Curated in FOOD

Marble Yogurt Cake

Call it Zebra Yogurt Cake too, and yes, it is eggless and butterless.

I have been trying to make a moist marble cake with the right density. I failed a few times but nailed it this time. All you need is a single base batter that transforms into a chocolate batter.

The beauty of making a marble cake is the swirl design and the clear zebra lines, and, of course, the chocolate batter since the cocoa powder makes the batter dry.

Each recipe takes time to form, and may stumble into many difficulties while I formulate them; I enjoy this experimental process. Every failure gives me a reason to sigh and smile.

When I made it the first time, the cake turned out to be dense, and with a lot of issues; I can’t really pinpoint what it is, but I still remember the top of the cake was cracked open, which I didn't like really.

I have seen images of a cracked loaf cake, but I'm not too fond to have mine in that way. I wanted a smooth, even surface.

When I tried the next time, Something went wrong totally, and I made marble cupcakes for no reason, and of course, the end result is not so great. Cupcake tops were puffed up too much and with a crack too.

I used egg and butter in my previous attempts, but not this time; these ingredients were replaced by greek yogurt and sunflower oil. It's just not chocolate batter we are using here but with espresso powder as it helps to bring out the real cocoa flavor.

Ingredients for Marble Cake | Yield: 8" round cake

Dry Ingredients

1 cup All-Purpose flour minus 2 TableSpoon (109g flour)

2 Tablespoon Cornflour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

1/4 cup greek yogurt (60g)

1/4 cup sunflower oil (60ml)

1/4 cup caster sugar (50g)

2 Tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla essence

1 tablespoon vinegar

2 Tablespoon wholefat milk

Chocolate Batter Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsweetened good quality cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon espresso powder

1 Tablespoon sunflower oil

1 Tablespoon whole-fat milk

To Make Vanilla Batter

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and spray 8-inch cake pan with oil. Also, line a baking sheet and spray the oil.
2. In a bowl mix, Whisk Double sieved All-purpose flour, cornflour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, set it aside.
3. In another bowl, beat sugar, yogurt, oil, vanilla essence, and vinegar until it is combined well. It will take about 2–3 minutes.
4. Slowly mix in dry ingredients until no lumps remain. Add milk and whisk or beat the batter until it is combined well. Do not overbeat the batter.

To Make Chocolate Batter

1. Transfer half of the vanilla batter into another bowl. Whisk in cocoa powder, coffee powder, oil, and milk until combined. I didn't add sugar here as I liked the taste no so sweet of coffee-cocoa.

To Make Marble (Zebra) Cake

This is where an individual’s artistic hand works, I believe there is no right or wrong method, but this is how it typically gets done.

1. Drop a large spoonful of vanilla batter in the center of the pan. Top with a spoonful of chocolate batter.
2. Alternate spoonfuls on top of each other. Repeat the steps until all the batter is used.
3. Give the pan a shake to level it all out and tap a few times on the counter to let the air out.
4. Using a fork, make a gentle swirl from one side to another. It should be slow and smooth.
5. Turn the cake pan 90 degrees, make a gentle smooth swirl motion from one side to another. This swirl will be in the opposite direction of the first swirl.
6. Bake the cake for around 23–25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the cake center.
7. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool down and slice it to enjoy with coffee.

Notes

1. Moist Marble cake can be kept at room temperature for a few days or refrigerate for longer shelf life.
2. Don’t be afraid to refrigerate it; the moisture and softness will remain the same.