Chocolate Orange Marble Loaf - for those teatime cravings

'I eat cake because it is somebody's birthday somewhere'

Came across this cheeky quote in pinterest today and couldn't stop grinning about it. This quote must have taken shape because of people like me who just fancy eating a cake or a pastry almost every day. When it's not the local bakeries that gets my attention, then the baking paraphernalia of yours truly, a modest collection to hoot teases me aplenty. Whatever be the reason, there is something magical about baking cakes and then devouring it with gusto like there is no tomorrow. Pretty much what happened with this Chocolate Orange marble loaf. 

I am not going to wax eloquent about how the marbled loaf was perfectly achieved and how the cake looked a stunner. The light and dark streaks in the cake was decent and nothing that speaks of a professional touch. But then the taste and texture of the cake was a rocking success. So much that I have already made the cake twice this month and yes both times the delectable loaf was polished off with gay abandon. Cocoa + Orange is indeed a match made in heaven. They pair off excellently well and add a depth to the flavour and taste.

Besides the mood while making the loaf was a mix of earthy humour. I set out making the cake around noon and by the time the loaf was out hubby dearest had come home for lunch.

Hubby : Divine smell, you baking?
Me : Yeah, a marbled loaf. It has an equal mix of sugar,flour and margarine, but then it also has the rind of an orange and a teeny-weeny portion of orange juice.
Hubby : {eyes rolling]. Look what's in my hand. April's Readers Digest with the cover story being 'GET SLIM'
Me : {putting on a mock offense} You spoil-sport !
Hubby : Let's eat in haste and repent in leisure
Me : Nodding vigorously

And so began the feasting of the cake....

Well jokes apart, I had eyed this recipe from BBC Good Food sometime back and fell in love with the very rustic looking loaf peeping out from the picture. And when I set out making the loaf my pantry was missing butter, but then the margarine more than did the job. I substituted equal amount of margarine as mentioned in the recipe. The orange rind in it added to the pep.The recipe calls for self-raising flour. While I generally follow Nigella's method for the same, this time around I added salt and reduced the amount of baking powder :-

For Self raising flour :-

1. Plain Flour - 150 grams
2. Baking powder - 1 tsp
3. Salt - 1/4 tsp

Add 1 tsp of baking powder and 1/4 tsp of salt for each 150 grams of plain flour. Combine and sift them  together into a bowl before using to make sure the baking powder is thoroughly distributed. Your self raising flour is ready. Measure the quantity of flour as required for the recipe and store the rest in an airtight container. Do not make a lot of self raising flour in advance as the raising agent may shed its property over time.

Now for the recipe adapted from BBC Good Food

What's in the loaf :- (Prep Time : 20 mins; Baking Time : - 55 mins)

• Margarine - 225 grams (@ room temperature) + plus extra for greasing
• Caster sugar - 225 grams
• Self raising flour - 225 grams
• Eggs - 4 (beaten)
• Milk - 2 tbsp
• Cocoa powder - 3 tbsp (sifted)
• Orange zest of 1 medium sized orange
• Orange juice - 1 tbsp

Here's How :-

Heat oven to 160 C. Grease and line the base of a loaf tin with baking parchment. Beat the margarine, sugar, eggs and flour together in a large bowl with an electric whisk or in a food processor until lump free. Split the mixture into two bowls. Beat the milk, followed by the cocoa powder into one. Beat the orange juice and zest into the other.

Spoon alternate dollops of the mixture into the cake tin, then use a skewer to create a marble pattern by dragging it through the mixture in swirls. Don’t over mix and smooth the surface if necessary. Bake the cake for 45 - 55 mins until golden and risen and a skewer poked in comes out clean. Leave the cake in the tin to cool and cut out slices. 



You can also drizzle some chocolate sauce over the loaf if you so prefer. It is a perfect accompaniment for tea time or for those anytime cravings.

Enjoy !