Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Easy Cherry and Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
20 minutes
50-60 minutes
About 2 hours (including cooling)
Serves:
1 loaf (about 10 slices)
John created this dish for Great British Bake Off ™ Series 15. This easy version keeps the Black Forest marble of sour cherry and chocolate but swaps the soaked cherries, cherry paste and macarons for a jar of tart sour-cherry conserve and chocolate-hazelnut spread, so it comes together in one bowl....
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Ingredients
FOR THE MARBLE SPONGE BASE
225g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
155g (¾ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
220g (1¾ cups) self-raising flour (US: all-purpose + 2 tsp baking powder)
5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
1g (¼ tsp) salt
30ml (2 tbsp) whole milk, to loosen (plus a little extra to match the batters)
FOR THE CHERRY HALF
45g (3 tbsp) thick sour-cherry (morello) conserve, high-fruit / low-sugar
5ml (1 tsp) lemon juice or kirsch, to sharpen (optional)
FOR THE CHOCOLATE HALF
45g (3 tbsp) chocolate-hazelnut spread (e.g. Nutella), at room temperature
FOR THE GLAZE
60g (3 tbsp) chocolate-hazelnut spread (e.g. Nutella)
A splash of milk, to loosen (optional)
EQUIPMENT
900g (2 lb) loaf tin, greased and lined with parchment
Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
Two mixing bowls
Skewer or thin knife (for marbling)
Small heatproof bowl (for warming the glaze)
Method
STEP 1: PREP THE TIN AND OVEN
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan (170°C conventional / 325°F). Grease and line a 900g (2 lb) loaf tin with parchment.
STEP 2: MAKE THE BATTER
Cream the softened butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold in the self-raising flour, vanilla, salt and 2 tbsp milk until just combined, stopping the moment the flour disappears — over-beating is the most common cause of a dense, low loaf, so be gentle.
STEP 3: FLAVOUR THE TWO HALVES
Divide the batter as evenly as you can between two bowls. Into the first, fold the sour-cherry conserve (and the lemon juice or kirsch, if using). Into the second, fold the chocolate-hazelnut spread. Loosen whichever batter is stiffer with a little milk, a teaspoon at a time, until both drop off the spoon at the same rate — matched batters marble cleanly.
STEP 4: LAYER, DON'T MIX
Spoon the two batters into the tin in alternating dollops — cherry, chocolate, cherry, chocolate — building two or three rough layers. Don't spread or smooth between dollops; the marble comes from keeping the colours distinct.
STEP 5: THE SINGLE DELIBERATE SWIRL
Push a skewer or thin knife to the bottom of the tin and draw it through the batter in one slow figure-of-eight, making just two or three passes down the length of the loaf, then stop. Over-dragging blends the batters into a muddy splodge; a few confident strokes leave a clean swirl. Tap the tin on the counter once to settle.
STEP 6: BAKE
Bake for 50–60 minutes, until well risen, springy, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top colours before the centre sets, tent loosely with foil. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
STEP 7: GLAZE AND SERVE
Warm the chocolate-hazelnut spread in a small heatproof bowl (a few seconds in the microwave, or over a pan of just-boiled water) until pourable, loosening with a splash of milk if needed. Drizzle over the cooled loaf and let it set before slicing.
Instructions
FOR THE MARBLE SPONGE BASE
225g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
155g (¾ cup) caster (superfine) sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
220g (1¾ cups) self-raising flour (US: all-purpose + 2 tsp baking powder)
5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
1g (¼ tsp) salt
30ml (2 tbsp) whole milk, to loosen (plus a little extra to match the batters)
FOR THE CHERRY HALF
45g (3 tbsp) thick sour-cherry (morello) conserve, high-fruit / low-sugar
5ml (1 tsp) lemon juice or kirsch, to sharpen (optional)
FOR THE CHOCOLATE HALF
45g (3 tbsp) chocolate-hazelnut spread (e.g. Nutella), at room temperature
FOR THE GLAZE
60g (3 tbsp) chocolate-hazelnut spread (e.g. Nutella)
A splash of milk, to loosen (optional)
EQUIPMENT
900g (2 lb) loaf tin, greased and lined with parchment
Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
Two mixing bowls
Skewer or thin knife (for marbling)
Small heatproof bowl (for warming the glaze)
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: PREP THE TIN AND OVEN
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan (170°C conventional / 325°F). Grease and line a 900g (2 lb) loaf tin with parchment.
STEP 2: MAKE THE BATTER
Cream the softened butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy, 3–4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Fold in the self-raising flour, vanilla, salt and 2 tbsp milk until just combined, stopping the moment the flour disappears — over-beating is the most common cause of a dense, low loaf, so be gentle.
STEP 3: FLAVOUR THE TWO HALVES
Divide the batter as evenly as you can between two bowls. Into the first, fold the sour-cherry conserve (and the lemon juice or kirsch, if using). Into the second, fold the chocolate-hazelnut spread. Loosen whichever batter is stiffer with a little milk, a teaspoon at a time, until both drop off the spoon at the same rate — matched batters marble cleanly.
STEP 4: LAYER, DON'T MIX
Spoon the two batters into the tin in alternating dollops — cherry, chocolate, cherry, chocolate — building two or three rough layers. Don't spread or smooth between dollops; the marble comes from keeping the colours distinct.
STEP 5: THE SINGLE DELIBERATE SWIRL
Push a skewer or thin knife to the bottom of the tin and draw it through the batter in one slow figure-of-eight, making just two or three passes down the length of the loaf, then stop. Over-dragging blends the batters into a muddy splodge; a few confident strokes leave a clean swirl. Tap the tin on the counter once to settle.
STEP 6: BAKE
Bake for 50–60 minutes, until well risen, springy, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top colours before the centre sets, tent loosely with foil. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
STEP 7: GLAZE AND SERVE
Warm the chocolate-hazelnut spread in a small heatproof bowl (a few seconds in the microwave, or over a pan of just-boiled water) until pourable, loosening with a splash of milk if needed. Drizzle over the cooled loaf and let it set before slicing.
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