How long do zebra cakes last? Calm down, don’t panic. It’s not a baked zebra animal. The name came about as a result of the appearance. Zebra cakes are beautifully striped like a zebra.
And the layers are chocolate and vanilla, yummy and appealing! Good thing is that it is quite easy to make especially when there is a step-by-step guide.
Ensure your necessary ingredients are top-notch. Do not use expired baking powder.
High-quality dutch processed cocoa powder is recommended, it gives the chocolate swirl. News has it that zebra cakes will no longer be sold soon.
So get a recipe and start making yours, so you don’t run out of that delicious goodness!
Zebra cakes have a yellow-colored creme filling, which is deeply submerged in white icing and trimmed with stripes. That’s it! Zebra stripes.
So, how long do zebra cakes last?
Zebra Cakes are delicious, why keep them for long? However, the good news is that homemade zebra cakes can stay for as long as 5 to 7 days in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer.
The most important thing is to adhere to all rules of storage.
Branded zebra cakes, however, can last for as long as 60 days refrigerated and 6 months when frozen.
It should be noted that these periods of time are only the manufacturer’s estimation, and conclusion based on findings.
When zebra cakes stay beyond the recommended time, they can no longer be guaranteed
Although they may still be safe for consumption, especially when the package remains sealed.
Do Zebra Cakes Go Bad?
Yes. And it is usually seen in color, texture, and flavor.
It becomes different from the original.
Factors responsible for the spoilage of zebra cakes are bacteria and temperature.
This is why refrigeration and proper sealing are recommended.
Room temperature enhances the growth of bacteria which makes the cake unsafe.
Signs to know that your cake is bad; there’s going to be a very funny taste, this is the height of spoilage.
Zebra Cakes have quite a lot of preservatives, so it may be really tricky to spot signs of spoilage until they are entirely bad.
So watch out for light changes and overall changes in taste. At this point, discard it to save your health.
How Long Do Zebra Cakes Last After Expiration?
Expiration dates are written by the manufacturers, estimating how long enough the zebra cake will stay good for consumption.
If proper storage conditions are met, zebra cakes may stay in even beyond the estimated time in perfect condition.
In most cases, an unopened zebra cake will last longer than estimated.
After the written expiration date, zebra cakes will be less fluffy or coarse in texture, they may also be stale in taste,
But it won’t cause any harm. However, zebra cakes in such conditions will be unappealing to consume.
Only when there’s mold, foul smell, or very strange taste, then discard.
At this point, it has stayed beyond recommendation.
Recommendation:
- Does lemon juice go bad in the fridge, freezer, and at room temperature?
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Can You Eat Zebra Cakes After Expiration Date?
Yes. So long as the package remains sealed, not dent, not broken, not burst.
In this state, there is no way contaminants can get in.
Contaminants are foreign objects, air, and moisture which eventually lead to the growth of mold and bacteria thrive. This is very deadly.
The reason it is not recommended is that consuming expired and spoilt zebra cake will lead to food poisoning.
Symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and stomach upset may persist.
Of course, this will rob you of peace and comfort. In order to avoid this, throw out any zebra cake that has questionable features.
10 Best Substitutes For Zebra Cakes.
There are no exact cakes that can substitute for zebra cakes.
Zebra Cakes are totally unique, in their texture, appearance, and taste.
However, you can tweak a thing or two in the ingredients.
1. You can make your zebra cake vegan-sizable by using vegan butter, and plant-based milk in your recipe.
The overall result is a substitute for what an actual zebra cake is, in order to suit a vegetarian.
2. You can also substitute the flour by using gluten flour instead of all-purpose flour.
Oat flour and almond flour will not work well in this case.
3. You can also substitute granulated sugar (actual ingredient), for coconut sugar.
Your cake is still in check.
The most noticeable difference between other cakes and zebra cakes is the absence of fudge.
Otherwise, every other minimal detail is masked in the creme filling and coating, so we don’t take much note.
How Long Do Zebra Cakes Last In The Fridge?
Zebra Cakes can last for as short as 3 days and for as long as 7 days in the fridge.
The duration depends on the brand type, the ingredient used, the preservatives used, and the temperature of the refrigerator.
Your refrigerator must be less than 45⁰F constantly to make it impossible for bacteria to thrive.
It is not appropriate to store at the door part of the refrigerator, because the temperature fluctuates due to opening and closing.
