There’s a zebra loose in our kitchens!!
You’re looking at chocolate and vanilla cakes baked together in a striking striped pattern. Pretty, right? Much easier than you think to pull off, too. Like marble loaf cake but a little more flashy. Zebra cake is often baked as a single layer cake or a Bundt cake, but I needed a fun and towering cake for our friend’s birthday. And an excuse to make chocolate cream cheese frosting.
And if you came here looking for a Little Debbie zebra cake, so sorry! Man those little things are good.
Let me walk you through my mindset as I was preparing and testing this zebra layer cake. Beware: my mind is a very jumbled space.
Recipe Testing
I started with a basic vanilla cake/yellow cake hybrid recipe: my checkerboard cake. I ADORE this cake. Somewhere between a mega buttery yellow cake and light vanilla cake, I’m really proud to have a base cake recipe that’s as moist as box mix cakes. And you can make it 3 layer or 4 layer, just adjust the baking time slightly. But if I’m not careful, I can over-cream the butter + sugar or over-mix the batter (since there’s so much of it). This can leave me with a denser tasting cake. I wanted to avoid all that, so I slightly reduced the flour and added a little more baking powder for lift + airiness. Does this make sense? To see if I could get away with it, I added some sour cream too. Just for a little extra moisture. Totally worked. This cake is so moist!
Made From 1 Batter
So now I have a solid starting point for my zebra cake, let’s figure out how to make the chocolate portion.
The chocolate cake is made from the vanilla batter, so you don’t have to prepare two completely separate batters. YAY! I wanted a suuuuuper dark chocolate stripe for contrast. I was going to use chopped chocolate, like in my marble cake, but that never gives me a very dark chocolate batter. And if I added *more* chocolate to darken the shade, the texture of the chocolate batter would be compromised. So let’s use cocoa powder. How about a dark cocoa powder like Hershey’s special dark? Gorgeous! But since we’re adding a dry and bitter ingredient to the chocolate batter, it will dry out the cake. A little sugar and milk solved that problem. Both the vanilla cake and chocolate cake are so moist. We did it!
Oh and one more thing! I added a little espresso powder to the chocolate batter. Just to help bring out the chocolate flavor. This is an optional ingredient.
You’ll end up with about 8 cups of vanilla batter. Pour 4 cups of it into a separate bowl for the chocolate batter. Add the cocoa, sugar, milk, and espresso powder. You’ll have some little lumps—that’s ok.
Now here’s where the zebra shows up! We create a zebra stripe pattern by layering the batters on top of each other. Start with a spoonful of 1 batter in the center, place a spoonful of the other batter on top, then alternate until you’ve filled the pans. I did a horrible job explaining this, so here’s a fancy iPhone video to show you.
Give the pans a shake every now and then to level the batter off. And, after the cakes are baked, level them off with a knife to create flatter tops. Why? So your layer cake isn’t all topsy turvy! You want nice flat-topped surfaces.
Moving onto the frosting. Let me show off my latest obsession: chocolate cream cheese frosting. Regular cream cheese frosting is one of my favorites because it’s not as cloyingly sweet as buttercream. It’s the creamiest of frostings with a silky smooth and velvet-y mouthfeel. With carrot cake, red velvet cake, hummingbird, banana cake, spice cake, and pumpkin cake… it’s just the best!!!
But if we think regular cream cheese frosting is the best, we’re definitely backwards. Because this chocolate cream cheese frosting is, in fact, the best in the biz.
(Although traditional chocolate buttercream—or even vanilla buttercream—are fantastic here if you prefer a non-cream cheese option!)
Now the moment of truth. Let’s cut into the cake to see how our zebra stripes look!!
Update: See my daughter’s 1st birthday cake. 🙂
More Layer Cakes to Try
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake
- Espresso Chocolate Chip Cake
- Lemon Cake
- Banana Layer Cake
- Chocolate Zucchini Cake
Zebra Cake
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 27 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 servings
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy, moist, and delicious swirled chocolate and vanilla zebra cake is topped with creamy chocolate cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
- 3 and 1/2 cups (413g) sifted all-purpose flour* (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 and 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (75g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract (yes, Tbsp!)
- 1 and 3/4 cups (420ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
Chocolate Batter
- 1/3 cup (27g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons milk or buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional)
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 12 ounces (339g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature*
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2/3 cup (55g) unsweetened natural or dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1–2 Tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- pinch salt
- sprinkles for decorating, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- Make the vanilla batter: Whisk the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together in a large bowl. Set aside. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed. On medium-high speed, add 1 egg at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a silicone spatula as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients, and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not overmix this batter. The batter will be smooth, velvety, and slightly thick.
- Make the chocolate batter: There will be around 8 cups of batter total. Transfer half of it to another bowl. Whisk in the 4 chocolate batter ingredients until combined. A few small lumps are ok.
- First, watch the video above to see exactly how to layer the batters into the cake pans. Drop a large spoonful of 1 batter in the center of the pan. Top with a spoonful of the other batter. Alternate spoonfuls on top of each other. Give the pan a shake to level it all out. Repeat with each cake pan until all the batter is used. There’s about 8 cups of batter total, so each cake pan will have a little less than 3 cups of batter in it.
- Bake for around 25-27 minutes or until the cakes are baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it is done. Allow cakes to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack. The cakes must be completely cool before frosting and assembling.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese for 1 minute on high speed until completely smooth and creamy. Beat in the butter until combined. Add the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, 1 Tablespoon milk, and salt and beat on medium-high speed until combined and creamy. Add 1 more Tablespoon of milk to slightly thin out, if desired. Taste, then add another pinch of salt if desired.
