Zebra Cake
I got this recipe online about a year ago from HERE and fell in love with the beautiful pattern.
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar 8 fl oz./250g - you can increase to 1½ cups for a sweeter cake
- 1 cup milk at room temperature (8 fl oz./250ml)
- 1 cup oil 8 fl oz./300g corn, vegetable or canola is fine
- 2 cups plain/all purpose flour 10 oz./300g
- 1/3 tsp. vanilla powder or you can use 1 tsp. vanilla essence instead
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 2 tbsp. dark cocoa powder
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, combine eggs and sugar. Using a hand-held electric mixer or wire whisk beat until the mixture is creamy and light in color.
- Add milk and oil, and continue beating until well blended.
- In a separate bowl, combine and mix flour, vanilla powder and baking powder. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat just until the batter is smooth and the dry ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. (DO NOT OVERBEAT to prevent air pockets from forming in the batter. The batter should be of medium consistency, not too thick and not too watery.
- Divide the mixture into 2 equal portions. Keep one portion plain. Add cocoa powder into another and mix well.
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C).
- Lightly grease a 9″ round pan.
- The most important part is assembling the cake batter in a baking pan. This is what you do. Scoop 3 heaped tablespoons of plain batter (you can also use a ladle that would hold 3 tablespoons) into the middle of the baking pan. Then scoop 3 tablespoons of cocoa batter and pour it in the center on top of the plain batter. IMPORTANT! Do not stop and wait until the previous batter spreads – KEEP GOING! Do not spread the batter or tilt the pan to distribute the mixture. It will spread by itself and fill the pan gradually. Continue alternating the batters until you finish them.
- Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. Do not open the oven door at least the first 20 minutes or the cake will shrink and will not rise. To check if the cake is ready, insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean when ready. Remove from the oven. Immediately run a small thin knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake, and then invert the cake onto a cooking rack. Turn the cake back over and let cool. You can sprinkle the top of the cake with some powdered (confectioner’s) sugar or leave it plain.
I made it and it turned out yummy!
i usually make cake with a different recipe, its like i use flour and sugar to the same amount and i never use oil is it alright if i make the batter the way i do? or is it important i should follow your method to make a well patterned zebra cake?
I would advice that on the first attempt, stick to the exact recipe. You can use melted butter in place of oil, but the rest should remain the same in order to achieve the right batter consistency for the pattern. Then if you feel it will improve the result, you can adjust to suit your personal taste/experience on the next attempt. 🙂
thanx will try it inshallah,jazakalah sister!
Dear sis fauzia .. My cake
Dear sis fauzia .. My cake turned out well Alhamdullilah , but it was little hard .. Anything I did wrong … Instead of butter can we use melted margarine … My kids didn’t like the cooking oil taste .
You may have either over
You may have either over-mixed or overbaked the cake. Just make sure to measure the ingredients accurately and it should be fine inshaAllah. Yes you can use melted margarine.
hey there. just wondering the 300gms of flour are each cup or together?
Hi, all together.
Dear fauzia,
Can i use self raising flour instead of all purpose flour and baking powder?
Thanks
Yes you can if you want.
Slms FKF if you dnt mind can u plzz shw me step
by step hw to make zebra cake???? it vl really help me out…thnx…:)
W/Salaam, please click the link given in the recipe for step by step images.
السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمُ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتهُهُ fauzia could Ʋ please leave a link whereby we could see how its done step by step? جَزَاكَ اللَّهُ خَيْرًا
W/Salaam. Link is right at the top of the recipe. Please check!
can i bake this in a square shaped tray. will i get the same pattern
Yes you will. 🙂
Assalamalaikum fauzia…need to clear a doubt wid u..y does da top of a cake becum sticky after smtime it’s baked…hope u kin answer me
W/Salaam. Check this note, hopefully it will help guide you on how to avoid that from happening again: Cake Mistakes
can u guide me in pictorial form ..i dont understand the exact way
Check the link given at the top of the recipe.
a.alkm fauzia.i was wandarin if u kud assist me?c i normally bake with ma microwave bt now i want to buy a proper oven..any. suggestions or model u can recomend..thank u in advance.
