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baking, bundt cake, chocolate, ganache, recipes, vanilla, weird, zebra cake
Several months ago, I found out about zebra cakes and they’ve been on my to-bake list ever since. I mean, how awesome do they look? If you haven’t seen them before, do a google image search and you’ll see what I mean.
Rachel, one of my best friends, just had a birthday a couple weeks ago. I thought she’d really like a zebra cake since she also likes to bake fun things, and besides, who wouldn’t? Since she teaches 1st grade, she was inundated with all sorts of sweets on her big day, so it’s actually a good thing that she got her cake belatedly from me. :)
Now being the person that I am, I just couldn’t make a plain ol’ zebra cake (and gosh, aren’t they boring?). Since they have so much eye-appeal, I thought they’d make a great bundt! I searched through the comments of King Arthur Flour’s zebra cake recipe (link below) and found that one person had made a bundt and suggested increasing the ingredients by half. Worked like a charm!
And guess what?? Yesterday was National Bundt Day! What a coincidence! Okay, I was actually well aware, thanks to Mary the Food Librarian. She just completed 30 days of bundts, and she did this last year, too! This woman is passionate about cakes with holes in them. Be sure to check out her awesome logo by JustJenn. Last night, I got Rachel singing I like big bundts!
(These two profesh photos were taken by Josh, Rachel’s husband. See? :))
Anyway, this cake is quite easy to make, but with the amount of time it involves, it really is a labor of love. Rachel and I have known each other for 23 years now (we were in the same 1st grade class!), so I would say that she is well worth it. :)
By the way, this was my first bundt success! Woo! Three past bundt disasters kept me on my toes for this one.
Zebra Bundt Cake
adapted from King Arthur Flour
The KAF folks say that you must use Dutch-process cocoa for this recipe (their mnemonic device for when to use it is: baking Powder, Dutch-Process :)). If you have a 4 cup liquid measuring cup, use it for the step where you separate the batter, otherwise use 1 cup scoops for separating so you can keep track of the amount.
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk (whole, 2% or 1%)
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon salt
4 1/2 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted to remove lumps
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the eggs and sugar until light, about 2 minutes. On low speed, blend in the milk, oil, and vanilla until combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed until the lumps are gone. (I first added about half, did a few mixes on low, then added the rest and went up to medium when the dry ingredients weren’t going to fly out.)
Remove 3 cups of the batter and pour into a 4 cup measuring cup (see note above). Add the sifted cocoa powder and mix very thoroughly.
Preheat oven to 350F. Lube your bundt pan generously with Pam with flour or Baker’s Joy.
At the base of the bundt (point closest to you), spoon about 3 tablespoons of the vanilla batter in one spot (it will spread). Then spoon about 3 tablespoons of the chocolate batter in the center of the vanilla batter. Continue alternating batters like this until you run out of batter. It will spread and fill out the rest of the pan while keeping this pattern.
Bake the bundt for about 45 – 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the bundt cool for about 20 minutes in the pan, then invert it onto a cooling rack. Let cool completely.
Chocolate Ganache
I used a 2 cup measuring cup to measure the cream, then used it as my heatproof bowl so I could pour the ganache easily.
3/4 cup heavy cream
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium-low heat. Roughly chop the chocolate and place in a heatproof bowl. When the cream just begins to boil, remove from heat and pour over the chocolate. Let the cream melt the chocolate for about a minute, then whisk until all the chocolate has melted and the ganache is smooth. Pour immediately over bundt, or let cool a little if you want the ganache to be thicker.
This is a good cake, but it is definitely more visually impressive than it is taste-wise. Still, it definitely solves the chocolate vs. vanilla debate! I added a tiny splash of almond extract to the vanilla batter as suggested by some KAF commenters, but should have added a little more as it doesn’t come through. It’s a very moist cake with a tight crumb, and I think it tastes better the next day.
If you want to be really fancy, you could make dark and white chocolate ganache and let your creativity go wild!
Update: as if this post needs another photo, I feel compelled to show you my slice of cake today (Day 3):
As you can imagine, no two slices are the same! We’re getting closer to the bigger rings. Oh, and it’s still moist!
