Chocolate and coconut marble cake

Until today I had never made a marble cake, so with the sun shining on the snow outside and the kitchen all to myself I figured today was as good a day as any to try! (Plus I wanted to try out one of the new cake tins I treated myself to yesterday!)

Ingredients:~
(makes one 18cm/7in cake)


175g/6oz soft margarine
115g/4oz sugar
4 tbsp Golden/Light syrup
175g/6oz self raising flour (or if not, use plain and add a little baking powder!), sifted
1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
3-4 tbsp dessicated coconut
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 tspn salt


Method:~


1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4. Lightly grease or line your chosen tin.


2.  First cream the margarine, sugar and syrup together. (This is usually a 'one stage' cake recipe where you throw everything in the bowl together at the same time, beat it and shove it in the oven. However, because I know I wanted to split and flavour the batter, I used the traditional stages. If you double the cocoa powder and leave out the coconut it makes an awesome, and quick, chocolate cake!)


3. Beat in the eggs.


4. Split your mixture evenly between two bowls.


5. Add half of the flour, salt and the cocoa powder to one bowl. Add the other half of the flour and salt along with the dessicated coconut to the other.


6. Fold the flour into your two batters. (If they become too thick, add a teaspoon or two of milk)


7. Alternate between the two mixes and add spoonfuls to your tin.

8. Using a skewer or a knife, gently swirl the two cake batters around. (Remember you are trying to make a marbled effect, you're not trying to mix the two together!)

9. Bake in the oven for around 30 minutes. Leave the cake in the tin for about 5 minutes before turning out onto a rack to cool completely.

10. Dredge with icing sugar to serve.

11. ENJOY!

As with all cakes, this recipe is only limited by your imagination. You could try a coffee and chocolate cake, an orange and lemon cake. Would love to hear how you get on if you give my recipe a try!


Happy Baking!