Chocolate Marble Cake

Chocolate Marble Cake



Chocolate Marble
Cake

For the cake:
- 100 grams (3 1/2 ounces) good-quality bittersweet chocolate
- 4 eggs
- 220 grams (1 cup plus 2 tablespoons) sugar (I use a blond
unrefined cane sugar)
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) yogurt or buttermilk, or whipping cream
- 220 grams (7 3/4 ounces, about 1 2/3 cups) flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 120 grams (1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon) butter, melted and cooled
(I use semi-salted, add a good pinch of salt if you use unsalted)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (possibly homemade)
- 1 tablespoon cacao nibs (optional)

For the syrup:
- 40 ml (1/6 cup) water
- 1 tablespoon cacao liqueur or liqueur/brandy of your choice
(optional)
- 15 grams (1 rounded tablespoon) sugar

Makes one loaf.

Preheat the oven to 165°C (330°F); you can use the preheating oven to
melt the butter, as described here. Use a little of the melted butter to grease a
loaf pan. Mine is 9 x 26 cm (3 1/2 by 10 1/4 inches), but one that's 5
by 9 inches (12.7 x 22.8 cm) would be fine; it just needs to be about
1.6 liters (7 cups) in capacity.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave, and set
aside. Combine the flour with the baking powder and set aside.

Prepare the two batters side by side: in the first mixing bowl, beat 2
of the eggs with half of the sugar. Add in half the yogurt and whisk to
combine. In a second mixing bowl, beat the 2 remaining eggs with the
rest of the sugar, and whisk in the rest of the yogurt.

Fold half of the flour mixture into the first batter, then
incorporate half of the melted butter and the vanilla, without
overmixing. Fold the remaining flour mixture into the second batter,
then add the rest of the butter and the melted chocolate.

In the prepared pan, pour a third of the vanilla batter. Add in half
of the chocolate batter, and sprinkle with half the cacao nibs if using.
Add another third of the vanilla batter, then the rest of the chocolate
batter. Sprinkle with the remaining cacao nibs, and top with the
remaining vanilla batter.

Here is a visual illustration of the layering of the batters (V
stands for the vanilla batter, C for the chocolate batter, and dots for
the cacao nibs):

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
...............
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

...............
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean.

While the cake bakes, place the syrup ingredients in a small pan over
medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer, then remove from heat and set
aside.

When the cake is baked, use a pastry brush to soak it with the syrup,
until you've used it all up. Let rest for 30 minutes, then unmold and
let cool on a rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.