Put your hand up if this cake reminds you of your childhood!

I have lost count of the number of cake recipes that I have tried over the years but somehow, no matter how many recipes I try, this is the one I crave especially on a cold, windy or rainy day like today.

It is simple, not pretentious nor fancy yet at the same time, it is full of warm and comforting flavors and aromas. A slice of this, a cup of tea, a good book and the sound of rain on the window is my definition of the perfect winter afternoon.

There are 3 secrets to a perfect marble cake in my book:
1. Orange zest and orange juice which give the cake an almost floral citrus-y note that plays in the background giving the cake character without being overpowering
2. Yogurt the addition of yogurt to a cake batter does wonders to its texture. You just have to try it!
3. Spiced chocolate! If you have never tried adding cinnamon, cardamom and coffee to your chocolate, you are seriously missing out! You can’t taste the spices as is but they add so much depth and layers to the chocolate! Again, this is something that you just have to try to understand!

This recipe has been requested over and over again and I am so sorry it took me forever and a day to post it but somehow I always make this on cold and gloomy winter days and I never have a chance to photograph it! This time around, I made it for a dear friend on mine who was the first to visit us in the new home and I was determined to share the recipe with all of you 🙂
I do hope that you will get a chance to try this cake and if you do, please let me know what memories did the aromas of it baking in the oven conjure up? 🙂

Orange and spiced chocolate marble cake

1 stick butter (100 g) at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup Fresh orange juice
1/2 cup yogurt
zest of 1 orange
2 cups cake flour ( or 1 and 3/4 cups all purpose flour and 1/4 cup cornstarch )
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon instant coffee

• Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 180 C, place the oven rack in the center
  2. Prepare your cake pan by spraying it with oil and dusting it with flour
  3. In a bowl cream the butter and sugar
  4. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until the color turns pale
  5. Add the yogurt, orange juice and zest and whisk until homogenous
  6. Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix with a spatula until homogenous (try not to over mix)
  7. Pour 3/4 of the mix into the prepared cake pan
  8. Add the cocoa powder, cinnamon, cardamom, and coffee to the remaining 1/4 and mix until homogenous
  9. Pour the chocolate mix over the plain one, you can use a spoon and drop it in different areas of the pan if you like then use a skewer to swirls the chocolate and plain mixes if you like for a cool effect in the baked cake
  10. Bake in the oven for 40 min or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean

Notes:

• Cake flour gives this cake a lighter more airy texture, I highly recommend using it
• The cardamom, cinnamon and coffee are optional but do give them a try. At least once! You will be pleasantly surprised
• The amounts mentioned in the above recipe are enough for a loaf pan. If you want to make the cake in a bundt mould, you may have to double the recipe depending on the size of your pan
• If you are interested in the glaze recipe, it is the same one I use in my birthday chocolate cake

الكيكة الرخامية بالبرتقال و البهارات