Bakery-Style Zebra Cakes (Egg-Free, Dairy-Free, Nut-Free)
Soft vanilla snack cakes filled with fluffy cream and coated in glossy icing — these homemade Zebra Cakes are egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free, and completely nostalgic.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup neutral oil
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 3/4 cup dairy-free milk
- 2 tsp vinegar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dairy-free butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1–2 Tbsp dairy-free milk (if needed)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups dairy-free white chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1/3 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coconut oil
Instructions
- 1Prepare the Cake
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl, combine dairy-free milk and vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar. Add oil, applesauce, vanilla, and milk mixture. Mix until smooth. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 14–17 minutes, until lightly golden and the center springs back gently. Cool completely.
- 2Cut the Cakes
Once cooled, place the cake in the freezer for 20–30 minutes. Use a round cutter (or knife) to cut circles or rectangles. You should get about 10–12 sandwich cakes.
- 3Make the Filling
Beat dairy-free butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and enough dairy-free milk to make a fluffy spreadable filling. Spread or pipe filling onto half the cakes. Top with the remaining cake pieces. Freeze assembled cakes 15–20 minutes before coating. This step matters — cold cakes coat much cleaner.
- 4Make the Coating
Melt white chocolate and coconut oil together until smooth. Place cakes on a wire rack over parchment. Pour coating over each cake, allowing excess to drip off. Let the coating set slightly.
- 5Add Zebra Stripes
Melt chocolate chips with coconut oil. Transfer to a piping bag or zip-top bag with a tiny corner snipped. Pipe stripes across the tops. Chill until set.
