Zebra Cake

The zebra cake is a very showy dessert because of its appearance that resembles the stripes of a zebra. Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 200 g of sugar
• 250 ml of milk
• 100 ml of vegetable oil
• 300 g of all-purpose flour
• 1 packet of baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 30 g of unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 packet of vanillin or vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Start by preheating the oven to 180 °C and prepare a round mold (about 22-24 cm in diameter) by buttering and flouring it, or lining it with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, use an electric mixer or a stand mixer to beat the eggs with the sugar until you have a light and fluffy mixture.
3. Add the milk and oil slowly, continuing to stir to blend the ingredients.
4. In another bowl, sift the flour with the baking powder and add a pinch of salt.
5. Combine the dry ingredients with the liquid mixture, a little at a time, stirring to avoid lumps.
6. Divide the obtained batter into two equal parts: in one, add the sifted cocoa and mix well to obtain a homogeneous batter; in the other, add the vanillin or vanilla extract and mix.
7. To create the zebra effect, pour two tablespoons of the vanilla batter in the center of the mold, then two tablespoons of the cocoa batter directly on top, without waiting for the previous one to spread. Continue alternating the two batters until they are used up.
8. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
9. Let the cake cool in the mold for about 10 minutes, then transfer it to a wire rack to complete cooling.

Curiosity

The marbled or zebra effect of this cake does not affect the flavor but makes it visually attractive, and it is particularly loved by children. It is said that the idea of alternating colors and flavors in a sweet originates from ancient customs, where the aim was to amaze guests with dishes that were also a pleasure for the eyes.