Maltesers Marble Cake

2 HOURS + COOLING SERVES 10 | EASY

unsalted butter 175g, room temperature, plus extra for the tin caster sugar 275g eggs 3 large, lightly whisked plain flour 300g baking powder 2 tsp soured cream 175g, room temperature cocoa powder 3 tbsp whole milk 1 tbsp

Maltesers 80g

MALT MILK CHOCOLATE GLAZE milk chocolate 100g double cream 100ml

Ovaltine 2 tbsp

• Heat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Lightly butter a 900g loaf tin and line with a strip of baking paper so that the excess overhangs the longer sides of the tin.

• Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and use an electric mixer to cream together for 5 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time, mixing until combined before adding more. Meanwhile, mix together the flour, baking powder and

1/4 tsp of salt in a large bowl. Once all the eggs are combined, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the soured cream and starting and finishing with the flour. Divide the batter equally into two bowls. Sift the cocoa powder over one portion, add the milk and beat together until smooth and combined.

• Alternately spoon the plain and chocolate batters into the tin in blobs, layering them almost like a chess board. Lightly tap the tin on a worksurface to help eliminate any air pockets. Use a chopstick or skewer to swirl the batters together – do this briefly as you still want to keep definition between the layers.

• Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes in the tin before using the baking paper to carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

• For the glaze, put the chocolate into a jug. Put the cream and Ovaltine into a small pan, and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking as it comes to temperature to dissolve the Ovaltine. Once at a simmer, pour the cream over the chocolate in the jug and leave for 2 minutes before stirring together until smooth and combined. Cool for a few minutes to thicken a little before pouring over the cake, allowing the excess to drip down the sides.

• Once the glaze has begun to set, use a sharp knife to cut half of the Maltesers into chunks and then scatter the whole and chopped Maltesers over the cake, pushing in slightly to stick.

• The cake will keep, covered, for 3-4 days but the Maltesers (especially the chopped ones) will soften after a day so are best added to the cake when ready to serve.