I Tried Making Homemade Zebra Cakes | Claire Recreates
Summary
TLDRIn this detailed baking journey, the creator embarks on recreating Zebra Cakes, a nostalgic snack food from childhood memories. Despite never having tasted them before, they meticulously dissect the original's components, noting its tight crumb, sugary glaze, and vanilla filling. They then proceed to craft their homemade version, experimenting with a chiffon cake for the base, Swiss meringue buttercream for the filling, and a poured fondant technique for the glaze. The process is arduous, with challenges in achieving the perfect texture and appearance, but ultimately results in a delightful homemade treat that captures the essence of the classic Zebra Cake, albeit with a personal touch.
Takeaways
- 🤔 The central question posed is about recreating something one doesn't like, using the analogy of not liking a cake but trying to recreate it anyway.
- 🍰 The video is about attempting to recreate Zebra Cakes, a snack food item that the host has not had before and knows little about.
- 🎨 The Zebra Cakes are characterized by their striped appearance, which the host finds visually appealing despite not having had them before.
- 👀 Upon first tasting, the host notes the cake's tight crumb, the overly sweet glaze, and the artificial vanilla flavor of the filling, leading to a less-than-impressive initial impression.
- 📏 The host measures the dimensions of the Zebra Cakes, noting the size and proportions for the recreation process.
- 📋 A long list of ingredients is read, revealing the artificial components and preservatives used in the store-bought Zebra Cakes.
- 🍞 The decision to use an oil-based chiffon cake for the recreation is made, aiming to achieve the tight crumb texture of the original.
- 🧁 The process of making the cake involves separating eggs, mixing dry and wet ingredients, and carefully folding in whipped egg whites.
- 🍫 For the filling, a Swiss meringue buttercream is chosen to provide a light, airy, and non-dairy alternative to the original's cream filling.
- 🎨 The glaze is attempted using a poured fondant technique, which initially presents challenges in application and drying time.
- 🍫 The final touch of the Zebra Cakes is the application of chocolate stripes, which adds a non-cloying element to balance the sweetness.
Q & A
What is the central question the speaker is contemplating about the cake?
-The speaker is questioning why they are trying to recreate a cake they don't like, implying a desire to recreate something they should perhaps leave as it is.
What is the speaker's initial impression of Zebra Cakes?
-The speaker has never eaten Zebra Cakes before and is unfamiliar with them, but is excited about the challenge of recreating them based on their appearance and the concept of a layered glazed cake.
What does the speaker like about the Zebra Cakes packaging?
-The speaker likes the size and overall proportions of the Zebra Cakes packaging, finding the small, hexagonal shape pleasing and the idea of a four-bite piece of cake appealing.
What are the components of a Zebra Cake according to the speaker's initial examination?
-The components of a Zebra Cake include two layers of cake separated by a filling or frosting, a white waxy-looking glaze, and zebra stripes on top.
What is the texture of the Zebra Cake crumb like?
-The crumb of the Zebra Cake is incredibly tight with no large air pockets, yet it is also super tender and crumbles easily.
How does the speaker describe the taste of the Zebra Cake filling?
-The filling is described as a whipped, intensely sweet, fake vanilla cream that is not dairy, with a very subtle cocoa flavor.
What are the dimensions of the Zebra Cakes?
-The Zebra Cakes are approximately 5.5 to 6 cm long, 3 cm wide on each side, and just under 2.5 cm in height including the glaze, with each layer being around 7 mm thick.
What is the main ingredient in the glaze coating of the Zebra Cake according to the speaker's analysis of the ingredients?
-The main ingredients in the glaze coating are palm and palm kernel oil, along with anato extract and turmeric extract for color.
What type of cake does the speaker decide to make for the recreation of Zebra Cakes?
-The speaker decides to make a chiffon cake, specifically modifying a Siobhan sponge cake recipe, to achieve the tight crumb texture needed for the Zebra Cakes.
What challenges does the speaker encounter while making the buttercream filling for the Zebra Cakes?
-The speaker struggles with ensuring the butter is at the right temperature, achieving a smooth and silky texture without curdling, and incorporating the butter into the meringue to create a light and fluffy emulsion.
How does the speaker plan to apply the buttercream filling between the cake layers?
