I Tried Making Homemade Zebra Cakes | Claire Recreates

Claire Saffitz x Dessert Person
28 May 202445:44

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

00:00

🤔 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.

05:02

🍰 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.

10:03

🔪 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.

15:05

🍦 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.

20:05

🏭 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.

25:07

🍫 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.

30:09

🎨 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.

35:12

🎉 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.

40:12

📢 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

Zebra Cakes are a type of snack food that the video's host attempts to recreate. They are characterized by their stripes and are similar to a Twinkie in texture and taste. In the script, the host describes the original Zebra Cakes as having a tight crumb, a sugary glaze, and vanilla flavor with subtle hints of chocolate. The recreation process becomes a central theme of the video, with the host detailing the steps to replicate the treat.

💡Recreate

The term 'recreate' refers to the process of making something again or in a different form. In the video, the host is trying to recreate Zebra Cakes from scratch, which involves understanding the components of the original product and finding ways to replicate them. The host's journey of recreating the cake is a significant part of the video's narrative, showcasing the challenges and successes in the process.

💡Crumb

In baking, 'crumb' refers to the texture and structure of the interior of a cake or bread. The host mentions that the crumb of the Zebra Cake is 'incredibly tight,' meaning it is densely packed with minimal air pockets. This observation is crucial as it influences the choice of cake recipe and baking technique used in the recreation, aiming to mimic the original's texture.

💡Fondant

Fondant is a type of sugar paste used in cake decorating and confectionery. The script describes a process of making a poured fondant to glaze the homemade Zebra Cakes. The host experiments with different techniques to apply the fondant, highlighting the challenges in achieving a smooth and even coating, which is a key aspect of the original Zebra Cakes' appearance.

💡Buttercream

Buttercream is a type of frosting made from butter, sugar, and other ingredients such as egg whites or cream. The host decides to use a Swiss meringue buttercream as the filling for the homemade Zebra Cakes. This choice is based on its light, fluffy texture and the ability to hold a shape when used as a filling, which is essential for replicating the original cake's layers.

💡Chiffon Cake

Chiffon cake is a type of cake that is light and airy, often made with vegetable oil and has a more open crumb than other cakes. However, the host opts for a modified version to achieve a tight crumb similar to the Zebra Cake. The choice of chiffon cake base is significant as it affects the final texture and structure of the recreated cake.

💡Glaze

A glaze is a thin, translucent coating often used on baked goods to add shine and flavor. In the context of the video, the host applies a white glaze to the Zebra Cakes before adding the chocolate stripes. The glaze is a critical component in mimicking the shiny, sugary exterior of the original Zebra Cakes.

💡Hexagons

The shape of the Zebra Cakes is mentioned as hexagonal in the script. The host cuts the cake into hexagons to match the original product's shape, which is an important aspect of the visual appeal and presentation of the homemade Zebra Cakes. The precision in cutting and shaping the hexagons is part of the meticulous process of recreating the snack.

💡Sugar Content

The script mentions the high sugar content in the original Zebra Cakes, describing the sensation of the back teeth tingling due to the sweetness. This observation influences the host's decision on the amount of sugar to use in the homemade version, aiming to balance sweetness with the other flavors and textures.

💡Texture

Texture is a critical aspect of food and plays a significant role in the overall eating experience. The host emphasizes the importance of texture in recreating the Zebra Cakes, from the tight crumb of the cake to the smooth glaze and the creamy buttercream filling. The video discusses the challenges in achieving the desired textures, which is central to the recreation process.

