A Marbled Cake and my exciting Summer

Finally, settled in our new house. It was one long moving, the 8th in 10 years and not the last one for sure. This summer was very hectic, restless and hot! I think I already mentioned that I am not crazy about Atlanta's weather and Summer is no exception, very warm and humid,which is not my favorite combination. Trips to the swimming pool were our main destination and baking was set aside for some time. Because of the heat? yes, but not only that. The moving and the temporary instability that comes along with played a big part in my hibernation.





Back to my new kitchen and my "cher companion": the oven, I started with my ultimate weakness, the chocolate cake. I just realized I didn't post the recipe on my blog, how can that be??!! I've made this cake a thousand times, posted different pictures on flickr to the point where I felt kind of embarrassed to post anymore chocolate cake photos. I will have to post that recipe.



I also made cherry pistachio clafoutis, fruit tartelettes, a decadent chocolate mousse cake. I also made strawberry sorbet, ice creams and last but not least, one of my favorite: marbled cake. I have been looking for the best recipe for that one for some time. tried many: the dry, the dense, the tasteless...until I found the perfect one. I found it in a cookbook I bought while waiting for checkout at a department store. I initially bought this book for 3 reasons: first, it was very cheap and I liked the the cover (it was pink, my favorite color). Second, I don't like waiting in lines and needed something to keep myself busy, and third because I liked the pictures of the book. It is a tiny book with no author name, called "Baking". Ridiculously simple, but let me tell you, the recipes are very good, even impressive. Isn't it amazing when sometimes things exceed your expectations? I love that feeling.
I'll try to post some of the other recipes, meanwhile try to make this cake and have it with a cup of coffee or tea, a dollop of whipped cream and fresh strawberries, or with vanilla crème anglaise, you'll love it! Enjoy your summer everyone!

Marbled Cake

10 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
6 tbsp sour cream
2 cups self rising flour*, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 tbsp milk
2 tbsp heavy cream

Preparation

Preheat the over to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 5 loaf pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper as well.

Place the chocolate, milk, and heavy cream in a heat proof bowl. Set over a pan of simmering water and heat gently until melted.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream. Gently fold in the sifted flour.

Take out a third of the batter and add the melted chocolate to it. Add the vanilla to the white batter.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan alternating between chocolate and vanilla.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan 10 minutes then unmold. You can glaze the cake with a ganache if you like.

*If you do not have self-rising flour, use the following for one cup of self rising flour:

1 cup all purpose flour, 1 1/4 tsp baking powder, 1/8 tsp salt