Update #2: Check out Zebra Bundt Follow-Up. :)
Update #3: Here is a continually evolving list of people who have made this cake:
- Zebra Bundt Cake by Made from Scratch
- Blue and White Zebra Bundt Cake by The District Chocoholic
- Zebra Bundt Cake (en español!) by me divierto cocinando
- Zebra Trash Cake of Doom by Tomatoes for Apples (no, they haven’t all been good)
- Nutella Zebra Bundt by Angry Cherry
- Olive Oil Zebra Bundt by From My Heart
These are the only ones that I’m aware of so far. If you’ve made one, let me know in the comments and I’ll add it to the list! :)
Amazing! Stunning! Love it! Don’t forget to email me your mailing address so I can send you a well-deserved button! And Happy Birthday to Rachel; love that you are friends since the 1st grade! – mary the food librarian
Jessica–This was awesome! Adam and I were laughing out loud at the awesome-ness of a National Bundt Day existing (and how amazing it was that you baked a bundt on said day). And don’t even get me started on the little melody “I like Big Bundts…” Love it :)
This cake is BEAUTIFUL! The batter swirled in the pan looks so cool. I’ve never heard of a zebra cake before, but I certainly won’t forget them now!
That looks so good!! The frosting took it to another level!
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it’s a work of art! very impressive:)
Bundt in my belly.
That is awesome…nice job. I celebrated National Bundt Day too…Mary is so great.
Whoa, too beautiful! I am definitely going to have to go copy-cat on you for my post-bundt-cake-day celebrations. Way impressive! I’m glad it came out of the pan alright. ^_^
Good grief. That’s not a success, that’s an epic life win. You’re amazing!
Mary – Thanks!! I sent you an email last night and am excited about getting my button. :) And yeah, she’s the person I’ve known the longest who isn’t a relative!
Kylie – Isn’t it funny? I’ve definitely developed more of an appreciation for bundts! And I think everyone should try to make a zebra cake at some point. They’re fun!
Jill – I think you saw it when I was about halfway through the batter. Chocolate makes everything better!
bbkd – Thanks! :)
Jill – I think I have a cheese hangover. This has nothing to do with this bundt, but is related to bellies.
Mary – Thanks! I’ll be sure to check yours out. Looking forward to the bundt roundup – it’s going to be awesome!
Mary – Awesome! Can’t wait to see it! (and wow…3 Marys and 2 Jills have commented so far. ha!)
Victoria – I blush! Thanks :)
OK I just had a serious, serious idea: Christmas zebra cake. Make a red-velvet version of the chocolate part, put green dye in the plain part. Yes.
WHOA. This is genius. Holy cow.
But then it might be better to just add red coloring to the chocolate part (unless that’s what you meant?)…I don’t know what would happen if you used two different kinds of batter for this. The cocoa powder just makes the chocolate part thicker.
Woah now. And. Gingerbread-scented white chocolate ganache on top.
I love the way you think! Please make this happen.
Every Christmas, my family puts together a feat of culinary insanity. We were still looking for one for 2010. The search may be complete.
Also: Valentine’s day. White and red velvet. With raspberry-white chocoalte ganache. Necessary.
Your family sounds awesome! I’m the only culinarily (new word) insane one in mine. I hope you document this year’s well!
YES.
Awesome cake! Have you seen the rainbow cakes with all the fun colors?
The cake is really fantastic! I can’t hardly believe you’ve made that.
This looks awesom! And that chocolate on top…oh my…I want to eat it!
wow, your cake is stunning
i tried once to make a zebra cake but was a total disaster, seeing your step by step pictures make me try it again
thanks for sharing the recipe
Summer – I have! Rachel had been wanting to make one at some point, which is why I thought she’d like this.
Elpi and Megan – thanks!
Green Girl – That’s too bad that it was a disaster. I hope you do try again! I ended up following this recipe and instructions to a T which worked out.
I have never made a zebra cake, but yours presents beautifully! This looks fantastic and the chocolate ganache is the perfect touch. I am sure your friend loved it :)
Ok, that’s it… I’m making this one! I love your photos and it is a gorgeous cake. Lucky Rachel!
Wow that’s really beautiful. I’d normally choose taste over looks but this still makes me wanna try it!
wow… absolutely awesome!!!… I have tried the zebra cake, but this Bundt is amazing!!!
Thanks for sahring!!