How Long Do Zebra Cakes Last In The Freezer?
Zebra Cakes will last for as long as 3 months in the freezer.
The most important thing is to keep it well wrapped and stored in a freezer at a temperature 0⁰ and below.
Storing zebra cakes in the freezer keeps them fresh.
Some people even say it tastes better after defrosting than when it was fresh.
This observation is left for you to accept or not. It all depends on your taste buds.
However, for you to optimally freeze your freezer cakes, wrap them tightly in aluminum foil,
Then double-protect them in plastic freezer wrap or a heavy-duty freezer bag.
This is to prevent freezer burns or invasion of contaminants which will lead to bacteria growth.
Ensure you allow zebra cakes to cool completely before freezing.
How Long Do Zebra Cakes Last Out Of The Fridge?
They can keep at room temperature, frosted and covered for as long as 2 to 4 days.
For the cake to stay fresh for a longer period, it has to be kept in the refrigerator.
Frosting cakes give it a protective cover, you just need to cover it up with a bowl to protect it from hair, dust, and other contaminants in the air.
The ingredients in a zebra cake will not survive for too long, especially when the humidity is high.
So it is best you store it in a very cool, dark area, or preferably in the refrigerator/freezer.
Recommendation:
- How long does butter tart last in the fridge, freezer, and at room temperature?
- Do lemon bars go bad in the storage place?
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What Do Zebra Cakes Taste Like?
We can’t get a single word to define the taste of Zebra Cakes.
You should try out this goodness! It’s crispy and creamy, soft on the inside and one step less soft on the outside.
It is moist with an airy crumb complemented by rich, thick, sweet-bitter cocoa chocolate.
The coating gives off a vanilla-cocoa flavor. yummy!
The creme filling, a combination of both white icing and fudge stripes, gives it an irresistible taste.
You can’t seem to get enough.
The outer icing is slightly salty. Slightly.
Not too much to cause a health problem. The cake inside is silky. It tastes better than it is described.
How To Make Zebra Cakes?
You really desire and love zebra cakes, but you don’t know how to make them? How then will you satisfy your cravings?
Well, here’s a quick how-to:
- You need to first get a batter. Consistency shouldn’t be too light or too thick, it should be just like a pancake batter. But you must work speedily else, it will thicken.
- Next, share the batter into two equal halves in different bowls.
- One would be for the chocolate mix and the other for the vanilla mix.
- The chocolate mix will be colored with cocoa powder, while the other will be plain.
- Butter your pan or line it with parchment paper.
- Next, scoop the plain batter into the pan, layer it with the chocolate, and layer again with the plain.
- Repeat until you have at least 3 layers of chocolate and 3 layers of the plain.
- Using a spatula, smoothen the top layer and scrape down the sides to be neat.
- Bake for at least 50 minutes in a preheated oven.
- Check occasionally until it is done.
- Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes or more.
- Next is to make your glaze. How you apply it is all up to you.
Ingredients for the chocolate glaze- chocolate, sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa powder.
Be careful not to let it thicken too much.
In case you’re wondering about the batter, here’s how to get it done;
- Mix your butter, sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl.
- Then add eggs and mix well until all is incorporated.
- Add buttermilk and mix more.
- Pour in flour and baking powder till the consistency is smooth without lumps.
- Pour in flour slowly. One at a time, because you need to get the consistency of a pancake batter.
Does Little Debbie Make Zebra Cakes?
Yes. Actually a very renowned brand in the making of zebra cakes.
They’ve been known for their standard and optimum products since 1967.
Wow! Long enough to master the craft and only get better.
However, they are changes in the market.
Little Debbie has other pastries alongside Zebra cakes, and now Zebra doughnuts have been added to the collection.
The difference between doughnuts and cakes is the presence of creme filling in the cakes, and the absence in the doughnuts.
Otherwise, it still has that beautiful stripe look and tastes better than can be described.
Recommendation:
- How long do UTZ cheese balls last in the fridge, freezer, and at room temperature?
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- Can Duck sauce go bad in the fridge, pantry, and freezer?
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Conclusion
Zebra cakes are awesome. Personally, I see the Zebra as a beautifully skinned animal.
So, imagine having a beautifully coated cake too. Beautiful and tasty!
This article has first been designed to appreciate the beauty of zebra cakes, then emphasize storage and preservation.
It also tells you the basics of how to go about the cake.
Enjoy and do serve me some when you try out the recipe.