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

00:00

well here's what the central question if

00:01

I don't like the cake then why am I

00:03

trying to recreate it you know what I

00:05

mean oh wow I didn't know that this was

00:07

the shape that they were in stuck what

00:09

do I do going to fall I'm going to go

00:12

for something where I like the flavor I

00:15

like the cake because why would I want

00:17

to

00:17

recreate the thing I don't really like

00:19

to begin

00:20

[Music]

00:21

with hi everyone we're back today I'm

00:24

tackling Zebra Cakes not something I've

00:27

actually ever eaten or really know what

00:28

it is my God you guys they have stripes

00:30

on oh thank God this about to be really

00:33

annoyed I'm really excited because I

00:35

think I'm going to nail it Without

00:36

Really knowing what the components

00:42

are based on the picture and knowing

00:44

that this is similar to like the

00:46

Christmas tree cakes is that what

00:47

they're called mhm I think it's

00:49

basically like store-bought snack food

00:52

version of a petaphor like a little

00:54

layered glazed cake and I love that in

00:56

theory and I know how to make that so I

00:59

feel like think I can do this and you

01:01

never had these growing up you just saw

01:03

friends eating them I never had these

01:05

growing up I never saw friends eating

01:06

them but this apparently is the common

01:08

thing to have at your house I've been

01:10

told tell so I definitely was familiar

01:14

with other Little Debbie Treats but just

01:15

not not Zebra Cakes in particular but I

01:18

do like the way that they look on the

01:19

box right off the bat I love the size

01:23

and like overall proportions of it I

01:25

love that it's like a little four bite

01:26

piece of cake very very pleasing as far

01:29

as like pick it up and eating it they're

01:31

like little hexagons which I I didn't

01:32

know and I wasn't really anticipating so

01:34

I can obviously see the cake through the

01:36

white coating a little bit but I'm going

01:37

to slice through and get a cross-section

01:39

so I can really see what the components

01:42

are it's the smell of like a packaged

01:44

like a Twinkie

01:46

or any other like packaged cake I guess

01:49

it's kind of like artificial vanilla

01:51

smell possibly like preservative smell I

01:53

mean they look really cute I I do love

01:55

the size but basically what I have here

01:58

two layers of a kind of

02:00

cake separated by a layer of some kind

02:03

of filling or frosting and then that

02:05

white waxy looking glaze and then the

02:07

zebra stripes what's I think notable

02:08

about the cake and is probably actually

02:10

good in the case of like this type of

02:14

application is that the crumb is

02:15

incredibly tight there's like no thick

02:17

air pockets in here it's really really

02:20

tight but also super tender like just

02:22

crumbs fall off that's something I'm

02:24

going to have to think about I couldn't

02:26

if when I recreate this I couldn't make

02:27

a cake that has like big open crumb

02:30

wouldn't work I feel like my body's

02:32

already rejecting

02:36

it cing is like so waxy so sugary my god

02:41

do you ever have that feeling when your

02:42

back teeth literally tingle cuz it's so

02:46

sugary that's the sensation I just got I

02:49

took such a small bite that really I

02:50

mostly got the like

02:54

glaze all right cake kind of dry very

02:59

tender almost instant dissolution like

03:02

it dissolved B almost there wasn't even

03:05

really anything there to like chew

03:07

basically flavorless The Filling is this

03:10

kind of like cream filling which is c r

03:13

e m cuz like they can't actually call it

03:16

cream because it's not dairy is very

03:21

whipped intensely

03:25

sweet fake

03:27

vanilla that's about it I do get a

03:30

little bit of chocolate when I eat it

03:33

I'm going to try to taste just the zebra

03:38

stripe extremely subtle cocoa flavor

03:43

extremely way very very sweet not

03:46

terribly impressed with the components

03:48

but like most snack foods that people

03:51

remember eating it is kind of all that

03:54

the like combination of the components

03:56

and I think honestly with anything like

03:59

this I think it's texture and they kind

04:00

of like breaking through that glaze with

04:02

your teeth into that like

04:05

