Happy Halloween from Bake It With Booze! Hope you're all enjoying the day replete with costumes and candy. It's going to rain here tonight, so I have no solid prediction on the number of Trick or Treaters...So glad I bought ALL that EXTRA candy since it is a Friday Halloween! Looks like my freezer will be happy with left overs...Oh, what to do!
I've thought about this checkerboard patterned cake for a very long time. I knew I wanted to make it a theme or holiday cake so that I could get creative with the colors. I wanted a nice white cake recipe and a nice subtle flavor so I used Frangelico instead of the traditional almond flavor. I knew I only wanted three layers. I first saw a checkerboard cake at Sprinkle bakes. It looked so fun, but perhaps a bit more anal retentive than I wanted to take on.
In the end, it was so much more easy than I had anticipated. I just had to have a PLAN. And, like most of life, the 6 Ps prevailed:
Prior Preparation Prevents Piss-Poor Performance.
Read that first in a hiking magazine a life time ago. Still holds true today.
I simply adore the Italian Meringue Buttercream! Not as difficult as I had thought, so I was pleased with the results. Very smooth, yet amazing stable at room temperature. Perfect for this cake...These Italians Rock!
You can make this cake with no worries! Have all your ingredients and equipment ready, set aside some time so that you're not rushed, and enjoy what unfolds!
This cake was a huge challenge but one I was so thankful to have accomplished. Lots of oohs and ahhs from the folks at work, which is always nice.
Happy Halloween!
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Step-by-Step
Prepare your pans greasing and flouring, then
lining with parchment. I never grease and flour the parchment for cakes and things always come out clean.
I used cake wraps so that my layers would bake as evenly as possible. First, the wraps are soaked in water to ensure they don't burn in the oven and provide even heating around the cake pans. I used both King Arthur Flour and Wilton brands. IMHO, the KAF wraps worked much better.
Prep the 3
medium bowls for mixing the 3 colors.
These are just some of the ingredients you'll use...Seems like a lot, but all worth it!
Sift the dry ingredients. This time I used vanilla bean powder, one of my newest ingredient finds. I've had my eye on this for quite some time, but at 11 bucks a bottle it was very steep. Luckily, I had a great Sur La Table coupon and it only cost me a buck. Nice!
In the
bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix all of the dry
ingredients on slow speed to blend.
Add the soft butter in large cubes and mix
until evenly crumbly, like fine damp sand. If the butter is very warm, it might form a paste. Mine happily did not.
Add the
egg whites (one at a time). I used the carton egg whites and they worked great.
Then add the whole eggs, beating well after each
addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after adding the egg
whites and each egg.
In a large
measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, Frangelico, and vanilla extract.
Add this
mixture, 1/3 at a time to the batter. Beat 1 minute after each addition, until fluffy. Be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. It's a lot of batter.
I always know when it's a great baking day when Bella gets a good workout...This girl did a great job with this cake and especially the buttercream work. This is Bella with flour all over herself...Shameful!
If you’re
making the checkerboard pattern with the 3 layers, divide the batter equally
into 3 medium bowls. You will have about
3 1/3 cups of batter per bowl. Color
using gel or other food colors. Try to
not over beat the mixture as that will cause the final cake to be denser.
Pour the
batter into the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
Bake as directed, rotating the pans front-to-back after 20 minutes. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted
into the center will come out clean. The green layer cooked faster as it was in the back of the oven.
Remove
from the oven and let cool completed in the pans on a wire rack.
Once the 3 layers have completely cooled,
removed from the pans leaving the parchment round on the bottom, and wrap in
plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well
cooled, about 2 hours.
Remove
the cakes from the refrigerator and with a small serrated knife cut out the 3
rings. The size of each ring will depend
on the diameter of your cakes.
Wrap all the rings and circles in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to frost.
I used an
8” cake round so that I would have checkerboards about 2” square. To achieve those dimension you will need a
circle for a 6” template and a 4" template.
My baked cakes were a bit smaller in diameter, so I had to adjust my circle
templates. Sprinkle Bakes has a great
step-by-step as well. She used a 6” cake
and leveled her cakes. I did not level
these cakes and it all worked out in the end.
