Family Movie Night: Marty’s Zebra Cakes
Another movie night is on deck, and this week we're heading to Africa with Alex, Marty, Melman, and Gloria for Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa!
Our family loves visiting the zoo, but during the Texas summer, we usually save those trips for cooler weather. Between the soaring temperatures and the blazing sun, it's just not much fun for us, or the animals. Thankfully, a movie night lets us enjoy all the safari vibes from the comfort of home.
AG has been requesting this theme for a while, so we finally decided summer was the perfect time to make it happen.
Tonight’s Menu
Alex's Prime Time Roar Strip
Melman's Frites
Moto's Mac & Cheese
Gloria's Glorious Greens
Marty's Zebra Cakes
Move It, Move It Punch
Today I'm sharing one of my favorite treats from the menu: Marty's Zebra Cakes.
We all know and love those nostalgic Little Debbie Zebra Cakes. Soft, buttery cake layered with cream and coated in white icing with chocolate stripes. While this recipe is inspired by that childhood favorite, I couldn't resist putting my own spin on it.
I'm a chocolate girl through and through, and I love a beautiful marble cake. Instead of simply decorating the outside, this version features a fun zebra pattern on the inside and the outside, making every slice just as exciting as the first look. It's the perfect dessert to bring a little safari magic to your next family movie night!
Marty's Zebra Cakes
We're a bit obsessed with The Great British Bake Off around here, so I decided to give a classic sponge cake a try for this recipe. I'm so glad I did! It baked up beautifully. Light, fluffy, and perfect for soaking up all that nostalgic Zebra Cake flavor. Safe to say, I may be making sponge cakes from here on out!
Sponge Cake
Ingredients
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
¾ cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ tablespoon cocoa powder
Buttercream Filling
Ingredients
1 cup shortening (or substitute unsalted butter)
3 cups powdered sugar
½ tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Shortcut: Store bought vanilla frosting works great if you're looking for a quicker dessert. I definitely used store bought tonight!
Coating
Ingredients
12 ounces white candy melts or white chocolate chips
4 tablespoons coconut oil
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Make the Sponge Cake
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 18 × 13-inch half-sheet pan with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy.
Add the sugar and mix until light & fluffy,
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Switch to the whisk attachment and whisk until the mixture is light, airy, and well combined.
Gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter until no streaks of flour remain. The batter will be thick.
Remove ½–¾ cup of the batter and set aside.
Spread the vanilla batter evenly into the prepared half-sheet pan using an offset spatula.
Stir the cocoa powder into the reserved batter until fully combined.
Spoon or drizzle the chocolate batter over the vanilla batter, then use a butter knife or skewer to gently swirl the batters together to create a zebra-inspired marble pattern.
Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cake springs back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan before transferring it to a cutting board.
Use a round cookie cutter (or your preferred cutter) to cut out cake rounds for assembling the Zebra Cakes.
Make the Buttercream
Beat the shortening until smooth.
Gradually add the powdered sugar and mix until combined.
Add the vanilla extract and heavy cream.
Beat until light and fluffy.
Optional: Mix in 1–2 tablespoons of cocoa powder for a chocolate buttercream.
Assemble the Zebra Cakes
Once the cakes have cooled, use a round cutter (or your preferred shape) to cut out individual cakes. You can also leave the cakes whole and serve them by the slice.
Pipe or spread a thin layer of buttercream onto one cake layer.
Top with another cake layer to make a sandwich.
Freeze the assembled cakes for 15 minutes.
Coat & Decorate
In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the white candy melts and coconut oil.
Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each, until completely smooth.
Working one cake at a time, coat the sides in the melted candy coating, letting any excess drip back into the bowl.
Place the cake on a wire rack and spoon additional coating over the top, smoothing with an offset spatula until evenly covered.
In a separate microwave-safe bowl, melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in 30 second intervals, stirring until smooth.
Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag or small zip-top bag with the corner snipped off.
Pipe squiggly lines across the tops to create the classic zebra stripes.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until the coating has set.
Storage
Store the Zebra Cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Let them sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving for the best texture.