-The speaker plans to pipe the buttercream using a pastry tip that creates a thin, even, wide slab of frosting to ensure uniform layers between the cake pieces.
What method does the speaker use to create the glaze for the Zebra Cakes?
-The speaker uses a recipe for poured fondant from King Arthur, which includes confectioner's sugar, vanilla extract, white chocolate, light corn syrup, and hot water.
What issues does the speaker face while enrobing the cakes with the glaze?
-The speaker faces issues with the glaze not drying as expected, the cakes sticking to the parchment, and difficulty in achieving a uniform coating on all sides of the hexagonal cakes.
How does the speaker approach adding the chocolate stripes to the Zebra Cakes?
-The speaker initially attempts to use a piping bag setup to create multiple parallel stripes simultaneously but ultimately decides to pipe individual straight lines of melted chocolate.
What is the final verdict on the homemade Zebra Cakes according to the speaker?
-The speaker is proud of the final result, noting that while the process was challenging and tiring, the homemade Zebra Cakes capture the essence of the original and are visually appealing.
How does the speaker describe the taste and texture of the homemade Zebra Cakes?
-The homemade Zebra Cakes are described as very sweet, with a tight crumb and a supple, bouncy cake texture. The buttercream filling is solid when cold and has a pleasant vanilla flavor, and the chocolate stripes provide a necessary contrast to the sweetness.
Outlines
🤔 Contemplating the Appeal of Zebra Cakes
The speaker begins by pondering why they would want to recreate a cake they don't like, hinting at a personal challenge. They introduce the task of recreating Zebra Cakes, a snack they're unfamiliar with but are excited to attempt. The speaker expresses initial enthusiasm, despite not having tasted Zebra Cakes before, and compares them to Christmas tree cakes. They discuss the visual appeal of the product, particularly its size and shape, and note the tight crumb and tender texture of the cake. The speaker also mentions the overly sweet and artificial taste of the filling and glaze, which leaves them unimpressed and questioning whether they want to eat it again. They conclude the paragraph by measuring the dimensions of the cake and listing its ingredients, which include a long list of artificial components and preservatives.
🍰 Planning the Homemade Zebra Cake
The speaker outlines their plan to recreate the Zebra Cake using an oil-based chiffon cake to achieve the tight crumb texture observed in the original. They decide to decrease the amount of baking powder and baking soda to control the cake's rise and texture. The process involves mixing dry ingredients, separating eggs, and creating a yolk mixture with sugar, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla. The speaker emphasizes the importance of the cream of tartar as a stabilizing acid for the egg whites, which will be whipped to create a fine foam, contributing to the cake's crumb. The goal is to create a light and fluffy batter that will be baked at a lower temperature to ensure an even texture throughout.
🔪 Trimming and Preparing the Cake Layers
After baking the chiffon cake, the speaker evaluates its texture and evenness, noting that the cake is thin and delicate. They decide to peel off the sticky, eggy layer on top, which is undesirable in taste and texture. The speaker then trims the cake to achieve a uniform thickness, aiming for a 12 cm length of cake that can be used to create the hexagonal Zebra Cakes. They express satisfaction with the cake's crumb and flexibility, and plan to freeze the trimmed pieces to firm up the cake, making it easier to handle during the assembly process.
🍦 Creating the Swiss Meringue Buttercream Filling
The speaker describes the process of making Swiss meringue buttercream, starting with combining cold butter with egg whites, sugar, cream of tartar, and a pinch of salt. They whisk this mixture in a double boiler until the sugar is fully dissolved. The speaker then whips the meringue until it is glossy, dense, and voluminous. They add the butter a piece at a time, ensuring each piece is fully incorporated before adding the next. Despite initial curdling, they emphasize the importance of continuing to beat the mixture until it becomes smooth and silky. Finally, they add a generous amount of vanilla paste and salt to flavor the buttercream, which will be used as the filling for the Zebra Cakes.
🏭 Assembling the Zebra Cakes
The speaker discusses the assembly of the Zebra Cakes, starting with the decision to pipe the buttercream filling onto the frozen cake layers to ensure an even and uniform layer. They encounter a mishap when the cold buttercream detaches from the cold cake, but they manage to reattach it. The speaker then creates a stencil to cut the cake into uniform hexagons and acknowledges the need for precision in this process. They also discuss the challenges of maintaining the integrity of the delicate cake layers during assembly and the importance of refrigeration to firm up the buttercream before the glazing process.