W/Salaam. I always prefer an electric oven with a gas stove-top. Baking turns out best in electric ovens whilst pot/pan cooking always is easier on a gas burner. Make sure the brand of oven you select is one that has warranty and is recognised, a good investment in a good oven could save you decades of agony as opposed to buying a cheaper make and having to replace it within a few years. Make sure you get a fan-assisted oven, speeds up baking and makes sure heat is evenly distributed in the oven. Also, check that the oven has a grill, this will be handy for browning the tops of such things as buns/cakes/naans etc. Get a spacious oven that can take at least 2 eight inch cake pans side by side with about 1 inch space all around. All the best! 🙂
Loved ur cake….mashaallah
asalam-oalikum
1-whts the difference b-w cake flour, all porpose flour,self raising flour, n normal flour.
2-can we ommit allpurpuse flour to other flour,if yes then what would the result we get. n if not then whts is reason behind them?
3- y we use different flour in different recipes.?
thanx
W/Salaam.
All purpose flour is the same as plain flour/maida. As for cake flour and SR flour, please refer to this note: SR Flour
Different recipes require different textures of flour.
Salam sister. Just want to say you’ve made me famous for my cooking now! And I owe it first to Allah and then your fabulous, spot – on recipes! You can follow them blindly without tasting them and they turn out awesome!
Anyways, just wanted to ask, how is the texture of the cake after you bake it? Mine gets kind of hard. And I tried so hard to make the batter not too thick or too thin. Do you get a nice crumbly texture and if so, how?
Also, do u feel that this cake is a little less sweeter than the ready made mixes from the grocery store? I put so much sugar but I couldn’t get that super sweet taste. Hmm.. I wonder what they put it in.
Please reply! جزاكلله خير فدنياوالاخرا
W/Salaam, thank you dear. Normally I get a good soft crumbly texture with the recipe. I prefer using melted butter in place of oil, like the flavour better that way. As for sweetness, I guess that is a matter of personal taste, what you can do is lightly dust the cake with icing sugar or frost it with melted chocolate to add that extra sweet touch. Try not to over-mix or over-bake the cake, both these things normally make any cake go hard. Bake for less time than you normally do and only mix the batter until the flour is incorporated.
Tanx for your wonderful recipes. Pls my oven is a gas oven. Has up n down lighteung areas inside, which one will I light up for baking.n where do l place my cake-up,mid or down. Tanx a lot
salam
salam
i made that cake n it tasted good.the last appearance of my cake batter before baking was exactly the same u mention in recipie that is… layers of white n brown colors.after baking brown layer mixed with the white one n there was no zebra patterns.where do i wrong,,although i tried to follow the steps exactly..
W/Salaam, maybe the batter
W/Salaam, maybe the batter consistency was too watery or the pan shook before going into the oven. Try and ensure the batter is not too runny.
Always place your cakes in the middle. Turn on the bottom first then midway turn the top on.
Thank you.n I want t tell u dat u’re wonder’full’
Hello,
This is a Home maker from Saudi Arabia.I am basically and Indian living here.I love all your recipes .Tried this cake today ,all were shocked.People went ???how did you make it ?Thanks to you … May God bless you and your family for sharing these wonderful recipes with us.
The cake was a bit hard from the bottom however ???
Thanks again
AOA, can i bake this cake in a square pan? I dont have a 9″ round pan. I have 9 into 9″ square pan.
Yes you can.
thankssss
hey i tried baking this cake today i used the exact recipe, but when my cake was baking it didn’t rise from the center rather from sides.. and it was raw from inside i wonder what mistake did i just make ? can you help me please
Sounds like something was wrong with the heating of the oven (did you preheat?) or the temperature control. Refer to this note please: http://www.fauziaskitchenfun.com/cake-mistakes-find-out-why/
Aoa, i want to bake this yummy cake but I dont have a round cake pan.
I have a square pan of 9*9″ . Is it ok if i use that to bake zebra cake?
Yes you can use a square pan although a 9×9 is quite big so the cake may turn out flat.
Hi Fauzia,
Can I use butter instead of oil? If yes, then please tell me the quantity.
