Hi,
I've seen cakes that look like a checkerboard pattern with small chocolate and white squares inside. And I've seen pan set with insert that you can buy to make it look this way. However, I'm too cheap to pay for it because I already have enough pans. What I could use in place of that plastic insert that you set in the pan before you pour the batters in?

Has anyone tried this? What did you use? And does the batter actually stay put once you remove the insert?

Thanks!
KimAZ

I saw a foodnetwork special with Al Roker where he visited a bakery who did checkerboard cakes, but they didn't use those inserts. They baked 2 colored cakes of the same sized pan, cooled them, torted them (I think in halves), then took these large round cutters to cut out concentric circles. So say if you had an 8" cake, they used a 7" round cutter, then a 6" round cutter, a 5" round cutter to cut the cake, etc. Once the cake is cut up they reassembe the cake in the cake pan by alternating the 2 cake colors. Ex: Outer ring choco cake, next ring in is yellow cake, then choco, then yellow, and so on and so forth. You can put icing between the rings and between the torted layers. Hmm, I hope that this makes sense. If not, may be I can do up some diagrams or something.

I would love to do this method over buying more pans like you said, but I need to find large enough cutters to do it.

I'd be scared to break all the pieces of cake doing it that way lol .. I'll stick w/the ring inserts I use ... you can use anything that makes a ring that will let you pour your cake mix into and then pull out of your pan ... for my center ring on mine, I used a mason jar ring .. I had a larger ring that I used first and then the mason jar ring next.. I used a 10" round pan, that had been greased/floured, put the large ring and then the mason jar ring in place... I poured chocolate on the largest part, the white, then chocolate... on the next pan I did the same thing except started off with white, then chocolate, the finished with white.... after I finish pouring in the batter, I just lifted the rings out and it stayed in place.. I didn't get the see the cut cake, but it was for my daughter's office and she said it looked great Hope this helps

P.S.... I'm sure you could use something like a manila folder, cut in a long strip .. then tape the ends, making a large circle to use as your divider too .. just a thought

My mom gave me her checkerboard cake pan set because she could not get it to work for her. I used it once and it turned out beautiful. She asked me how I did it, cause hers kept falling apart. I asked how she said she left the rings in the cake while it baked. I laughed so hard and explained to her that she was supposed to pull the rings. This happened to both my mom and cousin. We all laughed for days even now when I bring it up she cant help but to laugh. I thought I would share. MC

Hahahahaha!! OMG that is too funny Moviechick00 ... thanks for sharing .. everytime I make this type of cake, I'm going to giggle now lol

Thanks for the replies. I can't think of anything I currently have that would work for the larger ring but I do have a mason jar lid for the smaller one. I think I'll try that manila folder idea. Thanks Ntertayneme!

KimAZ

Hi

If you have a big can (from BJ's, cosco) like tomato in two different sizes use them. or you can most likely use a tempate of two different size circles and cut around.

You make two different cakes (yellow and chocolate) slice them in two and cut out the circles then place one ring of yellow than one ring of chocoalte, then another yellow to form one layer. than for second layer do the same but start with the other cake so that you have

1st layer start with yellow
2nd layer starts with chocolate and so on.

hope this makes sense. Made one before. only once.

Kristy

Would tin foil work?

I'm sure it would .. just make it thick enough so it wouldn't fold in on you.

I use pudding for checkerboard cake mix it makes it the correct thickness. Works wonders have I have made many combinations of checkerboard cake. Vanilla & Strawberry, Chocolate & Strawberry topped with chocolate covered strawberries, Lemon and Vanilla, White velvet & Red velvet triple fudge chocolate and white velvet.....you name ive tried it. I use pudding that will compliment the cake mix that I make. Good Luck and have fun. MC

What a great story Moviechick00, sound like something my mother would do. Thanks for sharing.

I will have to try this method. Sound interesting.