Marbled Chai and Chocolate Loaf
A temptingly spiced cake with a decadent cream cheese icing, although it’s also very lovely without it.
Hands-on time 20min, plus cooling. Cooking time about 1hr. Serves 8
FOR THE CAKE
225g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
225g light brown soft sugar 275g self-raising flour
2tsp baking powder
3 medium eggs
125g soured cream
2tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
FOR THE CHAI MIXTURE
4 cardamom pods ½tsp ground cinnamon ⅛tsp ground cloves ½tsp ground ginger ¼tsp ground allspice
FOR THE ICING
50g unsalted butter, softened 100g full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature 200g icing sugar, sifted
1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 and lightly grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. For the chai mixture, bash the cardamom pods using a pestle and mortar to break the husks. Pick out the black seeds, discard the husks and grind seeds until fine. Mix in the remaining chai mix ingredients. Set aside.
2 For the cake, in a large bowl using a handheld electric whisk, beat the butter, sugar, flour, baking powder, eggs and soured cream until light and fluffy, about 2min. Spoon ½ the mixture into a separate bowl and beat in most of the chai mixture (reserve some for decoration).
3 Sift the cocoa powder into the other cake batter bowl and beat to combine. Dollop alternate spoonfuls of the 2 cake batters into the lined tin, lightly swirl together with a skewer or cutlery knife, then smooth to level.
4 Bake for 1hr, or until risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in tin for 5min, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5 To make the icing, using a handheld electric whisk, beat together all the ingredients until combined and fluffy. Pipe or spread over top of cooled cake and sprinkle over reserved chai mixture. Serve in slices.
PER SERVING
598cals, 8g protein, 27g fat (16g saturates), 80g carbs (53g total sugars), 2g fibre
TO STORE
Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.