Hearts Abound Checkerboard Cake

Love is in the air, and we have the best way to interpret it into a delicious cake using the Wilton Checker board Cake Pan. Your loved ones will definitely get the message with its assortment of fondant hearts.

Ingredients:-

• 3 Boxes
• Rose Icing Colour
• Red Icing Colour
• Butter Cream Icing
• 24 oz. White Ready to use rolled fondant

Tools:-

• Tooth Picks
• Checker Board Cake Pan
• Non-Stick Cooling Grid
• 10 Inch Cake Circles
• Silver Fancy Foil Wrap
• Scissor
• Tape
• 13 in. Angled Spatula
• 9 in. Rolling pin (with 1/8 in. rings)
• Roll-N-Cut Mat
• Hearts Nesting Cutter Set (3 smallest used)
• Decorator Brush Set
• 12 in. Disposable Decorating Bags

Techniques Used

Fondant Cut-Outs

Makes

Cake Serves 20

Instructions:-

step 1

Individually prepare 3 boxes white cake mix following package instructions;. In one portion of batter, gently stir in Rose Icing Color to desired shade. (Use clean toothpicks to transfer color from jar to batter.) Repeat with Red-Red Icing Color to color second portion; reserve last portion white.

step 2

For bottom layer, place Batter Dividing Ring in the first prepared pan. Pour red-coloured batter in outer section, place white batter in middle and rose-coloured batter in centre sections. Fill sections 2/3 full. Remove ring for pan by carefully lifting straight up on handles. Rinse and completely dry ring.

step 3

For top layer, place clean ring in second prepared pan. Pour rose-coloured batter in outer circle, red-coloured batter in middle section; use reserved white batter for centre. Fill sections 2/3 full. Remove ring from pan by carefully lifting straight up on handles. Rinse and completely dry ring.

step 4

For middle layer, place clean and dry ring in third prepared pan. Pour white batter in outer section, pour rose-coloured batter in middle section and pour red-coloured batter in centre. Fill sections 2/3 full. Remove ring from pan by carefully lifting straight up on handles. DO NOT PUT RING IN OVEN.

step 5

Bake and cool cakes following package directions.

step 6

Prepare butter cream icing and colour light rose. Stack cakes on foil-wrapped cake circle and ice with light rose icing and spatula.

step 7

Tint fondant 8 oz. deep rose and 8 oz. red; reserve 8 oz. white.

step 8

Roll out each fondant 1/8 in. thick. Using the three smaller heart cutters from set, cut out five hearts per cutter size and in each colour.

step 9

Attach different sizes and colours of hearts to top and sides of cake with damp brush; overlapping some.

step 10

Use tip 12 and rose icing to pipe bottom ball border.

Top 10 DIY, Valentine's Gift Ideas to Please Your Valentine

During Valentine's Day, everyone wants to be surprised with a memorable gift or date. Certainly, your loved-ones deserve to get something that will make them feel special, loved and cared for.  

What is a better way to express your love by doing it with Do-It-Yourself (DIY) gifts? Here are top 10 DIY gift ideas that are affordable and can express your affection the way you want it:

10 DIY And Budget-friendly Valentine's Day Gift Ideas

1.  Have A Way With Words - Express your love with few words specially penned down for your valentine. Compose a poem or song with words expressing how much you love them and how they make a difference in your life. A well-thought gift will always be appreciated and will make them feel special. If writing a poem is not your cup of tea, then write a note in simple words and say those things that will make them feel cherished.

2. Sharpie Mugs - Make a personalized coffee mug where they can sip their first morning coffee and think about you. Create it by writing a special, cheerful message or drawing something cute with sharp marker on a plain white mug. This DIY Valentine's Day project will take less than 30 minutes and will please your lover enormously without leaving a hole in your pocket.

3. Do-It-Yourself Dinner - Everyone dreams of an ideal date and a date without a special meal is never complete. So why not treat them with a special supper? Select their favorite dishes and make them at home and flatter them by setting up romantic ambience with some candles and sweet music in the background. This DIY Valentine's Day surprise will only enhance your skill as a cook and make your efforts count.

4. DIY Red Roses - People love receiving flowers, especially red roses on Valentine's Day. To be more original, opt for homemade roses as your gift to your valentine. All you need is an aluminum wire used for making flowers, a florist tape that can be wrapped around the wire to make it look like a step and origami sheets or duct tape.   

5. Cake or Chocolates - Buying a cake or a pack of chocolates is easy, but baking a cake or making chocolates is not only budget- friendly but also about the effort you put into creating something that can be relished. Several easy-to-bake cake or easy-to-make chocolates recipes are available online for your assistance. Pick on any with flavours and ingredients preferred by your valentine and flatter them on the day of love.

6. Framed Memories - Select favourite photos of both of you from your memorable date and frame them in a photo frame. You can also make collage with your collection or canvas transfer.

7. Sew Mittens or Gloves - Let them know that you care by sewing a pair of funky mittens or gloves by re purposing old sweaters. This will express your concern and show painstaking efforts undertaken for creating a so-special gift.

8. A Valentine's Day Card - Put on your creative hat and design a special Valentine's Day card. Scribble down some sweet words and messages for them to read and savor forever.

9. Memory Board or Memory Box - Relive old memories with them by giving them a memory board or memory box. Collect all those items associated to your memorable days together. Tell them how and why you remember and cherish them.

10. Personalized T-Shirt or a Tank Top: Design a one of a kind T-shirt or a tank top for your valentine. It is one of the most affordable DIY Valentine's Day gift ideas. All you need is a plain T-shirt or tank top and few fabric or acrylic colors to draw with. You can also simply write a cool message on this gift that is surely going to please them.