B
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Bam. I know what I’m making. This looks stunning. How did I live for this long and not know about zebra cakes, fer cryin’ out loud? This much I know: none of my French neighbors will have tried this yet…will add this post to my faves…Thanks Jessica!
Baking Serendipity, moowiesqrd, Miri, Bea – Thanks! :)
Tammy – Let me know how it goes! Once you see a zebra cake for the first time, they kind of stick in your mind. :)
What a fab bundt – I have seen zebra cakes before, and they are also on my to make list.
I have to try one of these, I’ve never had a zebra cake. I like the way it looks in a bundt pan too!
-Gina-
My nephews would love this… so creative!
Um, back in the olden days, didn’t we call this a marble cake?
I think you could call a zebra cake a type of marble cake, but the way you add the batters to the pan is quite different. Marbling usually involves swirling the batters with a knife, while zebra cakes involve lots of layering and no swirling.
I gasped out loud when I saw this. Beautiful! Great photos, too.
I LOVE this cake!! It’s gorgeous! Well done!!
WOW.. I love the pictures and this cake came out great!
I tried this once, with a recipe off the top of my head….it tasted great but the pattern didn’t set. I will have to give this another go because it looks gorgeous. Well done
I think viscosity plays a big part in zebra cakes. The cocoa powder makes the chocolate batter thicker than the vanilla batter, which I guess prevents the batters from bleeding into each other. Do give it another go with this recipe!
Wow! You’re famous!!!
Amazing cake (:
Wow the swirls on those cake are perfect, what a masterpiece
Raymund
http://angsarap.wordpress.co
Have never seen this before, but now that I have, as you said too, it’s now on my to-do list! Sorry it didn’t taste as good as it looks, but now that you have the pattern down I’m sure you can layer any kind of cakes to look all stripy. Nice job!
Beautiful! These photographs are absolutely impressive. I am worried that I would somehow mess it up. It really goes straight into this wicked pattern just by dropping it in 3T at a time???
It does, like magic! I was really careful with the layering – after each scoop, I scraped the excess off of the tablespoons so they wouldn’t drip (though there were a few drips), and I counted the tablespoons out loud. OCD? :P
Awww! Who knew you were so sappy!?! I love it! I think you’d be worth all that trouble too! By the way my cake was supper yummy! And oh so fun to look at! I like the idea of a Christmas one;) hint ,hint…I guess I should start planning now for your birthday. It will be sad compaired to this master piece but such is life.
Me? Sappy?! :P I’m totally thinking about making a Christmas one for reals. And bah…don’t plan!
wow, amazing~
I love cakes and bundt cakes as well… but yours is a real temptation for everybody!!! Bravissima!! :)
This is so fun – love chocolate! I can’t wait to try it!
Susan http://www.ugogrrl.com
I am so doing this this weekend. I’m going to switch it up using strawberry and chocolate cake. My daughter has asked me for a strawberry / chocolate swirl cake for her birthday, in May that I have been unsuccessful with so far (everyone has loved eating the attempts though). This may be the answer to my dilemna. I will have to let you know how it turns out.
This looks great! I am definitely making it!
Oh.my.word that is the most beautiful thing Ive seen since thanksgiving :) I seriously need to make this.My son will go nuts with this.
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Wow! These pictures look fantastic – you’ve definitely put me in a bundt cake state of mind! LOL – thanks for sharing this post.
Kathy
http://www.kidculture.wordpress.com
the photos are stunning! and I am sure the cake too, must try this!
I made this recipe and wrote about it on my blog here. Everything that could have gone wrong with this cake did. I’m not sure what I did, but the cake was oozing oil. I am certain I didn’t put more oil than the recipe stated because I remember thinking 1 1/2 cups of oil was a lot.
Oh well, I had a good cry over my disaster and then an even better laugh.
Thank you for sharing the recipe, your bundt turned out beautiful.
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wow, this is the coolest thing i’ve ever seen.
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That’s such a great idea! Thanks for sharing, I’ll be trying it soon :-D
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I tried this a few days ago and it turned out great! My stripes were a little more willy-nilly though, since I don’t have any patience for delicate cake work. :)
(Oops — also, here’s the link to it (http://angrycherry.com/2011/11/18/nutella-zebra-bundt/) if you want to add it to that ever-growing list!)
Yay!! Thanks for letting me know! :)
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Awesome! Wil make this ASAP!
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