Zebra Cake

My son is many things - Smart as a whip( for his age). For Example, he is very good with numbers. When his grandpa visited a couple of weeks ago, we asked him to test A with a number quiz. So grandpa typed "7" on the laptop. A said the right answer. Grandpa then typed "17". The answer was Seventy-One. We  had a good laugh. Grandpa then decided to challenge him by typing "915". Nine hundred and fifteen was uttered with all the confidence of a 3-yr old. Stunned grandpa upped the challenge by typing  "10,000" on the laptop. Me and hubby exchanged looks and waited with bated breath wondering will he or will he not. Then my munchkin squeaked "Ten thousand". What a showoff! Grandpa looked like the cat that ate the canary! Grandpa who had only 2 daughters, who was already pleased that both his daughters gifted him with grandsons who will turn into strapping lads, was even more pleased that they wouldn't grow as nincompoops. Anyways, A started started weaving his magic around grandpa so he could get a ride around the block in grandpa's black car..and he also politely stated to grandpa that he would like to sleep next to him. LoL.What A doesn't know is that Grandpa snores like a Copter.
So A is many things but courageous fella he is not. Well can't expect him to be everything when he is only 3,right?.But I so want him to be a fearless kid. He is scared of "Dino Dan" on TV always clinging to mommy when a big Tyrannosaurus Rex(T-Rex) comes stomping on the screen, Pressure cooker whistles, Vacuum cleaner noise and so forth. Last month a friend and her family came to our place for a sleepover. Her hubby was blowing his nose and clearing his throat in a boisterous manner. Every-time he did that A's eyes would well up with tears and lips would quiver with a promise of a bawl.
When he is upset I always have something sweet to distract him. A piece of chocolate or a chocolate cake. His new favorite is the Zebra Cake which I would like to think of as "The Pacifier". I have seen plenty of folks post this eye-catching cake recipe but I wasn't motivated to try it until I saw it at Shab's Cuisine. Her pictures of this fabulous cake spurred me into action. First time I tried using a Bundt Pan and it was a disaster..Oh the taste and texture was great but the layers bled into one another. The second time around I decided to use a 9" cake pan and it turned out great. Third time it was even better. I used the dark cocoa powder and the layers were prominent and the cake was a beauty. See for yourself-

Ingredients:

• 4 Large Eggs, at room temperature
• 1 Cup Milk, at room temperature
• 1 Cup + 2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
• 1 Cup Canola Oil or any Vegetable Oil
• 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
• 2 Tbsp Dutch-processed Cocoa Powder
• 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Essence
• 1/2 Tsp Salt

Tool:

• 9" Round Cake Pan

Procedure:

• Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Sift the flour with baking power and salt. 

• Add the eggs to the sugar in a wide shallow bowl. Using an electric mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar for 2 to 3 minutes or until they are pale yellow and thick enough to form a ribbon when the whisk is lifted from the bowl.

• Pour the Oil, Milk and Vanilla extract to the egg mixture. Add the  flour mixture in small batches and mix only till it is combined.

• Remove 2-1/2 Cups of batter to another bowl and stir in the cocoa powder.

• Grease a 9" pan with butter/oil and dust it lightly with flour. Now using a small ladle pour about 3-4 tbsp of white batter into the pan. Don't wait for it to spread. Alternate it with cocoa batter. Repeat. This below picture shows when its 1/4th done:

• 1/2 way thru:

• At 3/4th. I am feeling the tension.

• Finally its done. Move the pan carefully and position it in the middle rack.

• Bake for 50 minutes or till the toothpick comes clean when inserted in the center. Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest till the cake pulls from the sides of the pan. Carefully move it to a plate or cooling rack and let it completely cool prior to cutting into wedges.

• Admire your creation before digging in.

Check out the Blogging Marathoners doing (Group 3) BM#4 along with me-
Diabetes Diet/Management: Kamalika, Smitha, Suma
Kid Friendly Recipes: Anusha, Cool Lassi(e)
Seven Days of Soup: Priya Suresh
Seven Days of Indian Bread: Jayasree, Pavani
Seven Days of Cakes:  Priya Vasu
Seven Days of Preserves: Gayathri Kumar, Vaishali
30 Minutes Meals: Priya Mahadevan, Sriv

Enjoy!