The first print references to marble cake began appearing in the last quarter of the 19th century. One popular variation of this recipe during Victorian times was “Harlequin cake”, which was baked with checker-board patterns. Early recipes use molasses and spices to achieve the dark-colored batter.
Today, we use cocoa and it tastes like a having a piece of chocolate with your sponge cake 😀
This, easy to make, simple cake is usually served around Easter, but I usually make it on the weekends when I don’t plan on baking but still crave something sweet, since all the ingredients are in my staple.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs divided
- 280 g (1 1/3 cups) granulated sugar
- 20 g (1 1/2 tbsp) vanilla sugar
- zest from one lemon
- 120 g (1/2 cup) softened unsalted butter
- 10 tbsp milk
- 3 tbsp oil
- 280 g (2 1/2 cup) all purpose flour
- 10 g (2 1/2 tsp) baking powder
- 2 tbsp cocoa
- 2 tbsp rum (optional)
Preparation
- Preheat oven to 200 °C (390 °F).
- Separate egg yolks form egg whites in two separate bowls.
- Mix in self standing mixer or with electric beater egg yolks and sugar until foamy.
- Add vanilla sugar, lemon zest and butter. Mix until combined.
- Add progressively milk and oil, and at the end alternately mix in flour mixed with baking powder.
- Beat egg whites until stiff.
- With spatula, mix in egg white mixture in the egg yolk mixture until combined.
- Divide prepared batter into two parts.
- In one part add cocoa and rum.
- Greased pan sprinkle with bread crumbs, pour the yellow batter and then the brown batter.
- Bake the cake in preheated oven at 200 °C (390 °F) for 20 min and another 30 min on 150 °C (300 °F) until golden brown.
- After the cake is done, cool it off on the rack.
- Before serving sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Do you have your go to cake when craving something sweet?