RECIPE FOR MARBLE POUND CAKE RECIPES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven, and preheat to 325 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
• Sift the flour and salt into a medium bowl. Whisk together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla in a small bowl.
• Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until smooth. Gradually add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, to cream and lighten the butter.
• Continue to beat the butter mixture until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low. Beat in the flour, 1/4 cup at a time, then beat the batter for 30 seconds. Gradually beat in the egg mixture. (Take care not to overmix.)
• Transfer about 1/3 of the batter to a medium bowl, and stir in the hot chocolate mix. Spoon 1/2 the remaining vanilla batter into the prepared loaf pan, and smooth over the top with a spatula. Using 1/2 the hot chocolate batter, drop spoonfuls on top of the vanilla batter. Repeat with the remaining vanilla and hot chocolate batters. Run a skewer through the loaf pan to help swirl the 2 batters together. Tap the pan on the counter.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed, 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes.
• Let the cake cool in the pan for a few minutes, then invert and let cool completely on a rack.

Steps:

• In top of a double boiler or a metal bowl over barely simmering water, melt chocolate and 3 tablespoons butter; stir until smooth. Cool to room temperature., Preheat oven to 375°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease parchment., In a large bowl, cream remaining butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Whisk flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition., Remove 2 cups batter to a small bowl; stir in cooled chocolate mixture and, if desired, chocolate chips, until blended. Drop plain and chocolate batters by tablespoonfuls into prepared pans, dividing batters evenly among pans. To make batter level in pans, tap several times on counter., Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 20-25 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove parchment. Cool completely., For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and enough milk to reach desired consistency., If cake layers have rounded tops, trim with a serrated knife to make level. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Cool slightly., Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat layers. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake., Drop cooled chocolate by 1/2 teaspoonfuls over frosting. Using a large offset spatula, smear chocolate to create a marble design in frosting.