Zebra Cake with Kefir (Baked in the Oven)
Striking, beautiful, made from simple ingredients! This Zebra Cake is prepared with kefir, and all other ingredients are affordable too. The striped pattern is easier to achieve than it seems. Serve it for evening tea or on a festive table.
Updated : 07 August, 2025
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
300 grams
Wheat flour
3
Eggs
200 grams
Sugar
250 milliliters
Kefir
3 tablespoon
Cocoa
10 grams
Baking powder
to taste
Vanillin
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
Use kefir with at least 2.5% fat content or higher. Eggs should be medium (US "large" size). Use natural cocoa powder - drink mixes like Nesquik won’t work. All ingredients must be at room temperature, so take the kefir and eggs out of the fridge in advance.
Step 2
Crack the eggs into a bowl. Begin beating them with a mixer. Once foam appears, gradually add sugar in small portions. At the end, add vanilla. Beat until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy.
Step 3
Pour the kefir into the egg mixture. Mix with a mixer on low speed until smooth.
Step 4
Sift the flour into a separate bowl - this removes any debris and enriches it with oxygen, which helps make the cake fluffier. Set aside 3 tablespoons of the flour (you’ll use it later). Add baking powder to the rest and mix well.
Step 5
Begin adding the flour mixture to the liquid batter in small portions, stirring with a spatula after each addition.
Step 6
You might need more or less flour than stated - go by the consistency. The batter should be like liquid sour cream.
Step 7
Divide the batter into two equal parts, pouring half into another bowl. Add the reserved flour to one bowl and cocoa powder to the other. This ensures both batters (white and chocolate) remain the same consistency after adding the cocoa.
Step 8
Carefully mix both batters with a spatula.
Step 9
Take a baking pan (mine was a 20 cm / 8-inch springform pan). Line the bottom with parchment paper and lightly grease with vegetable oil. Pour a tablespoon of white batter into the center. Then pour a tablespoon of chocolate batter in the center of the white one. Continue alternating until all the batter is used.
Step 10
The batter will begin to spread and form a striped pattern. You can make a design on top with a toothpick if desired.
Step 11
Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F) for 30-40 minutes. Exact baking time depends on your oven and pan size. The cake should rise and become golden brown. Check doneness with a wooden skewer - it should come out clean from the center.
Step 12
Remove the baked cake from the oven, cool it, and remove it from the pan. Serve as is, dust with powdered sugar, or slice and layer with cream to make a simple striped cake. Enjoy!