CHECKERBOARD CAKE

Serves :

Preparation Time :

20 minutes

Cooking Time :

30 minutes

Preparation Method :

To make the dough for the pastry base: sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the sugar, vanilla sugar, and butter.
Beat the ingredients using the dough hook attachment on the mixer, starting slowly then increasing to maximum speed. Transfer to a floured work surface and knead until smooth and elastic.
Roll out the dough and use it to line the base of a 10in spring form pan. Prick it a few times with a fork.
Close the spring form and bake in a preheated 400°F/200°C oven for approximately 15 minutes.
Remove immediately, unlock the spring form, and leave the base to cool. To make the sponge: break the eggs into a mixing bowl and beat them with a mixer for one minute until frothy.
Sift the sugar and vanilla sugar and gradually beat them into the eggs. Add the almond extract and ground cinnamon, and mix for a further 2 minutes.
Sift the cornstarch with the baking powder, stir into the egg mixture, and mix at lowest speed.
Add the ground hazelnuts. Line a greased 10inch spring form pan with nonstick baking paper.
Add the sponge mixture and bake in a preheated 350°F/180°C oven for approximately 30 minutes. Unmold onto a wire rack covered with nonstick baking paper and allow to cool.
Cut the cake horizontally into three layers twice. To make the dark frosting: chop the chocolate coarsely. Bring the cream to boil, remove from the heat and stir the chocolate.
When it has dissolved, pour the mixture into a mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to cool.
To make the light butter cream: chop the white chocolate couverture finely. Bring the heavy cream to boil and remove from the heat.
Stir in the white couverture until dissolved, then pour it into a mixing bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and leave to cool.
Spread the orange marmalade over the bottom and center cake layers.
Beat the dark chocolate mixture until it thickens and stir in the butter. Flavor with the orange liqueur.
Beat the light couverture mixture in the same way. Stir in the butter and add a little liqueur. Fill one piping bag with the light butter cream and another with two-thirds of the dark butter cream.
Brush the pastry base with the rest of the marmalade and place the bottom round on top of it. Pipe out alternate dark and light circles of butter cream, starting with the dark butter cream.
Begin at the edge and work inward. Lay the middle layer on top of the butter cream, press down lightly, and do the same with this layer, but this time start with the light butter cream.
Add the third layer, again pressing down lightly. Use the remaining dark butter cream to decorate the top layer.
To decorate: knead the marzipan with the powdered sugar. Roll out in between sheets of heavy plastic wrap.
Cut out marzipan stars with a cookie cutter, brush with a little water, sprinkle with sugar, and place on the cake.
Cover the center of the cake with a star-patterned doily and dust with powdered sugar.
Remove the doily and sprinkle the edge of the cake with hazelnuts.