Description
This delightful milk-free cake is a perfect treat for those avoiding dairy while still craving a moist, fluffy dessert. Combining a smooth vanilla batter with a rich chocolate center, this cake is easy to make and baked to perfection for a tender crumb. The final dusting of icing sugar adds a simple yet elegant touch to this versatile loaf or round cake.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 250g plain flour
- 80g vanilla pudding powder (or cornflour plus 1 tsp vanilla extract)
- 5g baking powder
- 20g cocoa powder
- 250g sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 250g butter, melted and cooled
- 4 eggs
- 5ml vanilla extract
For Finishing
- Icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 180°C (fan 160°C) or Gas Mark 4 to prepare for baking the cake.
- Melt and Cool Butter: Gently melt the butter until liquefied, then allow it to cool to room temperature to prevent cooking the eggs during mixing.
- Beat Eggs and Sugar: In a mixer, beat the eggs and sugar together until the mixture becomes pale and fluffy, which incorporates air and helps the cake rise.
- Combine Dry Ingredients and Wet Mixture: Gently fold the plain flour, vanilla pudding powder (or cornflour with vanilla extract), baking powder, vanilla extract, and the cooled melted butter into the egg and sugar mixture, creating a smooth batter without overmixing.
- Prepare Batter for Two Flavors: Divide the batter by pouring three-quarters into a lined 950g loaf tin or a 20cm round cake tin. Add the cocoa powder into the remaining batter and mix thoroughly to combine.
- Create the Marble Effect: Pour the chocolate batter down the center of the pale batter in the tin, creating a layered marbled look once baked.
- Bake the Cake: Place the tin in the preheated oven and bake for approximately 40 minutes until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Cool and Finish: Allow the cake to cool in the tin before transferring it to a wire rack. Once cooled, dust the cake generously with icing sugar or optionally cover with chocolate glaze for a richer finish.
Notes
- Ensure the melted butter is cool before adding to the batter to avoid curdling or cooking the eggs.
- You can substitute the vanilla pudding powder with cornflour and vanilla extract without affecting the texture significantly.
- For a festive touch, try adding nuts or dried fruits to the batter before baking.
- This cake keeps well in an airtight container for up to three days.
- To make a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free plain flour blend equal to 250g.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
Keywords: milk-free cake, dairy free cake, vanilla cake, chocolate swirl cake, easy baked dessert
