Mocha Checkered Cake

Sounds familiar? Of course it is! It's from Wendy's blog! I have a soft spot for chocolate and coffee combinations. Hahaha... When I saw Wendy's cake, it seemed to be calling out to me to "bake me! bake me!" Therefore, I fulfilled my baking temptation to make it!

I used chocolate buttercream instead as my family members preferred chocolate. The cake layers were very soft. The checkered layers really made it taste like mocha, which is the best of both worlds! It was really fun assembling and alternating the two flavours. My family members were impressed by the checkered layers.

Recipe for Mocha Checkered Cake, adapted from Table for 2.... or more.
Makes an 8" cake

Ingredients:
Coffee Layer
3 Egg yolks
40g Caster sugar
30g Oil
60g Top flour
2 tsp Coffee powder
30g Hot water

Chocolate Layer
3 Egg yolks
40g Caster sugar
30g Oil
45g Top flour
15g Cocoa powder
30g Hot water
1/2 tsp Vanilla extract

Meringue
6 Egg whites
85g Caster sugar
1/2 tsp Cream of tartar

1.5 portion of Chocolate Swiss Meringue Buttercream (sieve in 25g cocoa powder after step #3 in the recipe to get Chocolate buttercream)

Method:

1. Prepare two 8" round pans. Lined with baking paper. Preheat fan oven to 150C.
2. Coffee Layer: Mix the coffee powder with hot water. Set aside to let it cool.
3. In a mixing bowl, mix egg yolks with sugar till lighter. Add in coffee paste and oil. Mix well before adding in flour. Ensure mixture is thoroughly combined. Set aside.
4. Chocolate Layer:  Mix the cocoa powder with hot water. Set aside to let it cool.
5. Mix egg yolks with sugar till lighter in another mixing bowl. Add in cocoa paste, vanilla extract and oil. Mix well before adding in flour. Ensure mixture is thoroughly combined.
6. Meringue: Weigh your mixing bowl before putting in egg whites. In the mixing bowl, beat egg whites until frothy, add in cream of tartar and beat until soft peak. Gradually add in sugar and beat until stiff.
7. Weigh your mixing bowl, then deduct the weight of the mixing bowl. With the remaining amount, divide by half. Remove (accurately) half the meringue from the mixing bowl and fold into the coffee mixture.
8. Fold the balance of the meringue into the chocolate mixture.
9. Pour both batter separately into the prepared pans and bake for 30mins.
10. Remove from the oven and place them on the rack.
11. After a while, gently release the sides and let the cake cool on a wire rack.

Assembly:

1. Slice each of the cake into half. Ensure that the layers are even.
2. Cut each layer into 4 different rings.

3. Coat each of the rings with buttercream, alternate the flavours and arrange them in a layer.

4. After each layer, spread buttercream on it evenly. Then repeat #3.

5. Frost the whole cake and decorate as desired.

6. Chill before serving.

I'm submitting this to  Aspiring Bakers #18: Layers of Love (April 2012) hosted by  Sam of Sweet Samsations.