Mary Berry`s Marbled Chocolate Cake

Mary Berry`s Key Lime Pie is one of the top post on my blog.

That bothers me so much I am not even going to link to it. After all, it`s just a slab of pure cholesterol on a biscuit base. And I`m supposed to be all about health and fitness. At least in this blog.

I seriously don`t indulge in much of this stuff, folks. Just the teeniest morsel with strong black coffee and I`m done. But I do enjoy that little mouthful.

That`s the government health warning out of the way. Now, here`s the good part. This marbled chocolate cake is another easy-peasy recipe. My ring tin is my favourite cake tin as a cake never fails to rise in it and the shape always makes a cake look sophisticated.

Added to that, the cake is done with the all in one method. That`s right-bung all those ingredients into mixer and the basic cake mix is done. Fool-proof. Red Hen proof, even.

Mary Berry`s Marbled Chocolate Cake

The Basic Cake Mix

• 225g softened butter
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 225g self raising flour
• 2 level teaspoons baking powder
• 1 and 1/2 level teaspoons cocoa powder
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of hot water

Icing

• 150g plain chocolate (Around 34% cocoa solids)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 100g butter
• 50g Belgian milk chocolate

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius (Fan 170). Grease a 1.75litre (that`s about 3 pints) ring mould. Line it with strips of baking parchment.

 Measure all the cake ingredients, except the cocoa and water into a large bowl. Beat until thoroughly blended. Dot about half of this mixture, in teaspoons, into the base of the prepared tin.

Mix the cocoa and hot water together in a small bowl then mix into the remaining cake mixture. Dot this mixture over and between the cake mixture already in the tin. Swirl a little with a knife, then carefully level the surface.

 Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes or until well risen and the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

 To make the icing, break the plain chocolate into pieces, then melt it gently with the butter and water in a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Pour over the cake and then leave to set for about 1 hour. Break the milk chocolate into a bowl and melt over a pan of simmering water. Spoon into a piping bag, snip off the end, and drizzle the chocolate over the cake.

My photo shows the beautiful cake from Mary Berry`s Baking Bible as compared with my lumpen creation. Have to say, I was lucky to snag these three pieces of cake for the shot-the rest having been swiftly devoured by the teens and visiting guests.

Plainly, they had morphed into hungry wolves for Hallowe`en night.

A-whoooooo!