Name: Checkboard Cake
Prep time: 230 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 255 min
Ingredients: 3 ¾ cups sifted, spooned, and leveled all-purpose flour; 2 tsp baking powder; ¾ tsp baking soda; 1 tsp salt; 1 ½ cups softened, unsalted butter, room temperature; 2 cups granulated sugar; 5 eggs, room temperature; 3 tsp pure vanilla extract; 1 ¾ cups buttermilk, room temperature; ⅓ cup rainbow sprinkles (+ extra garnish); 2 drops food coloring; 1 ¾ cups softened (unsalted butter, room temperature); 7 cups confectioners’ sugar; 6 tbsp heavy cream; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; ¼ tsp salt

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Back when I was a newbie baker, I used to gawk at the stunning checkered-pattern cakes on display, thinking I had to be some kind of master chef to make one.

But guess what? Just a few months into my baking journey, I realized it’s not as tough as it looks. I could actually whip up this cake using the simplest of ingredients!

Why You Will Love This Checkerboard Cake

Just looking at the beautiful patterns makes you go, “Wow!” That happens when we mix the vanilla batter in alternating circles! A true feast for the eyes!
Every slice offers two different flavor profiles — a dream come true for anyone who can’t decide between the two! And the coolest part? You can totally experiment with other pairings: think red velvet paired with vanilla, strawberry with lemon, or even spice cake with carrot cake. Nobody can stop you!
Since the cake itself is already a huge combination of flavors and colors, you don’t need to go all out with the extra dishes. Some fresh fruit, a dollop of whipped cream, or a simple vanilla ice cream makes the perfect sidekick.

12 Basic Steps To Make Checkerboard Cake

Step 1.

First, crank your oven up to 350°F (177°C).

You’ll want to grease 4 cake pans (9” each is the best for this recipe!). Now, line them with parchment paper and grease those papers, too. This little trick makes sure your cakes slide RIGHT out of the pans when done!

Cake Batter

Step 2.

Grab a big bowl and whisk together baking soda, baking powder, flour, and a pinch of salt. Set that aside for a second.

Step 3.

Pull out your mixer and beat the unsalted butter at high until creamy (for about a minute). Toss in the white sugar and keep that mixer on high for five minutes until it’s all fluffy and well mixed. Don’t forget to scrape the bowl’s sides with an offset spatula every now and then.

Step 4.

Drop the speed to medium-high and add the eggs one at a time, giving them a good mix after each one. Splash in some vanilla and give the bowl another scrape — just to make sure everything’s getting in!

Step 5.

Here’s the part where we need a gentle touch. Switch the mixer to low and add your dry ingredients (set aside from Step 2) in three batches, alternating with buttermilk. Start and end with a dry ingredient, mixing after each addition until JUST blended in!

Don’t go crazy with the mixing here; we want it smooth, creamy, and just thick enough, not beaten to death.

Step 6.

Scoop 4 cups of batter (aka half of your total batter) into another bowl. You have two bowls of batter now! Mix ⅓ cup of sprinkles in one bowl and some food coloring in another. Once that’s all stirred up, evenly spread or pour your cake batter into the prepared pans!

Step 7.

Pop these pans into the oven for about 25 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when a small toothpick poked in the middle comes out squeaky clean. Set the pans on the rack so the cakes will cool off completely. Patience is key here; make sure they’re totally cool before you even think about frosting and stacking them!

Step 8.

Take a round, 6” cookie cutter (yep, it’s big) and punch a circle out of each chilled cake. Then, grab a 3” circle cutter and make another cut inside that 6” circle. You’ll end up with four small 3” circles, four medium 6” rings, and four large 9” outer rings (these are basically very thin cake outlines since the middle is gone).

Frosting

Step 9.

Grab a large bowl and your mixer. Pop the butter in and beat it at medium mixer speed until smooth, which usually takes me 2 minutes. Then, while the mixer is still running at low, gradually add some confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, salt, and cream. Crank the mixer speed to high and let it whip for another 3 minutes.

If your frosting feels too thin, add extra confectioners’ sugar. Too thick? A splash of more cream will fix it. Too sweet? Just add another pinch of salt!

Step 10.

Here comes my favorite part: stacking the cake!

Start with a blue 9” cake ring on your turntable or cake plate. Drop in a Funfetti 6” circle, followed by a baby blue circle in the center. Slather some frosting on top and smooth it out.

Step 11.

Next, layer another 9” circle filled with a 6” blue circle and a tiny 3” Funfetti in the center. Frost it all up. Keep repeating this with your remaining layers, and then frost the heck out of the entire thing – top, sides, everywhere! If you’re feeling fancy, throw in more sprinkles as decorations.

Step 12.

Before you slice into the cake layers, put them in the fridge for 1-2 hours. This cooling time will help you get all the cleanest, sharpest slices. Enjoy!

Red velvet cakes and Funfetti cupcakes also look stunning. Try out these recipes and tell me the results!

Notes

1. When slicing the entire cake, I often use a sharp, serrated knife to get clean cuts and keep the frosting from tearing. NEVER go for a dull knife – well, unless you want to drag and pull the frosting and destroy the beautiful checkerboard design! Wipe the knife clean after each slice to avoid transferring frosting crumbs.

2. For a more decorative touch, why not create stencils out of parchment paper to dust the top of the cake with cocoa powder or powdered sugar?

First, cut out your desired design (hearts, stars, etc.) from a piece of parchment paper and lay it on the top of the frosted cake.
Dust the stencil with your chosen powder using a fine-mesh sieve or a small spoon.
Gently lift the stencil to reveal your design. Easy peasy!

FAQs

Can I Make Double Frostings For This Cake?

Totally! Consider crumb-coating the cake first with a thin layer of frosting. This seals in any crumbs and creates a smooth canvas for the FINAL decorative frosting layer!