How to Make a Checkerboard Cake

If you’re looking for a colorful cake with a surprise inside, you’ve come to the right place! In this post we’re going to learn how to make an easy but memorable checkerboard cake. 

What is a Checkerboard Cake? 

A checkerboard cake, once cut, has a bonafide checkerboard pattern! It’s usually three colors—white and two others. This style of cake is a fun addition to a child’s birthday party but it’s also a colorful way to celebrate your favorite sports team or other color-driven event. 

I happened to have some lime green, bright pink, and white frosting left over from a cupcake-decorating class I’d just taught at a local Girl Scout troop, so I knew my color scheme would be a lot of fun. 

But, how would I go about making a checkerboard cake when I’d never made one before? 

I started seeing these cakes years ago but didn’t make any because they seemed like a lot of work. Then I happened upon an episode of the children’s edition of The Great British Baking Show and the kids were tasked with making checkerboard cakes. 

I thought to myself, “If a kid can make it, so can I!”

Do I Need a Special Pan to Make a Checkerboard Cake? 

This was the question I asked myself a while back. You can find pans on the market for this purpose. But it didn’t take me long to realize I didn’t any special pans at all. I just needed a few circle cutters! 

I actually learned the process from watching the children on the British Baking Show. They took circle cutters and used them to work their magic! 

Checkerboard Cake Ingredients

Wondering what you’ll need to make a simple checkerboard cake? Here’s what you’re going to need. This recipe will make three 6-inch layers. If you want to use 8-inch pans, simply double the recipe.

CAKE INGREDIENTS & SUPPLIES

• White cake mix (vanilla cake)
• room temperature eggs 
• water (or milk) 
• vegetable oil (or butter)
• coloring gels (any color you like)
• circle cutters

FROSTING INGREDIENTS

I did a full write-up on my Dreamy Buttercream Frosting but here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make it.

• room temperature butter (salted or unsalted butter, your choice)
• room temperature cream cheese
• shortening
• vanilla extract
• almond extract
• milk or whipping cream (as needed)

OTHER DECOR

• sprinkles (optional)

That’s it! You’ll also need a cake board or plate to set your cake on, as well as a knife or cake leveler to ensure your layers are completely level. 

How to Make an Adorable Checkerboard Cake

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degree Fahrenheit. 

Prepare your baking pans. Coat with a thin layer of Crisco then dust with flour. (You can use non-stick baking spray if you prefer but I like my Crisco/flour approach.) 

Make Your Cake

Mix up your cake batter according to the directions on the box. You can use a stand mixer with paddle attachment, electric mixer, or mix by hand with a whisk or spoon in a medium mixing bowl. It’s your choice. 

Divide the batter into three bowls. 

Color your batters as you like. I opted to leave one bowl white because I like the contrast of the brighter colors against the white. I added a couple of dots of mint green coloring gel to one bowl and a couple of dots of bright pink to the other, then I stirred well. 

Voila! Three colors of batter! 

Pour batter into prepared pans. 

Place in preheated oven and bake for 20 – 25 minutes or until cake springs back to the touch and pulls away from the edges of the pan. 

Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool. 

Make Your Frosting

While cake is baking, make your frosting. Start by creaming your butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. Add shortening and continue to cream. Add extracts. Add powdered sugar, a little at a time, whipping until fluffy. If you need to thin it out, add milk at your discretion. 

Divide batter into three bowls and color with the same coloring gels you used for the cake batter. As I mentioned before, I happened to have frosting on hand from a Girl Scout event. 

How to Build a Checkerboard Cake

When cakes have cooled for a few minutes turn them out onto wire rack and continue to cool. 

Once cakes are completely cool (top and bottom) it’s time to level them. I use a Wilton cake leveler but you can use a large knife if you don’t have a leveler. The point is, you’ll need perfectly level cakes. 

It’s time to use those circle cutters. Divide each cake into three cake rings using each circle cutter with great care.

Starting with the largest white ring, assemble your first cake (using all three colors). Assemble the other cakes, alternating colors. Check out the finished product! Talk about a feast for the eyes! If you like you can use a thin layer of frosting between the rings.

It’s time to Stack Your Cake

Place the cake with the white outer ring onto the cake board, securing it with a dab of white frosting. Stack cakes placing white frosting between each one. 

I use cake drums from Amazon as a base for most of my cakes. I highly recommend them because they can hold the weight of the cake.

First layer, second layer, third layer. . .done!

Once your three layer cake is stacked you might want to crumb coat it and chill it for a while in the fridge covered in plastic wrap to assure freshness. You might also opt to put a dowel down the center to hold it in place while you frost it. 

