Beados themed Chocolate & Vanilla Checkerboard cake with Swiss Meringue Buttercream

Hello my dear readers : I am sharing a cake that I made for my daughters 7th birthday. Her newest craze is for Beados. Doesn't ring a bell?  Here is what it is. They are some magic beads that you use to create colorful and fun designs. Just lay out your design in the special Beados tray, then spray them with water and your artwork will magically set in place. 

I love "Surprise-inside" cakes and I have been longing to make this checkerboard cake ever since my best friend from college, Shalini had made it. She has been such an inspiration to me over the years as she is ultra talented and an amazing person!

Recipe adapted from here. Thanks Korena!

This recipe makes a 6" six layered cake.

Vanilla Cake (Makes 3 six inch cakes)

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup - Cake flour

1 1/8 Teaspoon - Baking powder

1/4 Teaspoon - Baking soda

1/4 Teaspoon - Salt

1 - Egg + 1 egg yolk (save the egg white for the buttercream)

1/2 cup - Milk

1/4 cup - Sour cream

3 Tablespoon - Vegetable oil

3 Tablespoon - Butter, melted

3 Teaspoon - Vanilla extract

3/4 cup - Sugar 

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. 
• Grease and line the pans with parchment. 
• Sift the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Keep aside.
• In a bowl, whisk the egg, egg yolk and sugar.
• Add milk, sour cream, oil, melted butter, vanilla and whisk well until all the ingredients have been incorporated.
• Add the dry ingredients 1/2 cup at a time and whisk.
• Divide the batter into the 3 prepared 6 inch pans.
• Wrap each pan with a wet towel strip - I really recommend not skipping this step as this gives you a evenly risen cake which is crucial for a checkerboard cake.
• Bake the cakes for 12- 15 mins or until the toothpick come out clean when inserted into the baked cake.
• Let the cake cool for 10 mins. Invert on a wire rack and let the cake cool completely. Assembling the checkerboard cake is easier if the cakes are chilled because it makes them firm and easy to handle. Hence it is recommended that you chill the cakes for for a few hours or overnight. Make sure you place parchment paper in between the cakes and plastic wrap them.

Chocolate Cake (Makes 3 six inch cakes)

Ingredients

6 Tablespoon - Hot coffee

1 oz - Dark chocolate, finely chopped

3/4 cup - All purpose flour

1/4 cup - Dark cocoa powder

3/4 Teaspoon - Baking soda

3/8 Teaspoon - Baking powder

1/8 Teaspoon - Salt

3/4 cup - Brown sugar

3 - Egg

3 Tablespoon - Milk

3 Tablespoon - Sour cream

2 1/2 Tablespoon - Vegetable oil

1/2 Teaspoon - Vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. 
• Grease and line the pans with parchment. 
• In a microwave safe bowl, add the hot coffee and chocolate and heat it for 1 minute or until the chocolate melts. Set it aside to cool
• Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In a large bowl whisk the eggs and brown sugar.
• Add milk, sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk well.
• Mix in the coffee-chocolate mixture.
• Add the dry ingredients 1/2 cup at a time and whisk until incorporated.
• Divide the batter into the 3 prepared 6 inch pans.
• Wrap each pan with a wet towel strip - I really recommend not skipping this step as this gives you a evenly risen cake which is crucial for a checkerboard cake.
• Bake the cakes for 15-18 mins or until the toothpick come out clean when inserted into the baked cake.
• Let the cake cool for 10 mins. Invert on a wire rack and let the cake cool completely. Assembling the checkerboard cake is easier if the cakes are chilled because it makes them firm and easy to handle. Hence it is recommended that you chill the cakes for for a few hours or overnight. Make sure you place parchment paper in between the cakes and plastic wrap them.

Vanilla Swiss Meringue Buttercream - Martha Stewart recipe (Makes approx 5 cups)

(I made only 5 cups of buttercream but that was barely enough to bind the cake rings, add in between layers and coat the cake. If you like buttercream, I highly recommend to double this recipe below)

Ingredients

5 - Egg whites

1 Cup + 2 Tablespoon - Granulated white sugar

Pinch of Salt

1 pound (4 sticks) - Unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons, room temperature

1 1/2 Teaspoons - Vanilla extract

Few drop - Yellow gel color

Directions

• Combine egg whites, sugar, and salt in the heatproof bowl of a standing mixer set over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until mixture is warm to the touch and sugar has dissolved.
• Use the wish attachment of the stand mixer. Starting on low and gradually increasing to medium-high speed, whisk until stiff (but not dry) peaks form. Continue mixing until the mixture is fluffy and glossy, and completely cool (test by touching the bottom of the bowl), about 10 minutes.
• With mixer on medium-low speed, add the butter a few tablespoons at a time, mixing well after each addition. 
• Once all butter has been added, whisk in vanilla. 
• Switch to the paddle attachment, and continue beating on low speed until all air bubbles are eliminated, about 2 minutes. 
• Scrape down sides of bowl with a flexible spatula, and continue beating until the frosting is completely smooth. Keep buttercream at room temperature if using the same day.
• To tint buttercream add the gel food color and mix.

Assembling the cake

Tools and Ingredients required

Cake leveler (Available at Walmart or Amazon) OR use a serrated knife

2 cardboard circular cut outs measuring 4 inch and 2 inch OR Cookie Cutter (4" and 2")
Colorful sprinkles

Directions:

Trim off the cake using a cake leveler or serrated knife. All the cakes should be of the same height.