🍫 Making and Applying the Glaze
The speaker shares their process of making a poured fondant glaze using confectioner's sugar, white chocolate, light corn syrup, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. They melt the white chocolate and combine it with the sugar mixture, adding hot water to achieve a pourable consistency. The speaker then tests the glaze on a scrap piece of cake to ensure it coats evenly. They decide to coat the bottoms of the cakes first, allowing them to dry before flipping and enrobing the top sides. Despite some difficulties with the glaze setting and sticking to the parchment paper, the speaker remains determined to achieve a professional finish on their homemade Zebra Cakes.
🎨 Adding the Chocolate Stripes
The speaker decides to add chocolate stripes to the glazed cakes for an authentic Zebra Cake look. They melt chocolate in the microwave, carefully watching to avoid burning it. The initial attempt to create multiple parallel stripes using a piping bag setup fails, leading the speaker to abandon this method. Instead, they opt for a single pastry tip and apply the chocolate in individual straight lines. Despite some unevenness and thickness in the lines, the speaker is satisfied with the overall appearance and allows the chocolate to set before proceeding.
🎉 Reflecting on the Homemade Zebra Cakes
In the conclusion, the speaker expresses pride and satisfaction with their homemade Zebra Cakes, despite the challenges faced during the process. They compare the homemade version to the original, noting differences in color and size, but appreciating the captured essence. The speaker tastes their creation, finding it very sweet with a pleasant vanilla flavor and a supple, bouncy cake texture. They acknowledge the difficulty of the pour technique and the messiness of working with fondant but are ultimately happy with their stamina and perseverance in completing the challenge.
📢 Wrapping Up and Inviting Feedback
The speaker wraps up the video by thanking viewers for watching and inviting them to like and subscribe for more content. They also open the floor for special requests or subjects for future videos, showing an interest in engaging with their audience's preferences and memories associated with Zebra Cakes. Despite being tired and rambling at the end, the speaker maintains a positive and enthusiastic tone throughout the conclusion.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Zebra Cakes
💡Recreate
💡Crumb
💡Fondant
💡Buttercream
💡Chiffon Cake
💡Glaze
💡Hexagons
💡Sugar Content
💡Texture
Highlights
The central question posed is about recreating something one doesn't like, using the analogy of not liking a cake but trying to recreate it.
The baker is attempting to recreate Zebra Cakes, a treat they have never eaten or knew much about, based on a picture and their knowledge of similar cakes.
Zebra Cakes are revealed to have a striped appearance, which excites the baker and adds to the challenge.
The baker acknowledges that they have not had Zebra Cakes growing up, but recognizes the brand Little Debbie and its treats.
A detailed description of the Zebra Cake's appearance, including its size, shape, and the tight crumb of the cake, is provided.
The baker expresses surprise at the cake's tenderness and the artificial vanilla smell, which is reminiscent of packaged cakes.
The filling of the Zebra Cake is described as intensely sweet, fake vanilla, and non-dairy, with a subtle cocoa flavor from the zebra stripe.
The baker measures the dimensions of the Zebra Cake, providing specific details on its size and layer thickness.
A long list of ingredients for the Zebra Cake is read, with the baker commenting on the presence of various oils, sugars, and preservatives.
The baker decides on using an oil-based chiffon cake for the recreation, aiming for a tight crumb similar to the original.
The process of making the chiffon cake is detailed, including the separation of eggs, mixing of dry ingredients, and the incorporation of egg whites.
The baker struggles with achieving an even thickness for the cake layer, which is crucial for the final product's appearance.
The decision to freeze the cake layers to make them more manageable for stacking and cutting is shared.
A Swiss meringue buttercream is chosen for the filling, with a focus on creating a light and airy texture that won't absorb into the cake.
The baker discusses the process of making the buttercream, emphasizing the importance of temperature and the gradual addition of butter.
The challenge of applying the filling uniformly between the cake layers is addressed, with the baker opting to pipe the buttercream for consistency.
The baker creates a stencil for cutting the cake into uniform hexagons, emphasizing the importance of precision for the final appearance.
