Chocolate and oranges are a match made in heaven. All the fancy Belgian chocolatiers know it. While I may not be a fancy Belgian chocolatier, I share this sentiment. And why make a basic layer cake when there are better options for using two colors of batters? Zebra cake is much more fun. You can feel like an artist while pouring and swirling the batter to create your culinary masterpiece.
This beautiful chocolate orange cake is flavorful and melt-in-your-mouth — almost like my Creamy Zucchini Bread. It’s easy to make as well as eggless, and somehow tastes even better as time goes on, like those chocolate cakes that taste best on the third day (I still need to learn the chemistry behind this). Chocolate orange zebra cake truly hits the spot. If I still haven’t managed to convince you, and you need a different fun cake for chocolate lovers and those with dietary restrictions, look no further than Vegan Date Cake.
Chocolate Orange Zebra Cake
Course: DessertCuisine: American16
servings25
minutes50
minutesIngredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup oil
1 cup yogurt/curd
1/2 cup water + 3 tbsp water, divided
2 tbsp cocoa powder
zest of 3 oranges
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease an 8×8 baking pan.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and sugar. Add the oil and yogurt to this mixture and whisk again. Then gradually add 1/2 cup water while whisking until fully mixed.
- In a small or medium mixing bowl, add cocoa powder and 3 tbsp water. Mix together until fully liquid. Then pour in half of the batter from the other mixing bowl and stir well.
- Add orange zest to the plain (non-chocolate) batter and stir well.
- Pour a third of the orange batter into the pan. Then pour a third of the chocolate batter directly in the middle of the orange batter so that there’s a ring of orange batter on the outside. Alternate adding batters to the center of the previous ring until there’s no more left.
- Then, using a toothpick and skimming the surface of the batter, pull the batter inward from each corner toward the center. Next, pull the batter outward from the center to the middle of each side. The effect should look something like what’s pictured below:
- Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely before serving.
This recipe was inspired by Yummy’s Zebra Cake in Katori.
