Tri-colour Marble Cake

I thought I’d create my own version of a tri-colour marble cake, something I’ve been meaning to bake for a long time now.

The exquisite colour of yellow-pink-brown when a slice of cake is cut sure is a pretty feast to the eye. I flavoured the pink sponge with a little strawberry essence, which married well with the other flavours of chocolate and plain sponge. I’ve even thought of baking a tri-colour yellow – mint green – brown chocolate version to compare the flavours. This cake vanished quickly from the cake tin, which speaks volumes on how much my family enjoyed it.

Here is my recipe.

Tri-colour Marble Cake

Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients
350g (12 oz) self-raising flour, sieved
225g (8 oz) soft butter
225g (8 oz) caster sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
200ml milk
1 tsp strawberry essence (optional)
Edible pink food colouring
2 tbsp cocoa powder, sieved
2 tbsp extra milk

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C/fan-oven 150°C/325°F/Gas mark 3. Grease and line the base of a 20cm (8in) springform cake tin.

In a bowl cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg a little at a time with the vanilla extract beating in well. Fold in the flour and milk alternatively until all combined well.

Dived the mixture into 3 portions in separate bowls. For the first portion leave plain. With the second portion fold in the cocoa and milk until all combined well. Lastly for the third portion, add the strawberry essence (optional) and edible pink food colouring and combine together.

Drop alternate spoonfuls of mixture into your cake tin. Drag a skewer through the mixture backwards and forwards to slightly mix the colours for a marbling effect.

Place the cake tin into the preheated oven to bake for 1 hour or until firm to touch and lightly golden. Test by inserting a skewer into the centre of the cake and if it comes out clean with no mixture attached it is ready.

Place onto a wire rack and leave in the tin to cool for 10 minutes before turning out to finish cooling.