Let's get it started in here...

Sooo, I've finally found my way into this huuuge food-blogging world! It makes me quite exited and I can't wait to see what interesting things I might learn, people I might get to know and experience I'll gain :) I hope you enjoy this little blog and come around again some time soon! :D

As this is still a project in the making I would be really pleased about any comments or tips how and what to improve :)

But now to the first recipe...

What better way to start blogging than with one of my favorite flavor combos?

Uhu, alright, here we go: chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon and to take this cake right into magic a thiiick (really thick, don't be cautious with the chocolate, you know you won't regret it!!) crust of dark chocolate garnished with tiny little caramelized almond pieces and huuge sea salt grains (for all the sweet and salty lovers out there)

And did I've mentioned that this cake is totally eggless? So you can't have an excuse not to bake it RIGHT NOW just  because you don't have eggs at home! Dangerously? Yeah, I know - but totally worth it!

 

 

Three stripes Zebra Cake with a thick Chocolate Crust and an Almond-Sea-Salt Topping

For the cake:

- 1 1/2 cups (whole wheat) flour

- 1/2 cup sugar (more if you have quite a sweet tooth)

- 1/2 tsp salt

- 1 tsp baking soda

- 1/2 tsp baking powder

- 1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar (I think white works best)

- 1/4 cup + two tablespoons vegetable oil

- 1 cup water

- 1 Tbsp vanilla sugar (you might want to sub for vanilla extract though for more vanilla taste)

- 1 leveled Tbsp cinnamon

- 2 Tbsp Cocoa powder (I've used the extra dark one here)

- optional: milk

 

1. Heat up the oven to 180°C and line your cake tin with some parchment paper.

2. Sift the flour in a bowl and mix in all other dry ingredients minus the spices. Create two holes - put the vinegar in one and the oil in the other. Pour the water all over and mix with a fork or electric mixer until well combined.

3. Divide the dough into three equal parts and mix each of them with one of the spices. You might end up with some drier parts (e.g. the chocolate one) - all you have to do is adding milk by the tablespoon to achieve a texture similar to the basic dough.

4. Now to the zebra like alignment of the different doughs. Put two tablespoons of chocolate dough in the cake tin, then top it with three tablespoons of cinnamon dough and then two of the vanilla one. Start again with the chocolate and continue to do so until you've got all dough in your tin. If you're to lazy for this and just want the cake to be ready pour the parts in the tin one for one and mix it a little with a fork for a marbled cake.

5. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for about 45-60 min. Cake is ready when a cake tester inserted comes out without any crumbs.

6. Put the cake out of the oven, let it cool in the pan for 15 min then remove it and leave it to cool completely.
 

For the almonds:

- 30 g sugar

- 60 g almond pieces (size according to your taste, you can even use whole almonds)

- 1 Tbsp honey

- optional: spices like cinnamon, ginger, vanilla etc.

1. Mix all ingredients in a cool pan and then turn your stove to medium high heat stirring constantly until the sugar is caramelized and the whole thing turns into a lightly golden-brown colour (it might be too liquid depending on the honey you use - in this case  just add in some more almonds).

2. Pour onto parchment paper, seperate huge chunks with a fork and let cool completely.  

 

For the chocolate crust:

- 200g dark chocolate

- some pinches of huge grain sea salt according to taste

- caramelized almonds (see below)

1. Melt the chocolate in a water bath or in the microwave.

2. Pour it over the cooled cake and sprinkle with the almonds and sea salt as long as the chocolate is still warm

3. Let the chocolate cool of to create a nice crisp crust and serve with your favourite coffee (latte macchiato anyone?)