Checkerboard Cake

Credits: Stephanie Jaworski, Joyofbaking.com

Ingredients Needed

Vanilla Cake Recipe: 

3 cups (345 grams) sifted all purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 3/4 cups (350 grams) granulated white sugar

4 large eggs, at room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup (240 ml) room temperature milk

Confectioners' Frosting:

2 cups (230 grams) confectioners sugar (icing or powdered sugar), sifted

1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract  

2 tablespoons milk or light cream 

Pink & Purple food colour paste

Fondant Coating:

1 packet of Redman snow white fondant *500g*

Vanilla Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) with rack in center of oven. Butter or spray with a non-stick vegetable spray, two 9-inch x 2 inch (23 x 5 cm) cake pans. Then line the bottoms of the pans with parchment or wax paper, then spray the paper.
2. In a bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the paddle attachment, (or with a hand mixer) beat the butter until soft and creamy (about 1-2 minutes). Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla extract and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, alternately add the flour mixture (in three additions) and milk (in two additions), beginning and ending with the flour.
4. Evenly divide the batter into 2 mixing bowls.  Drop 1-2tsp of pink colouring into one bowl and repeat with purple colour for the other bowl.  Mix well.
5. Scoop batter into piping bags *One bag for each colour*.  Pipe alternate colours till you get similar design.
6. 
7. Bake 27 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake springs back when pressed lightly in center.  
   Place the cakes on a wire rack to cool, in their pans, for about 10 minutes. Then invert the cakes onto a greased rack. Remove the parchment or wax paper and re-invert cakes so that tops are right side up. Cool completely before frosting.

Confectioners Frosting: 

1. In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until smooth and creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add about 2 tablespoons of the milk and beat to combine. Then, on high speed, beat frosting until it is light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes). Add more milk or powdered sugar, as needed, to get the right spreading consistency. If desired, color the frosting with food color (I use the gel paste food coloring that is available at cake decorating stores and party stores). 

Assemble:

1. Ensure both cake layers are level.  If cake layer isn't level, use a serrated knife to level the cake layer.
2. Place one cake layer (bottom side facing up) on your serving plate and spread with about 1/4 of frosting. Place the other cake layer (bottom side facing up) on top of the frosting and cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting.  Set aside.
3. Knead white fondant till pliable and soft.  Roll out fondant measuring half inch thick.  Roll the fondant onto your rolling pin and slowly cover the cake.
4. Powder your hands with corn flour and lightly smoothen the fondant.  Use a thin needle to poke any holes on the surface and patch up the hole with some icing sugar paste.  Decorate as necessary.
5. Cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for several days.

Serves 10-12 people.