The process of making a poured fondant glaze is detailed, including melting white chocolate and combining it with powdered sugar and corn syrup.
The baker experiments with coating the cakes in the fondant, facing challenges with the drying process and the glaze's texture.
The addition of chocolate stripes to the cakes is described, with the baker opting for melted chocolate rather than adding cocoa to the fondant.
The final product is presented, with the baker expressing pride in their homemade Zebra Cakes despite the challenges faced during the process.
The baker reflects on the learning experience, noting the stamina required and the complexity of the fondant process, but ultimately feeling satisfied with the result.
Transcripts
well here's what the central question if
I don't like the cake then why am I
trying to recreate it you know what I
mean oh wow I didn't know that this was
the shape that they were in stuck what
do I do going to fall I'm going to go
for something where I like the flavor I
like the cake because why would I want
to
recreate the thing I don't really like
to begin
[Music]
with hi everyone we're back today I'm
tackling Zebra Cakes not something I've
actually ever eaten or really know what
it is my God you guys they have stripes
on oh thank God this about to be really
annoyed I'm really excited because I
think I'm going to nail it Without
Really knowing what the components
are based on the picture and knowing
that this is similar to like the
Christmas tree cakes is that what
they're called mhm I think it's
basically like store-bought snack food
version of a petaphor like a little
layered glazed cake and I love that in
theory and I know how to make that so I
feel like think I can do this and you
never had these growing up you just saw
friends eating them I never had these
growing up I never saw friends eating
them but this apparently is the common
thing to have at your house I've been
told tell so I definitely was familiar
with other Little Debbie Treats but just
not not Zebra Cakes in particular but I
do like the way that they look on the
box right off the bat I love the size
and like overall proportions of it I
love that it's like a little four bite
piece of cake very very pleasing as far
as like pick it up and eating it they're
like little hexagons which I I didn't
know and I wasn't really anticipating so
I can obviously see the cake through the
white coating a little bit but I'm going
to slice through and get a cross-section
so I can really see what the components
are it's the smell of like a packaged
like a Twinkie
or any other like packaged cake I guess
it's kind of like artificial vanilla
smell possibly like preservative smell I
mean they look really cute I I do love
the size but basically what I have here
two layers of a kind of
cake separated by a layer of some kind
of filling or frosting and then that
white waxy looking glaze and then the
zebra stripes what's I think notable
about the cake and is probably actually
good in the case of like this type of
application is that the crumb is
incredibly tight there's like no thick
air pockets in here it's really really
tight but also super tender like just
crumbs fall off that's something I'm
going to have to think about I couldn't
if when I recreate this I couldn't make
a cake that has like big open crumb
wouldn't work I feel like my body's
already rejecting
it cing is like so waxy so sugary my god
do you ever have that feeling when your
back teeth literally tingle cuz it's so
sugary that's the sensation I just got I
took such a small bite that really I
mostly got the like
glaze all right cake kind of dry very
tender almost instant dissolution like
it dissolved B almost there wasn't even
really anything there to like chew
basically flavorless The Filling is this
kind of like cream filling which is c r
e m cuz like they can't actually call it
cream because it's not dairy is very
whipped intensely
sweet fake
vanilla that's about it I do get a
little bit of chocolate when I eat it
I'm going to try to taste just the zebra
stripe extremely subtle cocoa flavor
extremely way very very sweet not
terribly impressed with the components
but like most snack foods that people
remember eating it is kind of all that
the like combination of the components
and I think honestly with anything like
this I think it's texture and they kind
of like breaking through that glaze with
your teeth into that like
interior flavor-wise I don't really ever
want to eat it again from end to end
we're looking at about 6 cm I'll go the
other way more like 5 and 1/2 close
enough we'll call it 5 and 1/ half or
six the sides are about 3 cm each the
overall height including the glaze is
just under 2 and 1/2 cm and then each
layer is around 7 mm I'm going to take a
look at the
ingredients I think it's going to be
great it's kind of a long list sugar
corn syrup enrich bleached flour
parentheses wheat flour nasin reduced
iron fyin mononitrate vitamin B1
riboflavin vitamin B2 folic acid clo