Hi, yes you can. Melt and measure same amount.
Salam fauzia, thanks for this awsome recipe. Wanted to ask , last time i made this cake it was a bit less sweet. If i add 1/2 cup sugar, will it effect the other ingredients? Should i add more oil or milk? Pls help
W/Salaam, i’ve personally never tried altering the sugar amount, you can try increasing it slightly (quarter cup or so) and then frost the cake with chocolate icing or dust it with icing sugar to increase the sweetness. I found the sweetness fine for my taste. 🙂
Assalamualaikum.I’ve tried some of the recipes from other blogs which tastes better or sometimes bitter too.But i was excited to try ur recipes as it always gives a thumbs up.Congratulations & also thanks a lot Fauzia.
Here i want to ask u to assist me in two doubts
1)Will it not smells strange if we use canola oil?
2)Can we use vegetable ghee instead of oil?
W/Salaam, thank you. No canola oil is a neutral oil, it wouldn’t have any weird smell. I have personally never tried ghee in place of oil for any cake so cannot be sure on how that would turn out. 🙂
Hi, can we use self raising flour instead of AP Flour?
And you you’ve taken this recipe from Food Diaries right?
Hi, no you cannot substitute SR flour with AP flour. SR flour has baking powder in it. AP doesn’t. And NO I have not taken the recipe from Food Diaries. I have given the link to the original source of the recipe. Chances are Food Diaries took it from there too and probably neglected to indicate that on their website.
Asak
can ds cake be baked on.stove top???
W/Salaam, yes you can.
Hi..thnk u for the amazing receipe.tried ur cake today n it was grea..got the zebra lines perfect….the only thing i wnted to ask was in the pic ur cake has a nice color on the top as well bt mine had a normal color on the top…please advise
Hi and thanks! Try turning on the top grill of your oven if the oven has one. It will help colour your cake beautifully next time.
i made bt it became rough not like other normal cake bt the cake was taste.
I made this on my parents’
I made this on my parents’ anniversary and it was a great hit! Thanx for the delicious cake recipe. 🙂
Asalam my dear am so glad i
Asalam my dear am so glad i got this site frm my sis in Ireland.thnk u so so much for sharing all that wonderful creative cakes.i just try zebea cake n it turns perfectly wonderful.thnk u so much.Allah ll showers his blessings on u always.
Salaam fauzia . I made this
Salaam fauzia . I made this cake and wht happened was that the plain batter was fine but when I added cocoa to the other half the batter thickened and the layering didnt happen and even while baking the cocoa batter stayed down and the plain batter on top . Wht can I do to rectify this mistake ?
W/Salaam, next time if the
W/Salaam, next time if the dark batter feels a bit too thick, add a tbsp or so of milk to thin it slightly so it reaches the same consistency as the vanilla one.
Assalamualaikum..Can I use
Assalamualaikum..Can I use betty crocker cake?and add cocoa powder in one of the portion?
W/Salaam, yes that is fine.
W/Salaam, yes that is fine. Just add 1-2 tbsp of milk to the batter with the cocoa so it does not end up being too thick compared to the plain batter.
can we use butter instead of
can we use butter instead of oil?
Yes, melt the butter then
Yes, melt the butter then measure.
okeeeey! so i tried the first
okeeeey! so i tried the first time, complete disaster! the look etc came out good but measurement ya mafuta, will it be the same for the butter?
the first one i did now, it came out to oily
(i dont give up easily) so im doin a 2nd batch now again, lakini i did nearly a half to 3/4 butter instead of a full cup.. so lets wait and see how this one comes out, fingers crossed!!
but could it be because of the butter? i used lurpak and its mentioned suitable for baking..
Melt the butter then measure
Melt the butter then measure the amount needed for the recipe. Hope the second attempt is better. 🙂
i’ve already tried the recipe
i’ve already tried the recipe from the given link 🙂 it was yummy n beautiful
hi…can i use salted butter
hi…can i use salted butter instead of oil.
You can, just make sure to
You can, just make sure to melt it and measure the amount as directed in the recipe.
