Classic Marble Cake Draft

How I make it

Pan and chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C).

2. Grease a tall 9-inch (22-24 cm) removable-bottom tube pan (bottom, sides and tube) with 1 tsp of the butter and sprinkle the cornstarch over the greased surfaces.

3. Tilt and shake the pan so the cornstarch coats it evenly, then tap out the excess over the sink.

4. Put the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl and melt it in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring after each, until completely melted.

5. Let the chocolate cool only while you make the batter, so it doesn't set.

Batter

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, sugar and vanilla for 4-5 minutes, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is fluffy.

2. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat with a fork. Add them to the butter mixture a third at a time, beating well after each addition.

3. Sift in the flour and baking powder, add the milk and beat just until smooth and free of lumps.

4. Transfer about three-fifths of the batter to a second bowl. Add the melted chocolate and cocoa to the first bowl and beat briefly, just until even.

Marbling and baking

1. Drop heaping spoonfuls of the dark and light batters into the pan, alternating side by side and on top of each other.

2. Smooth the top. Swirl the two batters together a little with a knife blade, not too much, so distinct patches remain.

3. Insert the knife blade all the way down into the middle of the batter and run it in a circle parallel to the sides of the pan.

4. Bake on the middle rack for 45-50 minutes, until the top is dry and a long wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and dry.

5. Cool the cake completely in the pan, then release it from the sides and transfer to a platter.

What I've learned

• Once the flour goes in I mix as little as possible. Overmixing makes the cake tough and dense.
• The circle I trace with the knife inside the batter gives steam a way out during baking, so the crust doesn't burst in random spots.