Losing my Marbles Cake

I must have spring on my mind, because I have been so forgetful lately.

The other day, I left the car running while in the grocery store, only to come out and find it still there (I guess that says a lot for the neighborhood I live in).

I have been forgetting about appointments and getting the times mixed up too. Forgetting to record checks in my checkbook and a deposit here and there! So what is it? Spring fever or peri-menopause? Don't answer that.

I never forget this recipe though. It's SO EASY and pretty too. You can dust it with powdered sugar if you like. Bake it in a loaf or cake pan; eat it with ice-cream or without. So many choices, so little time.

Just make the cake.



Easy Marble Cake (adapted from Martha):

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pan
1 3/4 cups cake flour (not self-rising)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp boiling water

Preheat oven to 350F.

Generously butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan or 8" springform pan; set aside.

Whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in vanilla. Add flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour.

Set aside 1/3 of the batter.

In a bowl, mix cocoa and 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons boiling water with a rubber spatula until smooth. Add the cocoa mixture to the reserved cake batter; stir until well combined.

Spoon batters into the prepared pan in 2 layers, alternating spoonfuls of vanilla and chocolate to simulate a checkerboard.



To create marbling, run a table knife (or wooden skewer) through the batters in a swirling motion.



Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until a cake tester comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Let rest in pan 10 minutes then cool on rack.

Dust with powdered sugar or leave plain and eat.



Enjoy!

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