Up Close Pixelated Checkerboard Cake

Instructions

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1. -

   1-2 days in advance prepare fondant. Roll out fondant 1/16 in. thick and cut into one 7 ½ in. x 40 in. piece and one 3 in. x 40 in. piece.

   Use candy melting tray to mix four color combinations of fondant paint formulas listed. Use damp brush to paint fondant pieces, one at a time. 7 ½ in. x 40 in.: Paint pink stripes ¼ in. wide, the length of the fondant piece. Add more water to lighten color for another stripe. Next, blend purple into pink, paint purple stripe followed by lighter purple. Continue in this manner until fondant piece is completely painted. 3 in. x 40 in.: Paint navy blue stripes, ¼ in. wide, the length of the fondant piece. Add more water to lighten color for another stripe. Next, blend blue into navy stripe, followed by lighter blue. Continue in this manner until fondant piece is completely painted. Let dry 24 hours.

   Fondant “paint”: Use Color Right base colors and QuickCount color formulas to tint the following shade

   • Blue: 2 B + 1 P + 1 R, plus water
   • Navy Blue: 1B + 1 K, plus water
   • Purple: 1 P + 1 B, plus water
   • Pink: 1 P, plus water
2. - 1 day in advance, cut fondant pieces. Cut fondant into 10 in. long pieces x ¼ in. high, Keep pieces in color order and set aside.
3. -

   Bake Cake. Separately prepare three cake mixes. Tint according to formulas listed. Bake and cool cake.

   Use Color Right base colors and QuickCount color formulas to tint the following shade

   • Bright and Bold Purple: one prepared white cake mix + 20 P + 2 B
   • Spring Blue: one prepared white cake mix + 5 B + 1 K
   • Winter Navy Blue: one prepared white cake mix + 3 P + 2 B
   • - Assemble Cake. Stack layers with icing between, alternating color sections from top to bottom.
   • - Ice cake. Ice cake top and sides smooth in white icing
   • -

     Decorate cake. Attach fondant strips to side of cake, one side at a time. Determine the center of the side of the cake. Attach the darkest blue fondant strips first, at the center, positioned in the shape of an “X”. As you attach fondant, trim edges as necessary to fit. Remaining 3 in. long pieces are positioned vertically, 7 ½ in. long pieces are positioned horizontally. Cut fondant into ¼ in. pieces. Attach pieces end to end, with no icing showing through. Begin with navy blue first, then blue above that. Pink moves outward from center either left or right of blue, followed by purple.

     Repeat to attach fondant strips for each cake side.