Follow the pictures above or read through Sprinkle Bakes instructions.
To make the buttercream, start with your sugar mixture. I only took a photo of the new candy thermometer...
Follow the directions listed below and be sure to watch the 2 videos:
From Eat Now Cry Later:
From Bakepedia:
As I mentioned, I didn't take photos of my process as I think these 2 videos are wonderful and can communicate the process better than I can. It was much easier than I had thought. And, you really do need to be patient as the meringue mixture beats and cools. It takes the fill time in the directions. But, I can also say that mine broke. I was able to easily get it back together and fluffy, just be extending the beating time once the butter was added. I didn't even worry that it would fail since the videos were so helpful.
Remove the cakes from the refrigerator and as you assemble each layer, alternating the colored cake circles, spread a thin layer of buttercream
on the inside of each circle.
Place the
alternating colored concentric circles to assemble the layers to achieve the final
checkerboard pattern.
Use a pattern to ensure you layer things correctly. Sprinkle Bakes' is much more fancy.
Frost the cake using the Italian meringue buttercream with about 1/2 cup of buttercream between each layer. Carefully move each layer and be careful to stack in the correct order to achieve the checkerboard patterns.
Smooth the buttercream on the sides and the top. Place about 1/2 cup of buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and place stars along the top edge of the cake. You'll also have enough for starts on the bottom edge. Use sprinkles if desired.
I always desire sprinkles...
So, the next day, I cut it...It was a thing of beauty!
This cake has a nice texture and great flavor. I baked this a bit longer than normal as I wanted the cakes to be sturdy enough to be cut and handled. I was very happy with the results as were the folks at work!
Halloween
Hazelnut Checkerboard Cake
Makes 1,
8”, 3 layer cake *
About 16
to 20 servings
Adapted from King Arthur Flour Tender White Cake
Ingredients
4 cups plus
2 tbsp cake flour, sifted
2 1/2
cups superfine sugar
1 1/2
tbsp baking powder
1 tsp
fine salt
1 tsp
vanilla bean powder (optional)
18 tbsp
unsalted butter (2 sticks plus 2 tbsp), softened
5 large
eggs whites plus 2 whole large egg (I used 5 oz liquid egg whites from a
container for the 5 egg whites)
1 1/3 cups
buttermilk
1/4 cup
Frangelico (Hazelnut liqueur)
1 tbsp vanilla
extract **
3
different colors of food color gel
Directions
to bake the cakes
1. Preheat
the oven to 350°F. Prepare two 8" x 2" by greasing and flouring, then
lining with parchment. Note: Make sure your 8" round pans are at least
2" deep; if they're not, use two 9” pans.
2. Prep the 3
medium bowls for mixing the 3 colors.
Set aside.
3. In the
bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix all of the dry
ingredients on slow speed to blend. Add the soft butter in large cubes and mix
until evenly crumbly, like fine damp sand. If the butter is very warm, it may
form a paste.
4. Add the
egg whites (one at a time), then add the whole eggs, beating well after each
addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl after adding the egg
whites and each egg.
5. In a large
measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, Frangelico, and vanilla extract. Add this
mixture, 1/3 at a time. Beat 1 minute after each addition, until fluffy. Be
sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
6. If you’re
making the checkerboard pattern with the 3 layers, divide the batter equally
into 3 medium bowls. You will have about
3 1/3 cups of batter per bowl. Color
using gel or other food colors. Try to
not over beat the mixture as that will cause the final cake to be denser.
7. Pour the
batter into the prepared pans. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes for 8" or 9"
rounds, rotating the pans front-to-back after 20 minutes. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted
into the center will come out clean.
8. Remove
from the oven and let cool completed in the pans on a wire rack. Once the 3 layers have completely cooled,
removed from the pans leaving the parchment round on the bottom, and wrap in
plastic wrap. Refrigerate until well
cooled, about 2 hours.
* To make the 2 layer version, follow this
recipe at King Arthur Flour.
** The
original recipe calls for the addition of almond extract, which I omitted.
Directions
to assemble the checkerboard layers
1. Remove
the cakes from the refrigerator and with a small serrated knife cut out the 3
rings. The size of each ring will depend
on the diameter of your cakes. I used an
8” cake round so that I would have checkerboards about 2” square. To achieve those dimension you will need a
circle for a 6” template and a 4 inch template.