Now comes the fun part! Use one color to frost the cake and another color to decorate. I used the Wilton 1M tip to make the pink swirls on top of the cake. You might opt to use fondant cut-outs of other forms of decoration, depending on your party’s theme.  I threw on a few sprinkles.

Serving Your Cake

You’ll want to chill this cake for a bit to make sure the frosting seals everything together internally. 

Slice carefully with a sharp knife! Cut all the way to the center of the cake to get the full effect. The goal here is so leave those squares inside looking as neat as possible. 

Store this cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will stay fresh for 4 – 5 days. 

What to Expect from this Cake: 

How much fun is this cake?! I love the different colors. This cake is an absolute feast for the eyes and the mouth! Those colors pop against the white cake. 

Best of all, you’re going to feel like a superstar for pulling off this fun checkerboard cake. You’ll look at the finished product and say, “I can’t believe did that!” (Shh! Don’t tell anyone how simple it was!) 

Serve with colorful ice cream for an even bigger wow factor at your upcoming special occasions.

Choosing a Checkerboard Cake for Your Event

Sports Cake

Baseball game coming up? Choose your teams colors and make this cake as instructed but add baseball paraphernalia to the top. Imagine the surprise and delight when you cut into that cake! You can do the same with any sport. Just choose your colors and decor accordingly. 

4th of July Cake

Celebrating the 4th? Make this cake as instructed in red, white, and blue, and cover with stars or other festive decor. 

Gender Reveal Cake

Double the recipe and make this cake (in 8-inch form) leaving out the center ring on each layer and filling that center cavity with pink or blue candies before frosting. Cut into the cake and let the candy center reveal the baby’s sex! 

Baby Shower Cake for a Girl

Use pale pink, brighter pink, and white inside of the cake. The mommy-to-be will be tickled pink! This will also work for a little girl’s birthday cake. (You might consider soft pink, lavender, and white as an alternative.) 

Baby Shower Cake for a Boy

Decorate the interior in two shades of blue, along with white (or maybe blue, soft green, and white). This will also work for a little boy’s birthday cake. 

Fall Cake

Red, orange, yellow. . .the possibilities are endless if you have a cake that’s decorated for fall. You can trim it off with a bit of brown frosting, if you like. 

Colorful Birthday Cake

Other Fun Checkerboard Ideas

Bridal Shower Cake: Want to surprise the bride by inserting her wedding colors directly into the cake? 

St. Patrick’s Day Cake: Use two shades of green, along with white. 

Scouts Honor Cake: Use your troop’s colors to create a fun scouting cake! 

No matter your theme on the outside of the cake, you can match the colors on the inside with this checkerboard method. Just imagine the gorgeous cakes you can make!

Questions People are Asking about Checkerboard Cakes

Should I add frosting between the rings to hold each layer together? 

You can, but cake, once cut, is pretty fragile. Make sure the cake is ice cold and use a very thin frosting, applying with a small offset spatula. 

Do I have to make a round cake? 

No, but your cutters have to match your cake’s shape. If you’re doing square cakes, use square cutters. If you’re doing a rectangular cake use rectangular cutters. 

Can I use different flavors of cake or do I need to stick with a vanilla batter?

Use any flavor you like! Just keep in mind that using three boxes of cake mix you’ll need three 10-inch pans. (A box of cake mix makes a 10-inch cake.) 

Here are some flavor combinations I recommend: 

• Neapolitan: Use strawberry, chocolate, and white cake. 
• Strawberry, lemon, and white cake
• Coconut, lime, and white cake
• Chocolate, Cherry, White
• Red velvet cake, chocolate, white

Do I have to use the egg yolks?

No. If you’re going for a bright white as your base color use four egg whites in place of the three whole eggs.

Can you remind me how many cake mixes I will need for larger pans?

• 1 cake mix will make three 6-inch cakes.
• 2 cake mixes will make three 8-inch cakes.
• 3 cake mixes will make three 10-inch cakes.

Can I do a two tiered checkerboard cake?

Absolutely, just make sure your bottom cake is firmed up (chilled) and doweled before adding that top tier. Checkerboard cakes are a bit more fragile than regular ones.

Do I have to use a cake mix?

Absolutely not! Homemade cake recipes are great! I would love to try my Poppyseed Cake or even my Simple White Cake recipe.

Other Fun Cakes from Out of the Box Baking

Decorating cakes is my passion. Here are a few photos to give you some ideas:

• Birthday cakes and cookies: Check out these fun designs!
• Baby shower cakes and cookies: All of the ideas you’ll need!
• Kids cake and cookie gallery: You’re going to love these fun kid-friendly cakes and cookies!

Check out this fun short video on a cute, colorful Checkerboard cake from Tigga Mac!

That’s it for this post! I hope you enjoyed this fun, decorative cake with the fancy checkerboard design!

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