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This Zebra cake is beautiful to look at, healthy to eat and easy to make. As it is said that eyes eat the food first, this saying fits perfectly here.
This cake has all the healthy ingredients except white sugar. I chose white sugar so as to keep the white colour intact having a clear-cut zebra pattern. You can very well replace it with brown sugar or jaggery powder but then it will be simply chocolate cake only.
The recipe of this Zebra Cake is more or less the same as my earlier cakes. I made this for my son Shivang’s friend Somesh Mathur who liked my Malai cake a lot. But since I didn’t have enough stored malai in my refrigerator so I made this one and was equally liked by him. In fact, the pattern came out better because of white sugar. You can use coconut sugar or any other sugar as well.
Step By Step Pics Of Zebra Cake
- Like all other cakes, we will start by greasing a 6″ baking tin, preferably rectangular.
- Start Preheating oven at 180 degrees. Preheat it for 15 minutes and in the meantime, your batter will get ready.
- Sift wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt at least thrice. Sifting not only removes impurities but incorporates air in the flour which in turn makes the cake light.
- Take thick curd, oil, sugar and vanilla essence in a bowl and whisk for 3 to 4 minutes till sugar dissolves and everything comes together. Beating at this stage creates air bubbles which expand while baking and makes the cake soft.
- Add flour mixture in the curd mix in 2 to 3 instalments. After each addition, lightly mix using cut n fold method. Never ever beat the batter vigorously after adding flour. This is because, if beaten hard, gluten develops which will make your cake chewy instead of soft. So, be careful and mix lightly only.
- If the batter is too thick then adjust the consistency by adding little milk. Quantity of milk will depend upon the consistency of curd used. The batter should be of ribbon consistency, which means that when you lift the batter with a spoon, it falls like a ribbon.
- Now, divide the batter equally in 2 bowls. In one bowl, add cocoa powder and mix lightly. Add little milk, if need be.
- Add 1/4 teaspoon vinegar in each bowl and give it a quick mix.
- Start pouring the two batters alternatively. First, put a ladle full of white batter. Then in the centre of this white batter put a ladle of cocoa batter. As you put the above layer the bottom layer will itself start spreading. On this put the white layer. Similarly, keep on putting the alternate layers till both the batter gets used up. And you will see beautiful white and brown layers.
- Now, you can keep it in the oven as it is or may make the flower pattern. To make the flower pattern, take a toothpick and slide it lightly from one corner to the middle. Similarly, draw lines from different corners towards the middle. And your flower pattern is ready. Take care that the toothpick remains on the upper surface only. Do not try to take it deep till the bottom else inner layers will get mixed up.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. While baking, take care that only the bottom rod is on and the top rod is off only. Preheat with both the rods on and then while baking switch off the top rod. This is done to prevent cracking of the cake from the top. Do this and you will have perfectly baked cake with an even top.
- Keep it on a wire rack till completely cool. This is done so that the cake does not get soggy from the bottom because of heat.
- When completely cool, cut slices.
- You can make this in disposable baking pans also, if want to gift it to somebody. Or, take a platter, arrange slices and pack with cling film.
Variations
- You can make this cake with all-purpose flour as well or half each of both the flours. In that case, reduce the milk quantity as all-purpose flour absorbs less liquid.
- You can make this cake either plain vanilla or just chocolate one. For vanilla, omit the cocoa powder and once the batter gets ready, mix vinegar and put in the oven. For chocolate flavour, add cocoa powder at the sifting stage only and proceed thereafter.
Make in Pressure Cooker
After making the flower pattern, keep the baking pan in preheated pressure cooker. For complete details regarding this, you may check my post Basic Eggless Cake in Pressure Cooker.
My other cakes which you may like are…
Recipe Card Of Zebra Cake
Zebra Cake
This Zebra Cake, made with 100% wheat flour is beautiful to look at, healthy to eat and easy to make. Pack it in your little one's lunch box or serve as an after-school snack. A healthy snack to devour at any time of the day.
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Wheat Flour
- 1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 Tsp Baking Soda
- 1/8 Tsp Salt
- 2 Tbsp Cocoa Powder
- 1/4 Cup Oil
- 1/2 Cup Curd
- 1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
- 3/4 Cup + 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Milk
- 1/2 Tsp Vinegar
Instructions
-
Grease a 6" baking tin, preferably rectangular.
-
Start Preheating oven at 180 degrees C. Preheat it for 15 minutes and in the meantime, your batter will get ready.
-
Sift wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt at least thrice for better aeration.
