Marble Cake

Ingredients (serves 16)

• Melted butter, to grease
• 250g butter, at room temperature
• 215g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 300g (2 cups) self-raising flour
• 125g (1/2 cup) sour cream
• 2-3 drops pink liquid food colouring
• 2 tbs cocoa powder
• 1 tbs milk
• Mixed lollies, such as Smarties, M&Ms, jelly beans and mints, to decorate

• Frosting

• 125g butter, at room temperature
• 2 tbs milk
• 230g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar mixture

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Brush a round 20cm (base measurement) cake pan with melted butter to grease. Line the base and side with non-stick baking paper.
2. Use an electric beater to beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until combined. Add half the flour to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. Add the sour cream and remaining flour, in batches, and stir until just combined. Divide the batter among 3 bowls. Add a few drops of pink food colouring to 1 portion and stir to combine. Combine the cocoa powder and milk in a small bowl and add to another portion of batter. Stir to combine.
3. Place alternate spoonfuls of the 3 batters into the prepared pan. Use a spoon to swirl the colours together to create a marble effect. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
4. To make the frosting, place the butter in a bowl and use electric beaters to beat until very pale. Add the milk and icing sugar and beat until combined.
5. Place the cake on a cake stand. Spread over frosting and decorate with lollies.

Ingredients

• 185g butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 cups self-raising flour, sifted
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, sifted
• Pink food colouring

• Buttercream icing

• 125g butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture
• Pink food colouring

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Grease a 7cm-deep, 11cm x 21cm (base) loaf pan.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in flour and 1/2 cup buttermilk. Divide mixture between 3 bowls. Add cocoa and remaining buttermilk to 1 portion. Stir to combine. Tint 1 portion pink with food colouring. Keep remaining portion plain.
3. Place alternate spoonfuls of mixtures into prepared pan, tapping base of pan on a flat surface to settle mixture. Using a bamboo skewer, gently swirl mixtures together to create marbled effect (see note). Tap base of pan on bench to smooth surface. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted in centre of loaf comes out clean (cover cake loosely with foil if over-browning during cooking). Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
4. Make icing Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add icing sugar mixture, beating constantly until combined. Tint pink with food colouring.
5. Spread loaf with icing. Slice.

Notes

• 
  All about marbling: Spoon mixtures alternately into prepared pan. Tap base on a flat surface to settle mixtures. Using a bamboo skewer, gently swirl mixtures together to create a marbled effect.