Description

A sophisticated, dense-crumbed marble cake that utilizes thick crème fraîche instead of butter for a velvety, old-world texture. This vintage-inspired bake features a striking cocoa ripple that provides a perfect earthy contrast to the rich vanilla base.

Ingredients

4 large eggs, room temperature
200g granulated sugar
200g all-purpose flour
10g baking powder
20cl crème fraîche épaisse (at least 30% fat)
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 pinch of salt

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Instructions

Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) and grease and flour a loaf pan or bundt mold.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is pale, thick, and has doubled in volume.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into the egg mixture and fold gently, then stir in the crème fraîche until the batter is just smooth.
Pour approximately two-thirds of the vanilla batter into the prepared mold.
Sift the cocoa powder into the remaining one-third of the batter, mix well, and pour over the vanilla layer.
Use a knife to gently swirl the two batters together to create a marbled effect.
Bake for approximately 50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

To achieve the perfect marble pattern, limit your swirling to three or four figure-eight motions with a knife; over-mixing will cause the colors to muddy. This cake is notably better the second day once the fats have settled, so consider baking it 24 hours before you plan to serve it.

Prep Time: 15 mins
Cook Time: 50 mins
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: European