Auntie Miranda's Cherry and Vanilla Checkerboard Cake

 

  I just love this cake of Auntie Miranda's and it tasted every bit as good as it looks!  

She made it last year for James' birthday, the same birthday that I made the from scratch Swedish Meatballs with cranberries and the Jansson's Temptation.

For those who don't know, our family has a little tradition of cooking whatever the birthday boy or girl wants for his birthday dinner.  With James, our tradition is that I make the meal and Auntie creates the cake, all from James' directional whim of the year. We tease him that no matter how hard he tries to stump us, we will always win.  His choices for this year?  Greek food with Pineapple Upside Down Cake for dessert.  Just wait, James, we've got both under control, actually there's no "we". I work the night before so Auntie has it all under control and she even found a Greek version of pineapple upside down cake.  Bring it on, Big Boy!

 

Auntie Miranda's Cherry and Vanilla Checkerboard Cake

Recipe by Auntie and copied verbatim from her email to me:

 

Directions for a two layer cake, with notes to turn into a three layer
checkerboard cake.

Cake:

1 Betty Crocker Cherry Chip Cake - make according to package directions
EXCEPT substitute milk for the water and add one teaspoon vanilla to the batter.
 You can use a few drops of red food coloring to turn it pink if desired.

Bake, according to package directions, in two 8, 9, or 10 inch layers.  Let
cool completely.

Note:  Substitute a vanilla or chocolate cake mix, if
desired.

 

Buttercream Frosting: (For two layer
cake)

2 Sticks Butter - Room temperature

3-4 Cups Confectioner's Sugar -
Sifted

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tablespoon Vanilla

Up to 4 Tablespoons Cream or Milk

 

In mixer bowl, beat butter for a couple of minutes
with the paddle attachment.  Add three cups of sugar on lowest speed until well
combined.  Then add salt, vanilla, and TWO Tablespoons of cream or milk.
 Increase speed to medium and beat for three minutes, using a spatula to scrape
the sides occasionally. 

 

If mixture is too thin, add the additional
Confectioner's Sugar.  If it's too thick, add additional cream or milk, one
tablespoon at a time.

 

Filling:

1/2 Cup Buttercream Frosting
(above)

1/4 Cup Toasted Pecans - chopped

1/4 Cup Maraschino Cherries -
chopped

1/4 Cup Sweetened, Flaked Coconut

 

Mix together.  

 

Assembly:

Place filling between cake layers, leaving 1/4 inch
rim around the cake (so it doesn't mix with the outer frosting).  Frost top and
sides with rest of the frosting.

 

Decoration:

I found Gummy Cherry Twins at my local drug store.
 They look like two cherries on stems, with the stems joined at the top.  Made
for a beautiful decoration on the top and sides.

 

Variation notes:  For a three layer cake or a
three layer checkerboard cake, you will need two cake mixes.  Use leftover
batter to make cupcakes.  

 

Make one and a half recipes of frosting, and double
the filling recipe.  If you want frosting for a dozen cupcakes also, I would
double the frosting recipe.

 

For the checkerboard cake, I added food coloring to
only ONE of the cake mixes.  It would also be beautiful as a three layer cake
with the center layer being a different color than the other two - and a lot
less hassle than using the checkerboard pans.

 

Now...take everything you've learned here and think
STRAWBERRY.  Wouldn't that be yummy?