Night Baking

http://nightbaking.blogspot.com/2011/08/baked-success-chocolate-and-vanilla.html

Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Bundt Cake

Adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Chocolate Swirl

6 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon unsweetened dark cocoa powder

Sour Cream Cake

3 1/2 cups (14 7/8 ounces) flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened and cut into cubes

2 1/4 cups (15 3/4 ounces) sugar

4 large eggs

16 ounces sour cream

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

First, make the chocolate swirl. Melt the chocolate (either in 30-second bursts in the microwave, or over a double boiler - be gentle, because chocolate burns easily!). When the chocolate is melted and completely smooth, whisk in the cocoa powder until thoroughly incorporated. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Next, the cake batter. Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 10" bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour.

Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

With the mixer, cream the butter until smooth and light. Scrape down the sides, add the sugar, then beat until smooth and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Scrape the sides again and beat for another 30 seconds.

Add the sour cream and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in three additions, scraping down the bowl before each addition. Mix only until just incorporated, and do not overmix.

Pour 1/3 of the batter into the chocolate mixture and stir to incorporate. Spread half the remaining vanilla batter into the pan. With an ice cream scoop, dollop the chocolate batter onto the plain batter. The dollops will touch and mostly cover the plain batter, but the plain batter will peek through. Use a butter knife to swirl the chocolate and plain batter together. Pour the remaining vanilla batter on top, smooth it, and use the butter knife again to create a swirl. A good rule of thumb is to make figure eights with the knife. Don't swirl it too much or you won't have the distinct chocolate and vanilla pockets.

Bake in the center of the oven for about 60 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. A sharp knife inserted in the center of the cake should come out clean. Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Loosen the edges of the cake with a knife, then invert it onto the wire rack to cool completely. The cake will keep, tightly covered, at room temperature, for 3 days.