For years I kept trying to make this—whether as a loaf, a ring cake or a round cake—and I must admit that until recently I always failed. The recipes I found online or was given produced cakes in which the cocoa part sank and blended completely with the light part, or they came out too dry.
I had almost given up on the idea of making it, until some time ago I decided to try again, modifying ingredients and proportions. The result? A marbled plumcake, soft, two-toned, tasty and pleasing to the eye. The first thing I said when I sliced it was: “It’s beautiful, I have to take a photo!”.
Maybe it’s not spectacular for everyone, but for me, having succeeded after so many failed attempts, it was a real satisfaction.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 12
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 1 7/8 cups all-purpose flour
- 6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 tbsp potato starch (potato flour)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 3 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tsp baking powder
- to taste lemon zest (optional)
Tools
- Loaf pan
Preparation
To prepare the marbled plumcake, start by breaking the eggs into a bowl, add the sugar and beat with a whisk until light and frothy. Add the milk and the oil, continuing to mix. Now add 1 5/8 cups of all-purpose flour, leaving about 1/4 cup aside, then also incorporate the grated lemon zest, the potato starch and half a packet of baking powder (about 2 tsp). Mix well until you get a homogeneous, lump-free batter.
Divide the batter into two equal parts: to one add the reserved 1/4 cup of flour, to the other add the cocoa. Mix each separately until you obtain two uniform batters.
Take a loaf pan, grease and flour it. Pour the two batters in layers, alternating a little of the light batter and a little of the dark batter, until the mixture is used up, creating the marbled effect.
Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for 30-35 minutes, checking doneness with the skewer test. Allow to cool completely before removing the plumcake from the pan.
To prepare the marbled plumcake, start by breaking the eggs into a bowl, add the sugar and beat with a whisk until light and frothy. Add the milk and the oil, continuing to mix. Now add 1 5/8 cups of all-purpose flour, leaving about 1/4 cup aside, then also incorporate the grated lemon zest, the potato starch and half a packet of baking powder (about 2 tsp). Mix well until you get a homogeneous, lump-free batter.
Divide the batter into two equal parts: to one add the reserved 1/4 cup of flour, to the other add the cocoa. Mix each separately until you obtain two uniform batters.
Take a loaf pan, grease and flour it. Pour the two batters in layers, alternating a little of the light batter and a little of the dark batter, until the mixture is used up, creating the marbled effect.
Bake in a preheated oven at 356°F for 30-35 minutes, checking doneness with the skewer test. Allow to cool completely before removing the plumcake from the pan.
Tips and storage
I used a 25 x 11 cm pan (about 9 7/8 x 4 5/16 in), but you can also use a 30 cm pan (about 12 in): in that case the plumcake will be less domed and lower.
The marbled plumcake keeps for up to 5 days in a well-sealed tin or plastic container, retaining softness and aroma.