interior flavor-wise I don't really ever

04:08

want to eat it again from end to end

04:10

we're looking at about 6 cm I'll go the

04:13

other way more like 5 and 1/2 close

04:16

enough we'll call it 5 and 1/ half or

04:17

six the sides are about 3 cm each the

04:20

overall height including the glaze is

04:23

just under 2 and 1/2 cm and then each

04:26

layer is around 7 mm I'm going to take a

04:30

look at the

04:31

ingredients I think it's going to be

04:33

great it's kind of a long list sugar

04:36

corn syrup enrich bleached flour

04:38

parentheses wheat flour nasin reduced

04:40

iron fyin mononitrate vitamin B1

04:43

riboflavin vitamin B2 folic acid clo

04:45

parenthesis water palm and palm kernel

04:48

oil palm and soybean oils with tbhq and

04:52

citric acid to protect flavor dextrose

04:54

soybean oil contains 2% or less of each

04:57

of the following dried egg whites corn

04:59

starch whey parentheses milk lemoning

05:02

parentheses baking soda sodium aluminum

05:04

phosphate cocoa salt mono and

05:07

diglycerides sorbitan mono sterate soy

05:09

leian sorbic acid parentheses to

05:12

preserve freshness titanium dioxide poly

05:15

sorbate 60 natural and artificial

05:17

flavors polysorbate 80 anato extract

05:20

turmeric extract soy

05:23

flour it's a long list I have to process

05:26

this

05:28

so I feel like a lot of times you

05:31

learn from the like 2% or less

05:34

list because it kind of tells you like

05:37

what they're going for so the idea that

05:39

there's egg white in this tells me that

05:43

that's like the coating like it's like a

05:44

royal icing or something there's just so

05:46

little that's actually in here mostly

05:49

what I think the Glazer coating is is

05:51

like those oil the the palm oils

05:54

basically palm and palm kernel oil palm

05:58

and soybean oils the anato extract and

06:00

turmeric extract are definitely there

06:02

for color in the cake I'm guessing

06:04

because that's the only part that has

06:05

any color to it there is Coco so that's

06:08

partly in the

06:09

stripe but mostly there's just a lot of

06:12

stuff in here that I don't want to eat

06:14

now in terms of the cake I'm thinking

06:16

that I'm going to go with an oilbased

06:19

cake so I think I'm going to make a

06:21

chiffon but I'm going to have

06:23

to make some adjustments cuz I I want to

06:26

achieve something with that extremely

06:28

tight crumb after a the cake I want to

06:31

make the filling fill and stack cut out

06:34

hexagons glaze and step six chocolate

06:38

Stripes all right so I'm going to get

06:40

the oven on this is going to be such a

06:43

thin layer of cake that I think I want

06:45

to bake it a little bit lower than I

06:46

normally would so I'm going to get on

06:47

325 and then I'm going to grab my

06:49

ingredients for the chiffon cake I got

06:50

cream of Charter in here

06:53

somewhere here we go so the cake is

06:57

yellow usually you would see that at

06:59

pink butter cake but this but what's

07:01

great about chiffon cake is it has both

07:04

yolks and egg whites so the yolks are

07:06

going to take care of the color I'm

07:08

going to go with this recipe my Siobhan

07:10

sponge cake recipe so I'm going to start

07:12

by mixing my dry ingredients 90 G cake

07:16

flour this recipe uses baking powder and

07:20

soda I am going

07:22

to decrease those amounts slightly the

07:25

less baking powder the less sort of like

07:28

you know chemical reaction

07:30

and gas production as it bakes 3/4 of a

07:33

teaspoon kosher

07:35

salt three that's my dry mix set this

07:38

off to the side so I need three large

07:40

eggs separated I'm going to do whites in

07:43

here yolks in the smaller Bowl 1/2 cup

07:45

of sugar I need 1/4 cup of oil and 1/4

07:49

cup buttermilk then a little hit of

07:52

vanilla call that a teaspoon and an e/

07:56

of a teaspoon cream of Tarter so cream

07:58

of tartter is an acid this is used for

08:00

stabilizing egg whites so now I'm going

08:02

to make my yolk mixture so I'm going to

08:04

mix my yolks about half of the sugar in

08:07

this bowl until they're pale and thick

08:10

then I'm going to stream in the oil and

08:11

buttermilk and vanilla the rest of the

08:13

sugar is going to go with my egg

08:16

whites probably could use a bigger bowl

08:18

but oh well so now I'm going to stream

08:20

in my oil and buttermilk and

08:23

[Applause]