I made the cake today using
I made the cake today using this recipe and it came out amazing….bless you…!!
hey, anty fau i jst want to
hey, anty fau i jst want to make a zebra cake bt i ddnt understand the process of making zebras so when i remove 3scoop of plain where shud i keep it and the cocoa btter shoul replace the plan one? and the process should continue on same place i mean center or and aside? plz let me knw i nid dis
There is a link at the top of
There is a link at the top of the recipe, please click it to see the step by step instructions.
Assalamualikum.. 🙂
Assalamualikum.. 🙂
Can you pls tel me how many spoons/ml of melted chocolate to be added if choco powder isnt available?
JazakAllah
W/Salaam, have actuallty
W/Salaam, have actuallty never tried this with melted chocolate so am not sure how many would be enough and how the consistency of the batter will change. About 4 tbsp but then check and see if the colour is good enough or not and adjust accordingly.
I made this according to the
I made this according to the instructions given in your recipe, but unfortunately the top of the cake peaked and cracked during baking. what would be the reason? please advise…
Please refer to the tips
Please refer to the tips given in this note:
http://www.fauziaskitchenfun.com/cake-mistakes-find-out-why
Salam sis. I want to use this
Salam sis. I want to use this recipe to make a rainbow cake for my daughter’s birthday. I want to use just 3 colours. Any tips? Should I follow the same method only layering 3 times?? Any advice would be great. Jazakallah xx
W/Salaam, yes exactly, same
W/Salaam, yes exactly, same method just divide the batter in three and use a different colour for each then layer 3 times.
Asak
Asak
Can I use rice milk in dis recipe as my daughter is on dairy free diet…or do know any dairy free cake recipe?? Jazakallah
W/Salaam, try this cake, use
W/Salaam, try this cake, use hot water in place of milk and instead of the butter you could use oil or whatever butter substitute your daughter uses. 🙂
http://www.fauziaskitchenfun.com/date-cake
Thanku so much for ur quick
Thanku so much for ur quick reply…
After adding everything how
After adding everything how much time we have to mix it secondly there were bubbles in my cake and under the cake there is a whole in the centre and it is not plane can you tell me why and i have measure the ingredients exactly you told
You can mix well in the first
You can mix well in the first stages but after the FLOUR goes in you only mix until combined. Too much mixing causes an uneven texture and a tough cake.
thanks for your quick
thanks for your quick response
assalamoalaikum .. i tried
assalamoalaikum .. i tried this cake and followed the recipe exactly as it was bt i cdnt get da zebra patterns .. aftrt a few min in da oven the black nd da white pats mixed up .. altough it was soft nd tasty ..
pls ,my oven has top and
pls ,my oven has top and bottom heating heating elements and without fan .pls advice the oven settings
About the elements that need
About the elements that need to be switched on, my oven works differently (I don’t have to switch on various rods at any time) but I believe for ovens like what you are using, start with the bottom one and then midway turn on the top. Accordingly see how the results are and adjust. 🙂
Salaams Fauzia
Salaams Fauzia
Made this zebra cake today and it turned out so nice. In fact it looked so beautiful. The taste and the texture was perfect, followed your recipe exactly step by step. You have made my cooking so very interesting and tension free. Thank you so much. I want to send you the pictures of all your recipes which I have made but I do not have a Facebook account so how can I send you the photos? Thank you
W/Salaam, thank you so much!
W/Salaam, thank you so much! You can email the pics to me on fauziaskitchenfun@hotmail.com 🙂
Hi fauzia, can I use
Hi fauzia, can I use sunflower oil for this cake receipe
Hi, if it does not have a
Hi, if it does not have a funny smell or taste then yes.
Hi fauzia, which brand of
Hi fauzia, which brand of cocoa powder you used for this cake?
Hi, Cadbury’s Cocoa powder.
Hi, Cadbury’s Cocoa powder.
Assalamualaikum Fauzia 🙂
Assalamualaikum Fauzia 🙂
you recipes are great and easy to follow. Masha Allah 🙂 Good going <3
COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME IF I CAN USE CAKE FLOUR FOR THIS RECIPE?
W/Salaam, thank you. Yes you
W/Salaam, thank you. Yes you can use cake flour.
