For the holidays, I’m pulling out all the stops with this marble/zebra cake. I can’t quite call it a zebra cake as many of you know it by, because Cole has told me it’s just not right to associate an animal with a cake (He’s also the same kid who refuses to eat a birthday cake with transferred pictures of people on it). Marble cake it is in our home.

*This is a sponsored post in collaboration with The Hershey Company. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

It’s a family favorite and always a crowd pleaser! People love the intricate interior and love it even more when they realize how easy it is to make. I especially love Bundt cakes because everything is neatly poured in a pan—no cutting, no layering and no frosting. Along with that, they have a nostalgic factor for me because Bundt cakes were something my mom would make when I was a kid.

Today, I’m continuing the Bundt cake tradition with my kids, but adding things like this marbled effect for some visual wow (and it gets me out of making two flavors of cake-yay me!) and a caramel pour on top. I’ve updated the ingredients to include my favorite products like HERSHEY’S Unsweetened Cocoa Powder and HERSHEY’S Kitchens Sea Salt Caramel Chips for the pour. HERSHEY’S Unsweetened Cocoa Powder is a must if you want a nice chocolate punch that’s rich and smooth. The Sea Salt Caramel Chips make cake glazes and pours a cinch. I like them melted down or in whole form, either way, the chips offer a buttery flavor with the same dark notes that you would expect from homemade caramel.

Now that I’ve armed you with all the tools for success, off you go to make this! I promise your family will love it, and who knows, it just may end up being your holiday cake.

*This is a sponsored post in collaboration with The Hershey Company. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Yield: Serves 8-10

Marble Bundt Cake

Ingredients

CHOCOLATE CAKE BATTER:
6 sections (1/2 oz. each) HERSHEY'S Kitchens Semi-Sweet Chocolate
Baking Bar
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Cocoa
1 teaspoon powdered instant coffee
1-1/4 cups boiling water
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1-1/4 cups full-fat mayonnaise
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
VANILLA CAKE BATTER:
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
4 egg yolks
SEA SALT CARAMEL CHIP POUR (recipe follows)

Instructions

Heat oven to 350° F. Grease and dust 14-cup* fluted tube pan with cocoa powder.
Prepare CHOCOLATE CAKE BATTER and VANILLA CAKE BATTER (instructions below). Place about 2 cups vanilla batter in prepared pan. Top with 1 cup chocolate batter and then 1 cup vanilla batter. Continue alternating batters to fill pan.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan to wire rack. Cool completely.
Prepare SEA SALT CARAMEL CHIP POUR. Pour over cake. Makes 12 servings.
CHOCOLATE CAKE BATTER: Chop semi-sweet chocolate into small pieces; place in small heatproof bowl with cocoa and instant coffee. Pour boiling water over mixture. Let sit 1 minute; stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth; set aside. Stir together in separate bowl flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
Beat granulated sugar, brown sugar and mayonnaise in mixer bowl filled with paddle attachment at medium high speed 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating well after each addition, until thoroughly blended. Beat in vanilla. Turn off mixer; beginning and ending with flour mixture, use large whisk to alternately add flour mixture and chocolate mixture to sugar-egg mixture. Set aside.
VANILLA CAKE BATTER: Sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Whisk together in medium bowl buttermilk, oil and vanilla; set aside.
Beat together granulated sugar, brown sugar and butter in stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment about 3 to 4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition, until thoroughly blended. Continue beating 5 to 6 minutes or until very light and pale. Turn off mixer; beginning and ending with flour mixture, use large whisk to alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture.
SEA SALT CARAMEL CHIP POUR: Place 1-2/3 cups (10-oz. bag) HERSHEY’S Kitchens Sea Salt Caramel Baking Chips and 1/4 cup shortening (do not use butter, margarine, spread or oil) in medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until chips are melted and smooth.
*NOTE: Cake may be baked in 12-cup fluted tube pan. Fill 2/3 full with batter; bake 50 to 55 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Extra batter can be used to bake about 1 dozen cupcakes. (Bake cupcakes about 18 to 20 minutes.)
*To sour milk: Use 2-1/4 teaspoons white vinegar plus milk to equal 3/4 cup.

Filed Under: Desserts