I’m going to be 100% honest with you. The original intent behind this post was to make a zebra cake. I tried… and the end result didn’t look one bit zebra-like. It turned out to be a marble cake. I’m still not quite sure where I went wrong with the zebra-izing process (any suggestions, dear readers?). But I’m sharing this cake for two reasons 1) it was delicious and 2) I think it’s important for food bloggers to show something that doesn’t go perfectly. It’s too easy to believe that we’re all baking amazing things! All the time! Never failing!
So not true!
If you’ve got any advice on how to make a kick-ass zebra cake, let me know. I’m welcome to suggestions! Instead, enjoy this recipe for a marble Bundt cake. It was so, so delicious.
Marble Bundt Cake
Recipe source: Baker’s Royale
Print Recipe
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-1/2 cups granulated sugar, divided
1/2 cup natural (not Dutch-processed) cocoa powder
6 tablespoons water
1-1/2 cups unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tub store-bought chocolate frosting (for the glaze)
1. Sift flour baking powder and salt into a bowl; set aside.
2. In a separate medium size bowl add in 1/2 cup of sugar, the cocoa powder, and water then whisk until mixture is smooth; set aside.
3. Place melted butter and sugar in a stand mixer bowl fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on medium high until mixture is blended, about 1 minute. Add in vanilla and beat until combined. Add and beat eggs one at time, mixing well after each addition. Once all eggs are added, beat mixture until it becomes light and fluffy (it will resemble pancake batter, but slightly thinner).
4. Turn mixer speed down to low and add the flour in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions and mixing just until blended.
5. Add 2 cups of the batter to the cocoa mixture and stir until blended.
6. Using an ice cream scoop, pour two scoops of vanilla mixture into pan. Now alternate and pour one scoop of chocolate mixture on top of vanilla mixture. Continue to alternate between vanilla and chocolate layers until bundt pan is filled. [clearly something went wrong in this step for me!]
7. Bake zebra pound cake for 50-60 minutes at 350 degrees F or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack and cool completely.
8. Once cooled and on a cake stand, prepare the glaze. I microwaved the store-bought icing for 10 second increments until the frosting was smooth and pourable (don’t over-do it though, you want to avoid having a soupy glaze). Pour the chocolate frosting over the cake & enjoy!
Sadly, not zebra-esque. Chocolate on the outside, vanilla on the inside. Damn tasty though..
This sounds positively unreal! Yum!
Thanks, Katrina!
I’ve made a zebra cake as well… and mine turned out worse than yours!
I got my recipe off of http://www.bakersroyale.com and she does a fairly well job of showing you how to make it zebra-like.
I don’t know if it’ll help, but you never know!
Hannah: That’s the recipe I used, too! Hmmmm. It’s a mystery!
oh dang! well do some more research and definitely let me know if you figure out a way! i love the look of zebra cakes and would definitely love to know how to make them look right. :P
Ha, will do!!
Your cake looks so delicious, and clearly took serious work.
But I just have to ask…why the heck would you take such a masterpiece and use canned frosting? I simply cannot fathom the reasoning here.
Because I’m a law student and sometimes I just don’t have the time and/or energy to go 100% homemade.
Hi, this is the first time I stumbled on your blog. And I was hooked browsing all your recipes until I got on your zebra cake. I made zebra cake a couple of years back and saved the recipe. It turned out great, so it might help you too. Try to visit this link for a very detailed instructions. Good luck!! http://azcookbook.wordpress.com/2008/02/15/zebra-cake/
Jinky – thanks for the comment! But the link you included doesn’t work!
Hi Annie, so sorry to hear that!! So silly of me by not checking it first if its still working..As you can see, the date was still in 2008 :)…Anyhow, I can send you the detailed instruction thru your mail. Just send your email add and will gladly give you a copy. Thanks!!