Infused with vanilla flavor and coated in white chocolate with dark chocolate stripes, these made from scratch copycat zebra cakes are dangerously good!
What makes the cakes extra special, in addition to being made from scratch, is the white chocolate coating with dark chocolate stripes. I know candy melts are widely available and easy to work with, but the white chocolate coating takes these zebra cakes to a whole new level!
If you’re wondering how I made by chocolate stripes to blend in with the white chocolate coating, is really easy. Once you drizzle the dark chocolate stripes, tap the wire rack a couple of times. The chocolate will blend in.
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup any type of vegetable oil, including non-virgin olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/2 cups Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup hot water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons white distilled vinegar
Marshmallow Buttercream
- 2 large egg whites
- 1 cup Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch salt
- 12 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter (must be very soft but not melted)
White Chocolate Glaze
- 5 cups Imperial Sugar Confectioners Powdered Sugar
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 5 ounces white chocolate (such as Lindt)
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2-4 teaspoons water
Dark Chocolate Stripes
- 1/3 cup dark chocolate
- 2 teaspoon oil, any vegetable type
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Line bottom and sides of a 11×16-inch jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Applying a small amount of butter or oil will make parchment stick easier. Set aside.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a stand or handheld mixer or a sturdy hand whisk, mix oil, egg, and egg yolk until well blended. Add sugar and whisk until completely smooth.
- Add buttermilk and vanilla.
- Add sifted ingredients in one step and mix until batter is smooth. Do not mix more than necessary.
- Add hot water and vinegar and mix until combined.
- Pour liquid batter into pan and level evenly. Place in oven. Bake until center of cake bounces back when lightly pressed with a finger and until you see cake retracting from sides in a few areas. About 22 minutes. Set aside.
For marshmallow buttercream, place egg whites in a bowl of a stand mixer or a mixing bowl that can hold 4-6 cups water. - Add sugar and place over a double boiler filled with low simmering water. Water should not touch bottom of bowl.
- Continuously whisk until egg white mixture reads 145°F or slightly higher. It is very important to whisk without stopping to prevent egg whites from becoming an omelet.
- Remove from double boiler and whisk another minute as residual heat of bowl will cook egg whites.
- Using machine, whip to a stiff meringue. This will take at least 7 minutes.
- Add vanilla and salt.
- Meringue will now be stiff and feel barely lukewarm. Do not proceed with adding butter if meringue still feels warm. It should be under 90°F.
- Add soft butter while gently mixing. As soon as butter is incorporated stop mixing to ensure a fluffy buttercream. Set aside.
- Flip cake upside down on a sheet of parchment paper or plastic food film.
- Remove parchment paper that cake was baked on. Cut circles approximately 2 inches in diameter. Cut very close to prevent wasting cake.
- Place half of cut circles onto a plastic food film lined platter that will fit in refrigerator.
- Fill a piping bag with a medium plain pastry tube with marshmallow buttercream and pipe a quarter inch thick cream onto circles.
- Retain some cream to spread on surface of small cakes.
- Cover with another circle and spread a thin layer of cream onto surface of cakes.
- Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours of overnight.
- Place an icing screen onto a plastic food film lined counter or cookie sheet and set aside.
- For glaze combine powdered sugar and hot water.
- Place white chocolate in a microwave oven proof bowl with oil and heat in 10 second increments while stirring in between. Once completely melted stop heating. Stir into powdered sugar mixture.
- Add 2 teaspoons of water and place over very low simmering water and heat to 100°F. Overheating can occur very quickly and can ruin glaze.
- Melt dark chocolate and oil in 10 second increments in microwave oven and once melted place in a paper cone.
- Remove one mini cake and place on icing screen. Using a small ladle or tablespoon pour glaze over cake. With a small cake spatula spread glaze onto sides. While glaze is still wet, drizzle surface with dark chocolate.
- This first glazing test will determine if glaze needs a touch more water to spread and flow flawlessly. Add water if needed.
- Glaze that has dripped off cakes thru icing screen can be reheated. However, it is important to drizzle dark chocolate carefully and only onto cakes to prevent dark chocolate drizzle mixing into white glaze.
- Remove a few cakes at a time from refrigerator and glaze cakes.
- After several minutes cakes can be lifted off icing screen and placed into paper muffin cups or onto serving tray.