08:27

vanilla that's really my liquid

08:30

mixture just going to scrape in all of

08:32

that

08:34

buttermilk and now I'm going

08:38

to combine my wet and dry so I'm going

08:43

to pour in my

08:48

wet and I'll mix this until it's

08:54

smooth so this is my batter base and now

08:58

the next um and kind of final step is

09:00

beating my egg whites so I want to clean

09:03

off these beers really well cuz if

09:04

there's any fat on the beers it won't

09:06

whip up the egg

09:08

whites often you'll see instructions for

09:11

like a sponge cake say when you're

09:14

beating the egg whites gradually add the

09:17

sugar and that's great but I'm not going

09:20

to do that I'm going to actually add all

09:22

of the sugar at

09:24

once because if you add the

09:26

sugar all at once and then whip it you

09:29

get a finer foam so you get smaller air

09:31

bubbles and that's what's going to help

09:33

me get a slightly tighter crumb with

09:35

fewer like big open air bubbles so all

09:39

this is going to go in my cream of

09:41

tartar is going to go in because this is

09:42

going to help

09:43

stabilize the foam that I create

09:46

basically the suspension of air bubbles

09:49

in with my egg

09:52

whites so I'm going to continue to whip

09:54

these until I get nice firm Peaks it'll

09:57

take a minute or two so you see how it's

09:59

like holding the the trail I'm almost

10:02

there I don't really want to overbeat

10:04

egg whites because it will make it hard

10:05

to incorporate them but these are nice

10:07

firm Peaks see the little like beaks off

10:10

the tip of the beers and how they're

10:13

standing straight

10:14

up that's firm so now I'm going to

10:17

scrape my egg whites

10:20

into my batter over here and fold them

10:23

in can you go the other way around yeah

10:26

I could camera yeah I can do that so I'm

10:28

actually going to to scrape this yolk

10:30

mixture into my egg whites the reason I

10:33

can do that is cuz both of them are very

10:34

light and texture so they'll incorporate

10:36

together

10:40

evenly so you can see it makes this

10:43

beautiful like super fluffy light batter

10:47

I'm going to scrape this out onto my

10:48

sheet

10:51

tray I need to get this in a really thin

10:53

layer I think maybe it's enough batter

10:56

that I can go all the way to all four

10:58

sides I think I might have to even

10:59

remove some batter we'll see going for

11:01

such a thin

11:03

layer 7 cm SL I guess just 7 mm one

11:08

thing that's going to happen with sponge

11:09

cake because I've created this foam you

11:11

get this kind of like sticky cuz it's

11:14

kind of like merang like layer on top

11:17

that gets really Brown and I'm going to

11:18

peel that off cuz it tastes eggy and it

11:21

gets sticky and it's just not the best I

11:23

know it's not as even as it could be but

11:26

I think it's all right I'm going to grab

11:29

my cake

11:31

tester I think it's

11:34

good no it's not I know testing not the

11:38

cake dness but the thickness all right

11:40

so the thickness of the layer is we're

11:43

already at a centimeter so I might want

11:45

to take away some batter would you need

11:47

to remove like

11:49

half it's going to Puff a little bit

11:51

right yeah but I'm not sure how much

11:52

it's going to collapse at the same time

11:53

I kind of think that what how it goes in

11:55

is how it's going to be when it comes

11:57

out but we'll see all right so one thing

11:59

I want to do before I put it in the oven

12:01

is I'm going to give it a nice sharp tap

12:03

on the

12:17

counter I got to get this into the

12:21

oven this is going to bake really fast

12:24

because it's so thin so I'll check it in

12:27

like I'll literally look at it in 5

12:28

minutes and see how it looks I just want

12:31

it to be I want it to be just barely set

12:34

like I don't even really want much color

12:35

on

12:36

it thanks Archie so the 5 Minute Timer

12:39

just went off ooh I it's so close I

12:42

think it just needs one more

