Marrow Cake

Course: sweet treat Serves: 16 Prep: 15 mins Cook: 50 mins Vegetarian

150 g (5½ oz) butter

100 g (3½ oz) soft brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla essence

2 tbs cocoa powder

250 g (9 oz) self-raising flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 large eggs

2 tbs milk

200 g (7 oz) grated marrow flesh

For the Icing:

250 g (9 oz) cream cheese

50 g (1¾ oz) butter, softened

4 tbs maple syrup

1 Pre-heat the oven to 180 deg. C., 350 deg. F., Gas Mark 4.

Grease a 900 g (2 lb) loaf tin.

2 Cream together the butter and sugar in a large bowl, then mix in the vanilla essence and cocoa powder.

3 In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking powder.

4 Gradually add the eggs into the butter and sugar mixture along with 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture until smooth and well combined. Stir in the rest of the flour. Add the milk and marrow and stir well.

5 Add the batter to the prepared loaf tin and bake in the oven for 50 minutes, or until a skewer pushed into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin, then turn out on to a wire rack to cool completely.

6 While the cake cools, mix the cream cheese, butter and maple syrup for the icing and put in the fridge for 30 minutes. Spread the cooled mix over the top of the cake.

Remember: recipes have been given in both metric and imperial. It is important to use one method throughout as they are not exactly the same.