Chocolate Checkerboard Cake

This cake tastes as great as it looks. It's bound to be the topic of conversation at the dinner table! ...MORE + LESS -

1 pkg (510 g) Betty Crocker* SuperMoist Golden Cake Mix

1 cup (250 mL) milk

1/3 pkg (250 g) cream cheese, softened

1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla

3 eggs

1/4 cup (50 mL) cocoa powder

1 tub (450 g) Betty Crocker* Creamy Deluxe Chocolate Frosting

Hide Images

1

Heat oven to 350°F (180°C) for shiny metal or glass pans or 325°F (160°C) for dark or non-stick pans. Grease bottoms and sides of three 9-inch (23 cm) round baking pans of checkerboard cake set with shortening; lightly flour.
2

Place divider ring in one of the pans, following manufacturer's directions.
3

In medium bowl, beat cake mix, milk, cream cheese, vanilla and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl constantly. Beat 2 minutes longer. Divide batter in half; stir cocoa into half of batter.
4

Spoon batter into pan with divider ring, following manufacturer's directions. Repeat for each cake layer.
5

Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; loosen side of cake from pans with metal spatula; turn upside down onto cooling rack. Remove pans. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
6

Using a thin layer of frosting between layers, stack cake layers so outside colors of cake alternate. Place cake on serving plate; frost side and top of cake with frosting.