Showstopper Chequerboard Cake Recipe with Home Bargains

Would I like to bake a Showstopper Cake? The lovely people at Home Bargains have sent me a selection of some of their great products so I can get involved with the #GBBO craze and bake my very own Showstopper cake. I turned to my Great British Bake Off book and had a flick through for inspiration and decided on a recipe for Chocolate Checkerboard cake.

Chocolate Checkerboard Cake Recipe

The cake was quite straight forward, make a vanilla sponge mix which you then split and add some cocoa and milk to one half. Then using two piping bags, pipe the two sponge mixes into the cake pans. I used the Home Bargains round silicone cake trays, I made sure these were greased and have to say the cake turned out easily and perfectly using the stainless steel spatula.

Home Bargains baking goodies

Whilst I waited for the cake to cool, I made some white chocolate and some plain chocolate ganache. The pink silicone trivet £0.79 was most useful at protecting the work surface as I was mixing the heated cream into the chocolate. It also takes up less room than a traditional wooden trivet. I have to say the white chocolate ganache was absolutely gorgeous, I thoroughly indulged in eating the leftovers!

Trivet time

The two cakes were sandwiched together with the white chocolate ganache, and then the fun began smothering the cake with rich dark chocolate ganache. Now this is where the Stainless Steel spatula really came into its own, I was very impressed it is slightly offset which makes it easier to work with and priced at only £0.99 it really is a Home Bargains bargain!

Easy checkerboard cake recipe

The cake was transported down to Worcestershire where the 50 years young birthday boy was waiting. As you can see below when you cut a slice of cake the checkerboard effect can be seen, how very clever! What a tasty and wonderful Home Bargains Showstopper Cake it was, will now try and persuade my niece to have this cake in pink for her next birthday.

Loved the spatula with measurements from Home Bargains

I am looking forward to using the super cute Woodland animals cake cases during the forthcoming school holidays when my niece and I can bake some fairy cakes.