MARBLE CHOCOLATE RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Grease a 20cm cake tin and line the bottom with a circle of greaseproof paper.
• If you want to make life easy, simply put 225g butter, 225g caster sugar, 4 eggs, 225g self-raising flour, 3 tbsp milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract into a food processor and whizz for 1-2 mins until smooth.
• If you prefer to mix by hand, beat 225g butter and 225g caster sugar together, then add 4 eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Fold through 225g self-raising flour, 3 tbsp milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
• Divide the mixture between 2 bowls. Stir 2 tbsp cocoa powder into the mixture in one of the bowls. Take 2 spoons and use them to dollop the chocolate and vanilla cake mixes into the tin alternately.
• When all the mixture has been used up (and if young kids are doing this, you’ll need to ensure the base of the tin is fairly evenly covered), tap the bottom on your work surface to ensure that there aren’t any air bubbles.
• Take a skewer and swirl it around the mixture in the tin a few times to create a marbled effect.
• Bake the cake for 45-55 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool. Will keep for 3 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Grease and line the base of a loaf tin (8 x 21cm/ 2lb) with baking parchment. Beat the butter, sugar, eggs and flour together in a large bowl with an electric whisk or in a food processor until lump free.
• Split the mixture into two bowls, beat the milk, followed by the cocoa powder into one. Beat the orange juice, zest and orange food colouring, if using, into the other.
• Spoon alternate dollops of the mixture into the cake tin, then use a skewer to create a marble pattern by dragging it through the mixture in swirls. Make sure you don’t overmix or you won’t see the pattern. Smooth the surface if necessary.
• Bake the cake for 45 - 55 mins until golden and risen, and a skewer poked in comes out clean.
• Leave the cake in the tin to cool, then turn out. Melt the chocolate in a bowl over barely simmering water or gently in the microwave. Use a spoon to drizzle the chocolate over the cake.