Checkerboard Cake (Sponge Cake Based)

I'm making a checkerboard birthday cake for my January BB~my hubby. This cake really take a lot of effort to cut and decorate. The result looks ok but the cake a bit dry. I think I'll have another try later.

Ingredients

Original Sponge Cake

• 70g of self-rising flour    70 克自发粉
• 50g of custard sugar     50 克砂糖 
• 10g of butter    10 克牛油
• 2 eggs    2 颗蛋
• 10cc of milk    10cc 奶

Chocolate Sponge Cake

• 60g of self-rising flour    60 克自发粉
• 10g of cocoa powder    10 克可可粉
• 50g of custard sugar     50 克砂糖 
• 10g of butter    10 克牛油
• 2 eggs    2 颗蛋
• 10cc of milk    10cc 奶

Frosting & Decorating

• 300g of non-dairy whipping cream     300 克植物性鲜奶油
• chocolate wafer    巧克力威化
• 1/4 tea spoon of coffee powder    1/4 茶匙咖啡粉
• blueberries    蓝莓

Steps 

Original Sponge Cake

1. Keep the eggs in room temperature for at least 24 hours. Then place the eggs in a bowl of warm water (approximate 50°C) for 5 minutes.     蛋置在室温至少24个小时，然后泡在约50°C的温水里5分钟。
2. Sift the self-rising flour 3 times.    自发粉过筛三次待用。
3. Melt the butter on double boiler.     融化牛油。
4. Place the eggs and the sugar in a mixing bowl, beat with the mixer at high speed for about 8-10 minutes until it turns to fluffy and there are clear lines seen on the surface (photo 4).    蛋和糖用搅拌机高速打约8-10分钟至可清楚看见折叠的痕迹即可(图4)。
5. Put in 1/2 of the self-rising flour into the mixture, and fold in by hand (do it lightly yet fast to retain the air bubble in the batter). Do the same for the balance.    把1/2自发粉手拌入蛋糊(轻手但也得快速以免消泡)。另外半份重复此步骤。          
6. Add the milk into melted butter and well stir.    奶加入已融牛油混合好。
7. Pour a small portion of batter into the butter mixture, stir well by hand. Pour back into the batter and stir evenly (again lightly but fast).    把一小部分的面糊倒进牛油混合物手拌匀，再倒回面糊搅匀(轻手但快速)。
8. Pour the batter into the baking container which lined with baking paper. Knock the container to remove the bubbles.    面糊倒入已铺上烘焙纸的烤盒里，敲几下去气泡。
9. Bake at 160°C for 25 minutes. Move the cake from container, turn over and place on a cooling tray. Cover the cake  with wet clothe to cold down. Keep the cake inside a plastic bag or air tight container, leave it over night in the fridge.    以160°C烘25分钟。出炉后取出蛋糕倒扣放在凉架上，包上湿布放凉。最后把蛋糕放进袋里或密封盒子冷藏一夜再用。

Chocolate Sponge Cake

1. Keep the eggs in room temperature for at least 24 hours. Then place the eggs in a bowl of warm water (approximate 50°C) for 5 minutes.     蛋置在室温至少24个小时，或泡在约50°C的温水里5分钟。
2. Sift the self-rising flour and cocoa powder 3 times.    自发粉和可可粉过筛三次待用。
3. Melt the butter on double boiler.     融化牛油。
4. Place the eggs and the sugar in a mixing bowl, beat with the mixer at high speed for about 8-10 minutes until it turns to fluffy and there are clear lines seen on the surface.    蛋和糖用搅拌机高速打约8-10分钟至可清楚看见折叠的痕迹即可。
5. Put in 1/2 of the self-rising flour and cocoa powder into the mixture, and fold in by hand (do it lightly yet fast to retain the air bubble in the batter). Do the same for the balance.   把1/2自发粉和可可粉手拌入蛋糊(轻手但也得快速以免消泡)。另外半份重复此步骤。                    
6. Add the milk into melted butter and well stir.    奶加入已融牛油混合好。  
7. Pour a small portion of batter into the butter mixture, stir well by hand. Pour back into the batter and stir evenly (again lightly but fast).    把一小部分的面糊倒进牛油混合物手拌匀，再倒回面糊搅匀(轻手但快速)。
8. Pour the batter into the baking container which lined with baking paper. Knock the container to remove the bubbles.    面糊倒入已铺上烘焙纸的烤盒里，敲几下去气泡。
9. Bake at 160°C for 25 minutes. Move the cake from container, turn over and place on a cooling tray. Cover the cake  with wet clothe to cold down. Keep the cake inside a plastic bag or air tight container, leave it over night in the fridge.    以160°C烘25分钟。出炉后取出蛋糕倒扣放在凉架上，包上湿布放凉。最后把蛋糕放进袋里或密封盒子冷藏一夜再用。

Frosting & Decorating

1. Add the coffee powder into the whipping cream, then beat to fluffy and moist. Keep in chill.    咖啡粉加入鲜奶油打发冷藏。
2. Cut each cake horizontally into 2 halves. You will have 2 original cakes and 2 chocolate cakes. You may use skewer or toothpick to help in cutting cake into equal size.    把两个蛋糕横切两半，就有2个原味和2个巧克力味。可以竹签或牙签帮忙以便能切出同样大小的形状。
3. Then cut 2 rings of different sizes from every cake (photo 26). Arrange them like in photo 29.    每个蛋糕割出一大一小的圆形 (图26)，再排成如图29那般。 
4. Stack the cakes (alternate colors) with the whipping cream in the center (photo 34). Frost the whole cake with whipping cream.    蛋糕以交差颜色，每层抹上鲜奶油叠起。然后整个蛋糕抹上鲜奶油。
5. Decorate the cake with chocolate wafer and blueberries.    最后用巧克力威化和蓝莓装饰。