parenthesis water palm and palm kernel
oil palm and soybean oils with tbhq and
citric acid to protect flavor dextrose
soybean oil contains 2% or less of each
of the following dried egg whites corn
starch whey parentheses milk lemoning
parentheses baking soda sodium aluminum
phosphate cocoa salt mono and
diglycerides sorbitan mono sterate soy
leian sorbic acid parentheses to
preserve freshness titanium dioxide poly
sorbate 60 natural and artificial
flavors polysorbate 80 anato extract
turmeric extract soy
flour it's a long list I have to process
this
so I feel like a lot of times you
learn from the like 2% or less
list because it kind of tells you like
what they're going for so the idea that
there's egg white in this tells me that
that's like the coating like it's like a
royal icing or something there's just so
little that's actually in here mostly
what I think the Glazer coating is is
like those oil the the palm oils
basically palm and palm kernel oil palm
and soybean oils the anato extract and
turmeric extract are definitely there
for color in the cake I'm guessing
because that's the only part that has
any color to it there is Coco so that's
partly in the
stripe but mostly there's just a lot of
stuff in here that I don't want to eat
now in terms of the cake I'm thinking
that I'm going to go with an oilbased
cake so I think I'm going to make a
chiffon but I'm going to have
to make some adjustments cuz I I want to
achieve something with that extremely
tight crumb after a the cake I want to
make the filling fill and stack cut out
hexagons glaze and step six chocolate
Stripes all right so I'm going to get
the oven on this is going to be such a
thin layer of cake that I think I want
to bake it a little bit lower than I
normally would so I'm going to get on
325 and then I'm going to grab my
ingredients for the chiffon cake I got
cream of Charter in here
somewhere here we go so the cake is
yellow usually you would see that at
pink butter cake but this but what's
great about chiffon cake is it has both
yolks and egg whites so the yolks are
going to take care of the color I'm
going to go with this recipe my Siobhan
sponge cake recipe so I'm going to start
by mixing my dry ingredients 90 G cake
flour this recipe uses baking powder and
soda I am going
to decrease those amounts slightly the
less baking powder the less sort of like
you know chemical reaction
and gas production as it bakes 3/4 of a
teaspoon kosher
salt three that's my dry mix set this
off to the side so I need three large
eggs separated I'm going to do whites in
here yolks in the smaller Bowl 1/2 cup
of sugar I need 1/4 cup of oil and 1/4
cup buttermilk then a little hit of
vanilla call that a teaspoon and an e/
of a teaspoon cream of Tarter so cream
of tartter is an acid this is used for
stabilizing egg whites so now I'm going
to make my yolk mixture so I'm going to
mix my yolks about half of the sugar in
this bowl until they're pale and thick
then I'm going to stream in the oil and
buttermilk and vanilla the rest of the
sugar is going to go with my egg
whites probably could use a bigger bowl
but oh well so now I'm going to stream
in my oil and buttermilk and
[Applause]
vanilla that's really my liquid
mixture just going to scrape in all of
that
buttermilk and now I'm going
to combine my wet and dry so I'm going
to pour in my
wet and I'll mix this until it's
smooth so this is my batter base and now
the next um and kind of final step is
beating my egg whites so I want to clean
off these beers really well cuz if
there's any fat on the beers it won't
whip up the egg
whites often you'll see instructions for
like a sponge cake say when you're
beating the egg whites gradually add the
sugar and that's great but I'm not going
to do that I'm going to actually add all
of the sugar at
once because if you add the
sugar all at once and then whip it you
get a finer foam so you get smaller air
bubbles and that's what's going to help
me get a slightly tighter crumb with
fewer like big open air bubbles so all
this is going to go in my cream of
tartar is going to go in because this is
going to help
stabilize the foam that I create
basically the suspension of air bubbles
in with my egg
whites so I'm going to continue to whip
these until I get nice firm Peaks it'll
take a minute or two so you see how it's
like holding the the trail I'm almost
there I don't really want to overbeat
egg whites because it will make it hard
to incorporate them but these are nice
firm Peaks see the little like beaks off
the tip of the beers and how they're
standing straight
up that's firm so now I'm going to
scrape my egg whites
into my batter over here and fold them
in can you go the other way around yeah
I could camera yeah I can do that so I'm
actually going to to scrape this yolk
mixture into my egg whites the reason I
can do that is cuz both of them are very
light and texture so they'll incorporate
together
evenly so you can see it makes this
beautiful like super fluffy light batter
