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Mary Berry Chocolate and Orange Marble Cake Recipe

Mary Berry Chocolate and Orange Marble Cake Recipe

Mary Berry's chocolate and orange marble cake swirls rich chocolate and vivid orange sponge together in a loaf — beautiful to look at, wonderful to eat.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Cooling & Setting Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12 Slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 350
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Marble Cake:
  • 225 g unsalted butter softened
  • 225 g golden caster sugar
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 225 g self-raising flour sifted
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 3 tbsp whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Orange Batter half the base batter:
  • Zest of 2 large unwaxed oranges
  • 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
  • Orange food colouring gel optional
  • Chocolate Batter half the base batter:
  • 30 g good quality cocoa powder sifted
  • 2 tbsp warm water
  • 1 tsp espresso powder optional
  • Orange Glacé Icing:
  • 150 g icing sugar sifted
  • 2 –3 tbsp fresh orange juice
  • Zest of ½ unwaxed orange

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin with parchment sling.
  2. Beat butter and sugar 4–5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Sift in flour and baking powder. Add milk — fold gently. Divide batter exactly in half by weight into 2 bowls.
  3. Fold orange zest, juice, and colouring into one bowl. Fold cocoa, warm water, and espresso powder into the other — until both are evenly coloured.
  4. Drop alternating spoonfuls of orange and chocolate batter into the tin along its length. Take a skewer — make 4–5 passes through the batter in a figure-of-eight. No more.
  5. Bake 50–60 minutes until skewer comes out clean. Cover loosely after 35 minutes if browning too quickly. Cool in tin 15 minutes — lift out. Cool completely.
  6. Mix icing sugar and orange juice to a smooth flowing glaze. Add zest. Pour over cooled loaf — let it drip. Set 15 minutes. Slice.

Notes

Divide batter exactly by weight — equal portions give the most balanced marble.
Four to five swirling passes only — more blends the batters into a muddy grey-brown.
Drop in alternating spoonfuls from the start — gives the most evenly distributed marble.
Espresso powder in the chocolate batter deepens the chocolate flavour — optional but excellent.
Apply glacé icing only when completely cold — warm cake causes it to run off.
Flavours deepen over 2 days. Stores 4 days. Freeze without icing for 3 months.
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