his pound cake
is rich and moist with lovely swirls of white and chocolate batters. Marble cakes may look complicated, but
they actually start with a white batter. Once the batter is made it is divided
in half and then melted semisweet chocolate is added to one half. The marbling
is created by placing the white and chocolate batters alternately in a bundt pan and
then
running your
knife through the two batters to blur the lines.
This cake is baked in a bundt pan
and if you are using a dark colored pan, make sure to reduce the oven temperature
to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).This is done because
dark colored pans absorb more of the energy coming from the oven
walls so the pan becomes hotter and transmits heat faster than light colored pans.
Reducing the oven temperature slightly will help compensate for this.
I know I have mentioned this before but it is important to remember that vanilla
scented batters need a good vanilla extract. Buying vanilla extract can present
a challenge as there are so many choices. The first thing to look for when
buying any extract is to make sure it is labeled "pure". Stay away from the ones
labeled "imitation" as they are made with synthetic vanilla (from glycoside
found in the sapwood of certain conifers or from coal extracts) and leave a
bitter aftertaste. The best pure vanilla extract I have found is
Nielsen-Massey's Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract. You can find it in
some grocery stores or else in specialty food stores
This recipe has been adapted from
Sherry Yard's 'The Secrets of Baking'.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177
degrees C) and place rack in center of oven.
Butter, or spray with a non stick spray, a 10
inch (25 cm) bundt or tube pan.
In a stainless steel bowl, over a saucepan of
simmering water, melt the semisweet chocolate with the coffee. Remove from heat
and set aside.
In a separate bowl
sift together
the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
In bowl of electric
mixer, cream the butter. Gradually add the sugar and continue to beat
until the mixture is light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
Add beaten eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Beat in the vanilla extract and sour cream.
With the mixer on low speed
alternately add the flour mixture and the milk to the batter, in three
additions, beginning and ending with the flour.
After preparing the batter,
pour half of the batter into a separate bowl. Stir the melted chocolate into one half of
the batter, mixing well. Place the batter into the prepared pan by
alternating spoons of vanilla batter and chocolate batter. Then, with
the end of a wooden spoon,
gently draw swirls through the batter to marbleize it. Don't over mix or you won't have that wonderful marble affect.
Bake for
about 50 - 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes before
removing the cake from the pan to cool completely. Serve warm or at room
temperature. This cake will keep for a couple of days at room temperature
or it can be frozen.
Adapted from:
Yard, Sherry. 'The Secrets of Baking'. Houghton Mifflin Company. New
York: 2003.
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his pound cake
is rich and moist with lovely swirls of white and chocolate batters. Marble cakes may look complicated, but
they actually start with a white batter. Once the batter is made it is divided
in half and then melted semisweet chocolate is added to one half. The marbling
is created by placing the white and chocolate batters alternately in a bundt pan and
then
