Description
This Zebra Cake is a visually stunning and delicious layered cake featuring alternating stripes of vanilla and chocolate batter that create a striking zebra pattern when sliced. Soft, moist, and perfectly balanced between rich chocolate and classic vanilla flavors, it’s an impressive yet easy-to-make dessert ideal for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup boiling water
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy, which will help create a tender texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, beating thoroughly after each addition to ensure even incorporation. Stir in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture alternately with the milk, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined to avoid overmixing, which can make the cake tough.
- Prepare Batter Portions: Divide the batter evenly into two bowls. To one bowl, add the cocoa powder and boiling water, stirring until the chocolate batter is smooth. Leave the other portion as the vanilla batter.
- Create Zebra Pattern: Spoon 1 tablespoon of vanilla batter into the center of the prepared pan, then spoon 1 tablespoon of chocolate batter directly on top of it. Continue alternating spoonfuls of vanilla and chocolate batter in the center, allowing the batter to spread outwards naturally, forming a striped zebra effect.
- Bake the Cake: Place the cake pan in the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean without wet batter.
- Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes to set. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is softened but not melted for proper creaming.
- Do not overmix batter after adding flour to keep the cake tender.
- Boiling water helps to bloom the cocoa powder enhancing the chocolate flavor in the cake.
- Use room temperature eggs for better consistency in the batter.
- The zebra pattern is best achieved by carefully layering batter in the center and letting it spread naturally.
- Cool the cake completely before slicing to maintain clean zebra stripes.