I'm going to scrape this out onto my
sheet
tray I need to get this in a really thin
layer I think maybe it's enough batter
that I can go all the way to all four
sides I think I might have to even
remove some batter we'll see going for
such a thin
layer 7 cm SL I guess just 7 mm one
thing that's going to happen with sponge
cake because I've created this foam you
get this kind of like sticky cuz it's
kind of like merang like layer on top
that gets really Brown and I'm going to
peel that off cuz it tastes eggy and it
gets sticky and it's just not the best I
know it's not as even as it could be but
I think it's all right I'm going to grab
my cake
tester I think it's
good no it's not I know testing not the
cake dness but the thickness all right
so the thickness of the layer is we're
already at a centimeter so I might want
to take away some batter would you need
to remove like
half it's going to Puff a little bit
right yeah but I'm not sure how much
it's going to collapse at the same time
I kind of think that what how it goes in
is how it's going to be when it comes
out but we'll see all right so one thing
I want to do before I put it in the oven
is I'm going to give it a nice sharp tap
on the
counter I got to get this into the
oven this is going to bake really fast
because it's so thin so I'll check it in
like I'll literally look at it in 5
minutes and see how it looks I just want
it to be I want it to be just barely set
like I don't even really want much color
on
it thanks Archie so the 5 Minute Timer
just went off ooh I it's so close I
think it just needs one more
minute sorry now I really think it's
done it is just barely golden on the
surface so when I press on it it Springs
back lightly so I know it's cooked my
feeling from looking at it is that it
does seem maybe a little thick in the
middle I'm going to grab my kick
tester oh
yeah much thicker I can try to like trim
it basically the very edges where it's
much more Brown are going to be a little
too done so I'm going to actually just
trim the sponge do this while it's
hot I mean that crumb looks really good
it's really small but nice and really
fine even crumb not lots of big air
bubbles so that looks good
good why am I eating this really want to
eat it what's your review tastes
good so do you see how there's this like
sticky film on the surface I'm going to
I'm going to peel it off just like that
it's really fun look at it look at how
fun it is actually now now it's exposing
the crumb you can see larger air bubbles
but oh well the bottom is cool to the
touch let me get a closer
look can see how flexible it is
basically Ally the thickness is just
really uneven all the way around and
part of the reason is that the sheet
tray itself is not really perfectly flat
and I didn't really spread it very flat
this part is extra thin and extra crispy
trim
that I'm really happy with the crumb I'm
just cutting it into small enough sizes
that I could really look at it it's like
so this is the thickest end this is the
thinnest end it's kind of too thin at
the thin part and too thick at the thick
part so let's see what I want to do here
at the thickest part I'm at basically a
cenim and a half and at the
thinnest I'm at about a half a
centimeter can I cut and level the
layer I do have these straws these
plastic straws which are about 7 mm
thick so these can be my guys and I'm
making like super super
fine sawing
motion cuz I just I don't want to just
like tear up the whole
cake which I kind of am see that I'm
trying to use a blade that I know is
sharper but not serrated but maybe
that's actually good cuz the bigger
teeth and the serrated knife are maybe
tearing up the cake so kind of seems
like this is
working so my goal is to get a 12 CM
length of cake that is the correct
thickness because I can cut two
hexagons from each pair that kind of
worked this way o I'm right at six here
I have a nice even cake layer good whole
structure tastes good super light it's
going to be good it's going to make such
a good zebra cake so I'm going to repeat
that leveling process with my remaining
pieces of cake and hopefully get
eight like equal size equal thickness
strips that I can stack into then four
stacks and then cut my cakes from there
it really does feel like I'm portioning
fish because it's like little fillets
yeah I'm actually thinking that I'm
going to freeze it because the cake is
really delicate and now I just trimmed
it so now there's like still kind of
loose crumb on the surface and the cake
is really thin and delicate and I think
that when I go to apply the filling to
it there's a good chance that it could
kind of tear and I might have a hard
time spreading it so I'm going to freeze
it get it kind of soft solid and that's
going to make it easier for me to stack
and
trim and cut the hexagons so I'm going
to do that clean up and then I'm going
to make the filling I think I'm
overthinking the filling I basically
want to make a buttercream I want it to
be buttercream like it has to be a