Zebra Cake

Thanks Sab Gul for  giving me the idea of baking this cake!
Got the recipe from AZ cookbook!

This is a delicious moist zebra cake lined with cocoa strips!
At the first site you will think it is very difficult to make but it is not!
Just follow a few steps and you will get a similar results!
Zebra is easy and fun to make!

Ingredients:
Eggs- 4 - room temperature,
Granulated sugar( powdered )-1 and 3/4 cup -250 gms- (keep aside 1tbsp of sugar for cocoa mix)
All purpose flour-2 cups- 200 gms-sieved,
Salt-1/4 tsp-(optional- no salt was mentioned in AZ cookbook),
Canola oil- 1 cup or 250ml,
Milk -1cup-room temperature- keep aside 2tbsp for cocoa mix,
Baking pwd-1 tbsp,
Vanilla essence-1 tsp,
Dark cocoa pwd-2 tbsp- ( since dark cocoa pwd is not available here,I used 1 tbsp of Hershey  `s unsweetned pwd and 1 tbsp of Cadbury cocoa pwd to give the dark look,but you can use whatever is available).

Note: I really enjoyed baking this cake.
Only few things have to kept in mind before you start the process.
The batter has to be of pouring consistency.
Try dividing the batter in equal proportion.
You have to use tbsp spoons (not the measuring spoons)to pour the batter in the center of the pan.
Do not stop pouring once you start the pouring process.
Be careful of the drippings of the spoon and bowl.
I have kept aside 1 tbsp of sugar and 2 tbsp of milk for the cocoa mix as to balance the consistency of both the batter.
This recipe did not have salt.Since the medium of baking is oil so I would recommend 1/4 tsp or a pinch of salt as it adds taste and flavour to the cake.

Method:
Grease a 9 inch pan at the bottom and sides.
Place butter paper at the bottom and grease it too.
Pre heat oven to 350 F and 180 C.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking pwd and salt.

Take your mixer bowl and put 4 eggs in it.

Beat the eggs for few seconds and then add sugar.

Beat on high speed for 5 minutes till  thick and pale and of ribbon consistency.

Add milk and oil.
Beat for 30 seconds or thoroughly combined.

Add in vanilla essence and beat again.

Add in the flour mixer to the batter gradually,beating just until combined.

Divide the batter into half and pour it into a bowl.

Sift the cocoa pwd in a bowl so that there are no lumps.
Add sugar only if you are using unsweetened cocoa pwd.
Add 2 to 3 tbsp of batter and 2 tbsp of the left over milk to the cocoa pwd.

Lightly mix the batter till smooth.
Add this batter to the bowl and with a rubber spatula,gently fold in till all the cocoa batter is thoroughly mixed.

Keep the greased pan in the center.

Pour 3 tbsp of plain batter in the center,one tbsp at a time.

Pour another 3 tbsp of cocoa batter on top of the plain batter the same way.

And then 3 tbsp of plain batter on top of cocoa batter.

Repeat this process till all the batter is used.
Just be careful of the drippings as not to spoil the strips.
You do not need to spread the batter nor wait for the batter to spread,as the batter will spread on its own.

Tap the pan a few times on the counter to let out air bubbles.
Place the pan to bake at 180C for 40 to 45 minutes or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Take out from oven and keep on wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.

Insert a knife around the edges to loosen the cake from the pan.

Using a flat plate invert the cake and then turn the cake back.
Do not remove the bottom paper,as the cake is very soft and moist.
Keep on wire rack to cool completely.
Once the cake is completely at room temperature,remove the butter paper.

Invert and serve.
This a pretty looking cake and very moist and soft in texture!