This zebra cake is similar to my Marble Cake, but there’s no swirling needed. There’s nothing overly technical here, and my step-by-step photos down below will make it super easy. See my full recipe tutorial below with my tips and notes to help you replicate this at home!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
Butter — as the butter is for both the cake and frosting, be sure to use unsalted butter. There isn’t a consistent amount of salt between different butter brands, so it’s best to add salt as needed instead of relying on salted butter. Be sure to set out the butter beforehand, as it needs to be at room temperature so you can cream it easily. To tell that the butter has reached room temperature, you should be able to leave a dent in the butter when you press down with your finger. Sour cream — the sour cream gives the zebra cake a tender and moist crumb. If you don’t have sour cream, you can make your own by following my post on How to Make Sour Cream. Cream cheese — to make the chocolate frosting, be sure to purchase a block of cream cheese and not the spreadable cream cheese sold in a tub. I recommend using full-fat cream cheese for the best frosting.
HOW TO MAKE ZEBRA CAKE
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until well combined before adding the next.
With the mixer on low, add one-third of the flour mixture. Alternate with half of the liquid mixture made by combining the milk, sour cream, and vanilla. Continue alternating the wet and dry ingredients.
Place 2 ½ cups of batter in a large bowl, then add the cocoa powder, milk, and sugar. Mix just until combined to make the chocolate layer.
To make the zebra cake stripes, alternate between adding large spoonfuls of vanilla batter and chocolate batter to the center of each prepared 8-inch cake pans.
Make the chocolate frosting by beating the butter, cream cheese, and salt on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Then sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into the bowl, add the vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy.
If you didn’t use my method for how to get flat cake layers, then trim the tops of the cakes to create level layers, if needed. Spread about ½ cup frosting over the top before placing the other cake layer on top. Spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides of the cake. Chill for at least 1 hour or until ready to serve.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
Baking soda and baking powder play a crucial role in the cake rising, so make sure they have not expired before using them. I prefer using high-quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder. Dutch-processed cocoa powder is darker and less acidic compared to regular cocoa powder. When measuring the all-purpose flour, I recommend using a scale for the most accurate measurements. However, if you don’t have one, make sure to fluff the flour first and then spoon it into your measuring cup. Level off the cup with the back of a knife to ensure you don’t overpack the flour. The eggs should be at room temperature to ensure they evenly incorporate into your batter without accidentally overmixing. It’s also why we add them one at a time to the batter. If you forgot to bring out your eggs, you could quickly bring them to room temperature by placing the eggs in a large bowl and covering them with warm tap water for 5 minutes. I usually recommend tapping the cake pans on your counter to pop any air bubbles. If you want to add a pop of color to the vanilla layer, you can use gel food coloring. Gel food coloring is more concentrated and doesn’t add additional liquid to the batter.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I make this ahead of time? How do I store leftovers?
Yes, you can make this zebra cake ahead of time. You can store it, frosted, covered at room temperature for up to two days. If you would like to keep the cake fresh for longer, store it in the fridge. Allow the cake to come back to room temperature before serving.
Can this be frozen?
If you’d like to make this zebra cake ahead of time to freeze, you can leave it unfrosted and freeze the layers for up to three months. I recommend wrapping the cake layers in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil before freezing. When ready to enjoy, thaw the layers overnight in the fridge. Then, bring the cake layers to room temperature before frosting. You can freeze the frosted zebra cake or individual slices for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then bring to room temperature before serving.
Can I use a different frosting?
If you’re not a fan of cream cheese frosting, you can change it up by using my Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, Strawberry Buttercream, or Swiss Meringue Buttercream. You can even frost the cake with both chocolate and vanilla frosting similar to my Neapolitan Cake. If you love this recipe try these out!Funfetti CakeVanilla Cake RecipeChocolate CakeChantilly Cake If you’ve tried this Zebra Cake recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