My cake was a bit smaller in diameter, so I had to adjust my circle
templates. Sprinkle Bakes has a great
step-by-step as well. She used a 6” cake
and leveled her cakes. I did not level
these cakes and it all worked out in the end.
Follow the pictures above or read through Sprinkle Bakes instructions.
2. Make the
Italian buttercream, as described below, and spread a thin layer of buttercream
on the inside of each circle. Place the
alternating colored concentric circles to assemble the layers to achieve the final
checkerboard pattern.
Italian
Meringue Buttercream
From Bakepedia
(Dede Wilson video) and Eat Now Cry Later (recipe and video)
Makes
about 6 cups of buttercream, just enough for this cake.
Ingredients for sugar
syrup mixture
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of water
Ingredients for the meringue
5 extra large room temperature egg whites (do not use egg whites from a container)
1/4 cup of sugar
3 1/2 sticks of softened butter (I use 2 sticks of unsalted and 1 1/2 sticks of salted)
up to 1/3 cup Frangelico
1 tbsp of vanilla extract (optional)
Directions to make the meringue buttercream
1 cup of sugar
1/4 cup of water
Ingredients for the meringue
5 extra large room temperature egg whites (do not use egg whites from a container)
1/4 cup of sugar
3 1/2 sticks of softened butter (I use 2 sticks of unsalted and 1 1/2 sticks of salted)
up to 1/3 cup Frangelico
1 tbsp of vanilla extract (optional)
Directions to make the meringue buttercream
1. In a small saucepan, place the sugar and water
and swirl to combine. Affix a candy
thermometer into the mix. Heat on
medium heat the mixer boils and it reaches 245 to 250 degrees (hard ball
stage). As this mixer cooks, begin making your meringue.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat your egg whites on high until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup of sugar on the top and continue to beat until medium to stiff peaks form. Turn off mixer if the sugar mixture is not at the desired temperature.
3. Once the sugar mixture has reached 245 to 250 degrees, remove from the stove. With the mixer on high, slowly pour in the hot sugar syrup in a steady stream. Be careful to have the stream of sugar hit the meringue mixture between the side of the bowl and the beater. If the mixture gets on the side of the bowl, sugar crystals may form in the final buttercream. If the mixture gets on the beaters, hot sugar will spray out and you will get burned.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat your egg whites on high until soft peaks form. Sprinkle in 1/4 cup of sugar on the top and continue to beat until medium to stiff peaks form. Turn off mixer if the sugar mixture is not at the desired temperature.
3. Once the sugar mixture has reached 245 to 250 degrees, remove from the stove. With the mixer on high, slowly pour in the hot sugar syrup in a steady stream. Be careful to have the stream of sugar hit the meringue mixture between the side of the bowl and the beater. If the mixture gets on the side of the bowl, sugar crystals may form in the final buttercream. If the mixture gets on the beaters, hot sugar will spray out and you will get burned.
4. Continue to beat the sugar-meringue mixture on
high for 10-12 minutes, or until your mixing bowl is cool to the touch. Very cool to the touch.
5. Add in 2 sticks of unsalted butter first (a tbsp.
at a time), then add in the Frangelico. Add in the salted butter and beat on high until
fluffy. Add in 1 tsp of vanilla extract (optional).
Notes:
If the butter is added before the mixing bowl is cool to the touch, the buttercream will look soupy. If this happens, keep beating the mixture on high until the mixture cools further and it comes back together and fluffy. If this doesn’t come back together after a minute or so, place in the refrigerator until cooler and beat on high again.
Notes:
If the butter is added before the mixing bowl is cool to the touch, the buttercream will look soupy. If this happens, keep beating the mixture on high until the mixture cools further and it comes back together and fluffy. If this doesn’t come back together after a minute or so, place in the refrigerator until cooler and beat on high again.
This is how I store my cut cakes: 2 pieces of wax paper on each cut side using the buttercream to keep the wax paper in place. This works so well to keep the cake moist and the frosting from getting all smashed.
Yes, I'm anal retentive like that, too.
Cheers!
Ellen
