ZEBRA MARBLE CAKE

Makes one 20cm round cake, serves 8-12 people

Difficulty: Easy

EQUIPMENT:

20cm round cake tin

Electric mixer/stand mixer

3 medium bowls

INGREDIENTS:

2 large Eggs

100g Caster Sugar

125ml Milk

125ml Vegetable Oil

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 teaspoon Almond Extract

125g Plain Flour

1 tablespoon Cornflour

½ tablespoon Baking Powder

1 pinch Salt

1 tablespoon Cocoa Powder

2 contrasting liquid food colours of your choice

METHOD:

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Fan-forced; 350F). Line the bottom of the pan with baking paper. Grease the sides with non-stick spray. Set the kitchen timer for 20 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer add the eggs and sugar. Whisk together on medium speed until the mixture is pale, thick and creamy. Stir in the milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and almond extract. Pour sifted flour, baking powder, and salt into the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined.

Split the batter evenly between three bowls. Add sifted cocoa powder to one bowl. Tint the colour of the batter with the darker food colouring. To the second bowl tint the batter with the colour of the other food colouring. Leave the third bowl as plain vanilla.

Dollop 2 tablespoons of the plain vanilla in the middle of the cake pan and let it spread out on its own. Add 2 tablespoons of the chocolate batter in the centre of the vanilla batter and let it spread out too. Add 2 tablespoons of the third colour in the middle of the chocolate batter and let it spread. Keep alternating spoonfuls of each colour as described. The batter will slowly spread to the edge of the pan by itself.

As you reach the last few rings of the cake reduce the batter quantity to one tablespoon per colour.

Check the oven has reached the correct temperature. Place the cake tin on the middle rack of the oven. The cake is done when the top is golden brown and a skewer in the middle of the cake comes out clean. If not, add another 5 minutes to the timer and test again until it’s ready.

Remove cake from the oven. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before turning the cake out to cool on a rack the right side up.

BAKING TIPS:

The cake will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.