checkerboard birthday cake

Yes, this is somewhat time consuming, but as far as achieving something somewhat fancy with ease? This is the way to go.

My wonderfully smart assed husband turned 27 on Monday and for his cake he had some very specific requests:

6 layers (he got 4)

Red and black checkerboard middle (pink and white)

An oven-safe "surprise" hidden in the middle (I had a LEGO man, but he started unloading the groceries and he came across it and without forming a fib about the LEGO I told him.. so it didn't go in because yah, I'd rather not bury a toy in cake)

My notes before starting:

Get 3 boxes of the same cake mix (use food coloring to alter colors vs getting a chocolate mix and vanilla).

Use extra batter in each cake pan to ensure you can cut the top off and have a flat surface.

Buy a cake leveler, they are cheap. While I didn't buy mine on the internet this is 99.9% likely the same one only obtained from Meijer.

While you can make this cake with only 2 layers, how much fun is that? NONE. So, if you want to proceed with more than two layers, you will need at least 4 single cake layers even if you plan on a 3 layer cake.

First you are going to mix the batter as usual, adding food coloring that will be the first beginnings of your masterpiece. Like I said earlier, I always use more batter per pan than I typically would to ensure the layers are all even after being leveled out.

Once they are out of the oven and cooled, you'll take the layer with the thinnest crust and adjust your leveler to match the others to the thin one. Feel free to eat the cake tops as you're crafting away.

One they are leveled you will start cutting rings out of each layer of cake. While tracing a circle isn't necessary, it will help when you're trying to puzzle the pieces back together. I cut one center circle, and a middle ring. Why, is that an old syllabus from last semester cut up? Ooooooh, yes.

*Note, there will be crumbs everywhere.

Once they are all cut, you can start removing layers to create 4 bull's-eye's. Since frosting over a cake that has been cut is extremely difficult you'll want to flip each layer over so you're frosting the crust. Due to the crumbs, frosting this little number could still prove to be somewhat challenging, but hey, that's what sprinkles are for.

This is when you'll see the importance of even layers and even circle sections. Frost in between each layer like usual, and slap frosting and sprinkles over the rest of it. This is something I am not the best at. Especially with a cake that most likely had crumby debris everywhere.

And after the candles are blown out, you can view your handy work!

The only thing I haven't quite figured out with the few times I've made a cake like this is how to get the rings to better stay together. When you go to get a piece onto a plate they usually topple apart and you're left with cake cubes. Still delicious and cutesy though!

Happy 72nd Birthday, Brendon!

Leia