Marble cake
- 3 eggs
- 150g white sugar
- 80g brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence (extract)
- 180g unsalted butter, melted plus extra to grease baking pan
- 200g Greek yoghurt, vanilla flavour (alternatively, use plain Greek yoghurt)
- 240g 00 flour, plus 1 tablespoon to grease baking pan (alternatively, use plain, all-purpose flour) – see note in step 4
- 16g Italian baking powder (such as Lievito Bertolini)
- 20g unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Perugina Cacao Amaro), sifted
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 1 pinch salt
- Icing (confectioners') sugar, sifted to serve
Requires: 9-inch round baking pan
Preheat oven to 180°C conventional oven (356° Fahrenheit/Gas 4). Grease a 9-inch round cake pan by lightly buttering the base and sides with margarine or butter. Line the base with baking paper. Add a tablespoon of plain flour into the cake pan, then turn and shake the tin to coat the buttery sides of the cake pan in flour. This prevents the cake from sticking to the cake pan.
Tip: A light coloured aluminium metal baking pan creates the best result.
Using an electric mixer or hand beater, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. With the mixer (or hand beater) running, add the egg yolks, one at a time. Add the white and brown sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla essence.
Beat in the butter, pouring a little at a time until all combined. Add one tablespoon of the Greek yoghurt at a time, continually beating until well combined.
Use a wooden spoon to stir in the flour, one tablespoon at a time.
Note: 00 is a powder-fine Italian type of flour. It is made from soft wheat varieties and is frequently used in Italian desserts and pastas. 00 flour is available in most supermarkets, Italian food stores and gourmet delicatessens. You can also buy from Amazon.
Stir the lemon juice into the cake mixture, then the sifted baking powder.
Divide the cake mixture between 2 bowls.
Stir the sifted cocoa powder into the mixture of one of the bowls. Stir the grated lemon zest into the other vanilla flavoured cake mixture.
Place a large spoonful of the vanilla and lemon flavoured cake mixture in the prepared cake pan. Then add a large spoonful of the chocolate flavoured cake mixture into the cake pan. Continue to spoon the mixtures, 1 tablespoon of each at a time until the mixtures have been used up. Swirl a metal spoon around and through the mixture. Take a skewer and swirl it around the mixture in the cake pan a few times to create a marbled effect.
Bake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the cake pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a serving plate.
Once the cake has cooled, dust sifted icing (confectioners’) sugar on top of the cake – buon appetito!