12:44

minute sorry now I really think it's

12:46

done it is just barely golden on the

12:49

surface so when I press on it it Springs

12:52

back lightly so I know it's cooked my

12:55

feeling from looking at it is that it

12:57

does seem maybe a little thick in the

12:59

middle I'm going to grab my kick

13:01

tester oh

13:05

yeah much thicker I can try to like trim

13:08

it basically the very edges where it's

13:11

much more Brown are going to be a little

13:12

too done so I'm going to actually just

13:14

trim the sponge do this while it's

13:20

hot I mean that crumb looks really good

13:23

it's really small but nice and really

13:25

fine even crumb not lots of big air

13:28

bubbles so that looks good

13:30

good why am I eating this really want to

13:32

eat it what's your review tastes

13:35

good so do you see how there's this like

13:37

sticky film on the surface I'm going to

13:40

I'm going to peel it off just like that

13:41

it's really fun look at it look at how

13:44

fun it is actually now now it's exposing

13:46

the crumb you can see larger air bubbles

13:48

but oh well the bottom is cool to the

13:52

touch let me get a closer

13:55

look can see how flexible it is

13:58

basically Ally the thickness is just

14:00

really uneven all the way around and

14:02

part of the reason is that the sheet

14:03

tray itself is not really perfectly flat

14:06

and I didn't really spread it very flat

14:09

this part is extra thin and extra crispy

14:13

trim

14:15

that I'm really happy with the crumb I'm

14:17

just cutting it into small enough sizes

14:20

that I could really look at it it's like

14:24

so this is the thickest end this is the

14:25

thinnest end it's kind of too thin at

14:28

the thin part and too thick at the thick

14:30

part so let's see what I want to do here

14:33

at the thickest part I'm at basically a

14:36

cenim and a half and at the

14:39

thinnest I'm at about a half a

14:41

centimeter can I cut and level the

14:47

layer I do have these straws these

14:51

plastic straws which are about 7 mm

14:55

thick so these can be my guys and I'm

14:58

making like super super

14:59

fine sawing

15:02

motion cuz I just I don't want to just

15:04

like tear up the whole

15:06

cake which I kind of am see that I'm

15:09

trying to use a blade that I know is

15:11

sharper but not serrated but maybe

15:13

that's actually good cuz the bigger

15:15

teeth and the serrated knife are maybe

15:17

tearing up the cake so kind of seems

15:19

like this is

15:20

working so my goal is to get a 12 CM

15:24

length of cake that is the correct

15:27

thickness because I can cut two

15:31

hexagons from each pair that kind of

15:35

worked this way o I'm right at six here

15:39

I have a nice even cake layer good whole

15:43

structure tastes good super light it's

15:46

going to be good it's going to make such

15:47

a good zebra cake so I'm going to repeat

15:50

that leveling process with my remaining

15:52

pieces of cake and hopefully get

15:55

eight like equal size equal thickness

15:58

strips that I can stack into then four

16:01

stacks and then cut my cakes from there

16:04

it really does feel like I'm portioning

16:05

fish because it's like little fillets

16:08

yeah I'm actually thinking that I'm

16:10

going to freeze it because the cake is

16:12

really delicate and now I just trimmed

16:15

it so now there's like still kind of

16:16

loose crumb on the surface and the cake

16:18

is really thin and delicate and I think

16:21

that when I go to apply the filling to

16:23

it there's a good chance that it could

16:25

kind of tear and I might have a hard

16:26

time spreading it so I'm going to freeze

16:27

it get it kind of soft solid and that's

16:30

going to make it easier for me to stack

16:31

and

16:32

trim and cut the hexagons so I'm going

16:35

to do that clean up and then I'm going

16:37

to make the filling I think I'm

16:38

overthinking the filling I basically

16:41

want to make a buttercream I want it to

16:44

be buttercream like it has to be a