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Checkered Cake

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Checkered Cake Published by: PastryFriends.com Kronenburger Str. 28 50935 Cologne – Germany Contact: keiko@pastryfriends.com

Website: http://keikos-cake.com

http://PastryFriends.com

White sponge cake

Egg 190 g (6.7 oz.)

Sugar 110 g (3.9 oz.)

Flour 70 g (2.5 oz.)

Corn starch 20 g (0.7 oz.)

Butter 30 g (1.1 oz.)

Milk 20 ml

Black sponge cake

Egg 190 g (6.7 oz.)

Sugar 110 g (3.9 oz.)

Flour 60 g (2.1 oz.)

Corn starch 10 g (0.35 oz.)

Cocoa powder 20 g (0.7 oz.)

Butter 20 g (0.7 oz.)

Milk 20 ml

Buttercream

Butter 400 g (14.1 oz.)

Egg white 230 g (8.1 oz.)

Sugar 200 g (7.1 oz.)

Water 50 ml

Chocolate glaze

Dark couverture 300 g (10.6 oz.)

Heavy cream 370 ml

Ingredients

Tips about measuring ingredients:

http://keikos-cake.com/lessons/lesson-measuring-ingredients/

12 cm 0,44

13 cm 0,52

14 cm 0,60

15 cm 0,69

16 cm 0,79

17 cm 0,89

18 cm 1,00

19 cm 1,11

20 cm 1,23

21 cm 1,36

22 cm 1,49

23 cm 1,63

24 cm 1,78

25 cm 1,93

My cake pan

Your cake pan (diameter in cm)

Factor

I use a 18 cm (7.1 inches) diameter pan for the checkered cake. If you‘re using a different

size, multiply all amounts (ingredients) with the factor from the table below.

5,0 " 0,50

5,5 " 0,60

6,0 " 0,71

6,5 " 0,84

7,0 " 0,97

7,5 " 1,12

8,0 " 1,27

8,5 " 1,43

9,0 " 1,61

9,5 " 1,79

10,0 " 1,98

Your cake pan (diameter in inches)

Factor

Example:

If you are using a

21 cm pan, multiply

all amounts with a

factor of 1.36

If you are using a 6“

cake pan, multiply

all amounts with a

factor of 0.71

Etc.

This way, your cake

will have the same

height as mine.

First, prepare the cake pan. Cut out stripes of

baking paper for the sides and a round sheet

of baking paper for the bottom.

For the checkered cake you need to bake two

sponge cakes, a white one and a black one.

Prepare and bake one sponge cake after the

other.

Diameter: 18 cm (7.1 inches)

Note: Don‘t forget to watch the accompanying

video…

Sponge Cake

Start mixing the eggs and sugar in a large bowl

over a double boiler (saucepan with boiling

water).

Keep mixing until the mixture reaches 38-40°C

(100-104°F), then take the bowl away from

heat.

You don‘t need a thermometer, just check with

a finger that the temperature is slightly above

body temperature.

Keep beating the eggs until the mixture is very

light and foamy. This takes time, so be patient.

You will also notice that the color changes from

orange to yellow and (almost) white.

Copyright © 2010 – keikos-cake.com – All Rights Reserved

Fold in the sifted flour and corn starch.

Add the warm milk and melted butter and mix

with a spatula. Don‘t overmix or the batter will

lose its foamy consistency.

Pour the sponge cake batter into the cake pan

and tap the pan on the table to release large

air bubbles in the batter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes in your pre-heated

oven at 190°C (374°F).

While the white sponge cake is in the oven,

start preparing the black sponge cake. The

steps are exactly the same, except that you

add cocoa powder together with the flour and

corn starch.

After baking, invert the sponge cake(s) on a

cake cooler. Let them cool down completely.

You now have the two sponge cakes for the

checkered cake…

Trim the top of each sponge cake, then cut it

into three slices using a large knife (with

serrated edge).

If you find it hard to slice the cake accurately,

you can use a tool called „layered cake cutter“

for this.

Next, use a large and a small ring to cut the

shapes into the sponge cake slices.

Diameter (large ring): 12 cm (4.7 inches)

Diameter (small ring): 6 cm (2.4 inches)

Replace the middle rings from the white

sponge sheets with the middle rings from the

black sponge sheets (and vice versa).

Stack the sponge sheet layers and put them

aside. Next, we need to prepare the

buttercream…

Buttercream

We prepare a basic buttercream by mixing

meringue with whipped butter.

Let‘s start with the meringue…

Whip the egg whites in a clean metal bowl. At

the same time, bring the sugar syrup to a boil.

Keep beating the egg whites to stiff peaks.

Also keep an eye on the boiling sugar syrup.

When the syrup reaches 117-120°C

(243-248°F), pour it into the egg white. Keep

mixing until the meringue cooled down.

If you don‘t have a thermometer to measure

the temperature, observe the consistency of

the syrup. It‘s ready to use when it thickens

and builds large bubbles. It still must be liquid

enough to mix with the egg white.

Copyright © 2010 – keikos-cake.com – All Rights Reserved

Whip the soft(!) butter with your electric mixer

until it becomes fluffy and almost white. This

takes several minutes, so be patient.

Fold the meringue into the whipped butter in

three steps. Mix until you get a uniform

consistency.

Now it‘s time to assemble the checkered cake.

Start with the bottom outer ring and add one

ring after the other, using the buttercream to

„glue“ the pieces together. Without the

buttercream, the cake would fall appart, when

you cut the pieces, later.

Add a thin layer of buttercream on top of each

sponge cake layer.

After stacking all six layers of sponge cake

rings, coat the top and sides with buttercream.

Start with the top, then work on the sides.

First, coat the cake with a thin layer of

buttercream to cover the gaps…

…then, add a thicker layer on top (top and

sides of the cake).

Smooth the sides with a dough scraper.

Finally, smooth the top with strokes from the

side to the center (blue arrow).

Put the cake in the freezer for at least two

hours.

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Chocolate glaze

Heat the heavy cream, then add it to the

chopped couverture in a large metal bowl.

Stir the mixture until the couverture fully

dissolved in the heavy cream. Then, stir a little

more, just to be sure.

Set aside for cooling.

Wait until the chocolate glaze cooled down a

little and thickened.

Take the checkered cake out of the freezer and

place it on a cake cooler (grid) on top of a

large bowl.

Pour the chocolate glaze over the cake and

the sides of the cake.

Level the surface with a palette knife, then wait

until the chocolate glaze solidifies.

Carefully place the cake on a cake plate and

decorate as you like. I use beat gold and thin

plates of tempered dark couverture.

Copyright © 2010 – keikos-cake.com – All Rights Reserved

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