-
Take thick curd, oil, sugar and vanilla essence in a bowl and whisk for 3 to 4 minutes till sugar dissolves and everything comes together
-
Add flour mixture in the curd mix in 2 to 3 instalments. After each addition, lightly mix using cut n fold method.
-
If the batter is too thick then adjust consistency by adding little milk. The batter should be of ribbon consistency
-
Now, divide the batter equally in 2 bowls.
-
In one bowl, add cocoa powder and mix lightly. Add little milk, if need be.
-
Add 1/4 teaspoon vinegar in each bowl and give it a quick mix.
-
Start putting the two batters alternatively. First, put a ladle full of white batter. Then in the centre of this white batter put a ladle of cocoa batter. As you put the above layer the bottom layer will itself start spreading. On this put the white layer. Similarly, keep on putting the alternate layers till both the batter gets used up. And you will see beautiful white and brown layers
-
To make the flower pattern, take a toothpick and slide it lightly from one corner to the middle. Similarly, draw lines from different corners towards the middle.
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Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or till toothpick inserted comes out clean.
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After 10 minutes, loosen the sides of the cake using a butter knife and invert the cake on a wire rack.
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When cool, cut n enjoy.
Recipe Notes
- You can make this with all purpose flour or a mix of two flours. In that case, everything will remain the same except the quantity of milk. All-purpose flour absorbs less milk.
- Use any oil be it refined or groundnut or olive or any other.
- If your curd is loose then keep it in a strainer for a few minutes. Also, use curd at room temperature and not directly from the refrigerator.
I am sure you will surely try this easy and wonderful recipe. I would love to have your comments and feedback as you know your feedback fuels my enthusiasm to post more good content. If you post your creation’s pic on Instagram then remember to tag me #samirasrecipediary. You may like my FB page to know about my latest recipes.
Let’s connect…
Happy Baking…
Testimonies
By Kajal Jhaveri
I tried with and it came out perfect. I replaced sugar with jaggery powder and oil with ghee+1tbsp oil.
Simply yummy. My daughter loved it
Glad that your daughter liked it too. Thank you so much for sharing your feedback. Would have loved to see the pics. So, next time, pl share the pics. Happy Baking.
Hi , tried your recipe and it turned out perfect. Just that it require more milk than suggested. Luved it and my kid had it with chocolate sauce wid vanilla icecream .thnx once again
Hi Juhi, thanks for sharing your feedback. Glad that your kids liked it. Yes, the quantity of milk varies depending upon curd consistency, water absorption capacity of flour etc.
Thank you for ur suggestion. I use OTG. Let me try what you said above. Will keep you posted.
Thanks👍
Hello,
I tried this cake twice. 1st time it came out well but top was cracked ( I had switched on top and bottom rods for pre heat as well as baking).
As mentioned above in your instructions, 2nd time I switched on only the bottom rod while baking. But the cake got burnt at the bottom.
Can you please suggest in this regard.
Thanks
Hi Nivedita, baking means only the bottom rod is used. The cake needs to be kept in the middle rack. Now, you need to keep a check 25 min onwards.
Ovens are of 2 types with and without fan. If with fan (like microwave convection also) then it will get properly baked with perfect browning on the top.
If without then the cake will get baked but not get brown from the top. Once the top is firm and skewer inserted comes out clean, it is done.
If you want a brown top then may switch on the top rod in the last 5 minutes.
So, do not leave the cake for long in the oven.
Hope that helps.
Hello,
Should we turn off top rod while baking ? I turned off top rod while baking but the cake got burnt from bottom. Kindly suggest.
Hi samira, i tried this recipe n it came out amazing specially the look. Just a question does it rise less as compared to other recipes ?
Thank you so much dear for sharing your valuable feedback. No, it does rises well.
I never tried this recipe before and after reading this amazing post I think I must give it a try.
I hope I will make them like you.Thanks samira for sharing this to us!!!!!
Thanks for liking it. Do try and share your feedback. Happy Baking.
Hi, this looks like a lovely cake.. Would love to try it. Just wanted to ask, why is vinegar added in the end? Normally, vinegar plus milk is used (as buttermilk) in egg less cakes but this seems to be for a different reason, since milk is already mixed in. What purpose does vinegar serve? Can it be avoided.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thank you!
Hi Simpreet… Thanks for liking it. You must try it’s a very easy recipe with wonderful outcome.
This recipe is basically curd based. Very little milk and only 1/2 tsp vinegar is added. Instead of vinegar, you can add lemon juice also or skip both. Adding acid in the last gives a nice texture n structure to the cake ( as you can see in the pics)