboard circles, but they are Very sturday and would be impossible to cut through with a knife. I guess the cake wouldn’t support it’s weight without dowelling though?
This is helpful for those that dont have a special pan or want a larger cake. Wilton has a 3-layer checkerboard cake pan that does the same thing without all the cutting. I will keep this in my recipe file, as I do not have that pan (yet).
Thanks for all the cool ideas.
You can also buy their products as Joanne Fabrics, Michaels Crafts, Meijers and other stores that carry Wilton’s products. this is the link for wilton: link to wilton.com
Love this great for a chess board cake. Going to bake this soon
This is fabulous! Thank you for posting.
Where on Earth did you find a 4 inch cutter??? I can’t find one anywhere…
Hi Riley, Ours was from a set of circle cutters made by Ateco. I think they were bought from Sur la Table. I found this link on Amazon for a Fox Run 4″ cutter, link to amazon.com
Hi there I was wondering if u kept the baking parchment between each layers or left them there?
Hi Michelle, no, there is not paper left between the layers
Hi Melissa,
I’m confused. I thought you had to use supports when doing a double barrel cake? Is there anything different with this one that helps it keep it’s structure (i.e., recipe, etc?). Thanks!
Hi AlaskanMama3~ You are right, sometimes I use a supports for four layer cakes. If my four layers are thick, (nearly 2″ each), then I definitely use supports at the halfway point…not only for the extra support, but also because an 7 or 8″ slice of cake is too tall for the plate! :0)
With these layers, I don’t fill my pans quite as thick…they are closer to an inch or so in thickness. So, the final cake winds up being somewhere between 4.5-5 inches. Hope this helps!! ;0)
Thanks!! This really helped me with my cake!!
link to jenniferbakes.blogspot.ie
I am alittle late to this tutorial but I am here! LOL My question is ” If you were to do this in an 9″ round what size circle cutters would you recommend? Would you still only do 2 size cutters?” Thanks!!
Hi Teresa, I would use two round cutters, a 6 inch and and 3 inch.
Hi! I’m late to the game! Just wanted to say thank you so much for this tutorial. I’ve looked at many online videos, blog posts, reviews and yours was the clearest and easiest method to make a checkerboard pattern. I recently made this type of cake for my daughter and she enjoyed watching the whole process and was thrilled to see inside. I posted to my Facebook page with a link back here so you may well receive many hits from New England. Thanks again!
I’ve been looking at lots of tutorials on chequerboard cakes, and this is the best one. Really helpful, thanks so much.
Thank you, Amy!! I’m glad that you found this helpful!
@R.K. thanks so much for your comment, too! How did I miss it before? Much appreciated ;0)
nice one. thank you