- Assemble and frost: First, using a large serrated knife, slice a thin layer off the tops of the cakes to create a flat surface. Discard (or crumble over ice cream!). Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and evenly cover the top with more frosting. Top with the third cake layer. Spread the frosting into a thick layer all over the top and sides. Garnish with sprinkles, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes before slicing. This helps the cake keep its shape when cutting—it could slightly fall apart without time in the fridge.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: The cake layers can be baked, cooled, and covered tightly at room temperature overnight. Likewise, the frosting can be prepared then covered and refrigerated overnight. Let it sit at room temperature to slightly soften for 10 minutes before assembling and frosting. Frosted cake can be frozen up to 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-Inch Round Cake Pans | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack | Cake Turntable | Straight Spatula (for frosting) | Round Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Flour: Sift flour before measuring.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a DIY buttermilk substitute. Add 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1 and 3/4 cups. (In a pinch, lower fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cake won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Cream Cheese: Make sure you’re using the bricks of cream cheese, not cream cheese spread. They’re typically sold in 8-ounce bricks, so you’ll need 1 and 1/2 bricks.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: All refrigerated items should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly. Read more about the importance of room temperature ingredients.
Awesome! Loving the flavor and appearance! Instead of buttermilk and sour cream, I replaced both with my goat milk clabber (curdled/soured raw milk) and it works very nicely. I put the batter in quart jars which happen to be 6” tall, and made sharpie marks at 2” and 4”, each section from both jars went to a cake pan. If I wasn’t precise with my batter spooning it would forever bother me, it is my sister’s birthday cake after all! There is a little more batter than will fit in the jars, so I just spooned it into the prepared pans.
I noticed that you do not have instructions on freezing the cake layers on their own. Is it okay to freeze the cake layers on their own?
(I have successfully made many of your cakes by freezing the cake layers on their own before I made the frosting and assembled the cake. But I noticed you did not add this option for this particular cake.)
Or is it best to finish the cake and freeze it frosted? I made the cake layers today, but we will not be eating it in 3 days.
The cake layers are absolutely gorgeous! What a fun trick 🙂
Hi Meghan, you can freeze these layers! We hope you love the cake.
Could I substitute yogurt for sour cream?
Hi Addie, yes, that substitution will work just fine. Same amount.
Can you use just two 9 in round pans?
Hi Rossette, there is too much batter for only 2 layers here. We’d recommend making the recipe as is, making two layers, and using the leftover batter for a few cupcakes.
I can’twait to cut into this but the trimmings tasted amazing. If there’s a way to submit a picture I’d love to show you the final product.
Hi Jessica! We would love to see it – you can email us at sally@sallysbakingaddiction.com
Can this be baked in a 9×13 rectangular sheet pan?
Hi Kayla, this cake can be made in a 9×13 pan but we are unsure of the bake time. Same oven temperature, though!
Great! I did exactly that and the result was wonderful. Super moist and a great flavor with a beautiful inside, love it!
I am wanting to make a Neapolitan cake. Can I bake each flavor separately? I plan on using your strawberry cake recipe for that layer. Thanks.
Hi Jennifer, yes, you could definitely do that instead. Hope it’s a hit!
Hi Sally, can i make this cake into cupcakes (with the stripes)?
Hi Clare, that should work, layering the individual cupcakes like you do with the batter for the cake layers. Or here is our marble cupcakes recipe, if you’re interested in that instead.
Used it for my first ever sphere cake – it really held up structurally to the longer baking time and was delicious with classic vanilla buttercream
Can this recipe be halved and use 6” pans?
Hi Eve! Here’s our zebra cake scaled down for 6 inch pans.
Have a chocolate hater in the fam. Is it possible to use two different food colorings for the layers?
Hi Deborah, absolutely! You can skip the chocolate and do two different colored vanilla batters instead.
Delicious recipe! Thanks!
Make as written, except made 1/3 more frosting so i could use up two-8oz pkg cream cheese. Barely had enough for three layer cake.
Cake and frosting are delicious!
Can I reduce the sugar by half? Making for little kids and don’t want to use as much.
Hi Daisy, Sugar is used for moisture and texture in baked goods as well as taste. You can certainly try reducing the sugar, but the resulting taste and texture will be different than intended.
I hope this comment reaches those who have sheet cake questions! This recipe is DELICIOUS. I just made this in a 15x10x2″ metal pan. Greased and floured with a sheet of wax paper in the bottom like for a regular layer cake. I made one recipes worth and it rose up to the edge beautifully. Pan looked to be half full before baking. I probably made about 3 cups of the batter chocolate instead of 4 cups. I didn’t want too much chocolate batter. I put the vanilla batter in the prepared pan first, mixed up what was left in the bowl with the chocolate ingredients, and made 4 rows of chocolate batter on top of the vanilla batter. Run a knife back and forth short ways, then go at it again long ways. I did a few little swirls around the edge. Try not to scrape the bottom of the pan while you are swirling. It was marbles perfectly which is what I wanted! Baked at 350 F for 50 min. Check at 40 min! Let cool for 10 min. Then removed from pan to cool on wire rack. I also did 1 cup butter 1/2 cup shortening. I’d made cupcakes with the original recipe and they seemed VERY tender! I wanted to make sure the cake was strong enough for frosting. It was fine. I think that is all my notes! Everyone LOVED the cake. Wish I could post a photo.