Hi fauzia, i made this recipe
Hi fauzia, i made this recipe and it turned out yummy.
I have only one question….my cake top became kinda hard when it came out of the oven. Almost like a crust. Could you tell me why that happened ?
Aside from that, it turned out great.
Hi, thanks for the lovely
Hi, thanks for the lovely feedback! Could it be that you baked the cake for longer than the recommended time?
Assalam-o-alaikum fauzia. I
Assalam-o-alaikum fauzia. I baked this cake. I don’t have beater or whisker so i beated the batter using folk and when i added cocoa powder in another batter air pockets formed. I don’t know what went wrong. Please suggest what to do so that it may not happen again. And i followed the exact reciepe of your’s it’s wrotten to bake the cake for 40 minutes but mine got baked in less than 30 minutes and when i checked after 25 minutes it was burnt from sides and down. What should be the baking time to bake cake perfectly?
W/Salaam. Using a fork is ok
W/Salaam. Using a fork is ok but when mixing the cocoa powder into the batter use a spoon and mix well. Make sure the cocoa powder is sifted so it has no lumps and add it in gradually. As for the baking time 25 mins is very short to burn the cake so it means your oven temperature was too high or your oven runs too hot. Have that checked. :))
Asalamualaikum I made the
Asalamualaikum I made the cake today it was lovely easy recipe .Just one query fauzia why is there taste of baking powder coming in it should I reduce the amount
W/Salaam, there should be no
W/Salaam, there should be no taste of baking powder. It could be the brand you are using, you could try changing it and trying a different brand. 🙂
I sent you mesg dear, kindly
I sent you mesg dear, kindly approve n reply me
Where did you post your
Where did you post your message Hunaiza? All the pending messages have been approved/responded to.
Asalamu alaikm fauzia
Asalamu alaikm fauzia
Ma shaa Allah you are doing great job…. most imp thing is that you are so soft to you fans & it’s plus point…. we have made a lot of dishes from your recipes nd they turned out lovely Ma shaa Allah. ….
I tried your Zebra cake it came out gud bul not properly cooked from inside bt taste n outside was yummmy. ..
I have an electric oven I don’t know how to set it… if I set it on low heat it takes much time like 1 hour sometimes bt if I set it on high heat my cake burns 🙁
What I should do…. I think prblm is with my oven…. what can I do…. how I should set its heat?
Jazakillah
W/Salaam, thanks for the
W/Salaam, thanks for the lovely feedback. Does your oven have a temperature regulator? There should be a knob somewhere that shows you what temp the oven is being set on. If there isn’t one, then am afraid it will always be a matter of guesswork unless you invest in a better oven OR buy an oven thermometer which will help show you what temp your oven is heating to.
Thank you fauzia.
Thank you fauzia.
It’s not the always problem with me… I have biscuits, roasted chicken, puff pastry etc & they have lovely taste n texture bt problem is always with my cakes n cupcakes 🙁
Heat setting for my cakes n cupcakes is very imp..
Assalam-o-Alaikum
Assalam-o-Alaikum
Will you please tell me that how much flour we use in this zebra cake as u wrote
2 cups plain/all purpose flour (10 oz./300g)
As 2 cups are not equal to 300gms
W/Salaam, for this particular
W/Salaam, for this particular recipe that I learnt from someone else, the measurement for them is that 1 cup of flour equals 150g. So please weigh the measurement very carefully and use.
Assalamu alaikum…can i use
Assalamu alaikum…can i use this batter to make cupcakes?
If yes for how much time it will take to bake?
W/Salaam, yes you can.
W/Salaam, yes you can. Cupcakes generally take between 12 and 15 minutes to bake, check with a toothpick to be sure they are properly baked.
Salams sis…
Salams sis…
My cake turned out hard and it was raised up and cracked… y is that?? Last time also with a different type of cake the same happened, raised and cracked… but that was soft..
W/Salaam, please read through
W/Salaam, please read through this note:
http://www.fauziaskitchenfun.com/cake-mistakes-find-out-why
For how long do we need to
For how long do we need to beat the egg and sugar? Then after adding milk and oil for how long should I beat it again?
Beat until smooth and creamy.
Beat until smooth and creamy.