Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake (Pound Cake)

5 from 31 votes

Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake (Pound Cake)

This chocolate marble loaf cake is everything a great tea cake should be: a swirl of tender vanilla and chocolate sponge, impossibly moist thanks to Greek yogurt and a soaking syrup, finished with a crunchy chocolate hazelnut glaze.

Prep Time30

Cook Time1

Waiting time1

Total Time2 30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 694kcal

Author: Katalin Nagy

Equipment

Ingredients

For the marble loaf cake

225 g Unsalted butter at room temperature
200 g Granulated sugar
4 Eggs at room temperature
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
80 g Greek Yogurt at room temperature
120 g Flour for the vanilla part
1 teaspoon Baking powder for the vanilla part
¼ teaspoon Salt for the vanilla part
90 g Flour for the chocolate part
30 g Dutch processed cocoa powder for the chocolate part
1 teaspoon Baking powder for the chocolate part
¼ teaspoon Salt for the chocolate part

For the syrup (optional)

100 g Water
100 g Granulated sugar

For the chocolate hazelnut glaze (optional)

250 g Semi sweet chocolate
30 g Vegetable oil
30 g Hazelnut roasted, chopped

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

For the marble loaf cake

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C), no fan. Grease and flour your loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together for a few minutes, until the mixture is really light and fluffy.
Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl, then stream them into the butter mixture on low speed, a little at a time.
Stir in the yogurt and vanilla until smooth.
Weigh the batter and split it evenly between two bowls. Into one, sift the vanilla part dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt. Into the other, sift the chocolate part dry ingredients: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Fold each portion with a spatula until no dry streaks remain. Stop as soon as the flour disappears.
Transfer each batter to a piping bag. Working directly in the prepared pan, alternate between vanilla and chocolate layers until both bags are empty. Pull a knife through the batter 4 to 5 times in slow zigzag strokes to create the chocolate swirl.
Run a thin line of soft butter straight down the center of the top. Bake for 45 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs or clean.

Soaking syrup

Near the end of baking, bring water and sugar to a boil in a small saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes to a light syrup. Lift the hot cake from the oven and immediately pour the syrup over in 2 to 3 stages, letting each pour absorb before adding the next. Rest briefly in the tin, then move to a wire rack. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before glazing.

Chocolate hazelnut glaze

Melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring each time. Once it reaches 113 to 122°F (45 to 50°C), stir in the oil and bring it back to 113°F (45°C), then keep stirring until it drops to 77°F (25°C).
Stir in the roasted chopped hazelnuts. Set the chilled loaf on a wire rack over a tray. Pour the glaze in one smooth pass and leave it to set for about a minute.

Storage

Keep in an airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. To freeze, wrap the unglazed loaf tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then add the glaze.

Notes

INGREDIENT NOTES

All ingredients (butter, eggs, yogurt) must be at room temperature before you start. Cold ingredients prevent proper emulsification and result in a dense, greasy crumb.
Use 82% fat unsalted butter for the best flavor and texture.
Dutch-process cocoa powder gives a deeper color and smoother chocolate flavor than natural cocoa.
Full-fat Greek or Turkish-style yogurt is what makes this marble loaf cake extra moist. Do not use low-fat.
Use high-quality semi-sweet chocolate for the glaze. Avoid cheap baking chocolate or chocolate chips with stabilizers.

TECHNIQUE NOTES

Cream butter and sugar for several minutes until truly pale and fluffy. This step is not optional.
Add eggs slowly while the mixer runs to keep the batter from splitting.
Switch to a rubber spatula as soon as the flour goes in. Fold gently until just combined.
Four to five zigzag knife passes are enough for the chocolate swirl. More and the batters blend together.
Apply a thin butter line along the top of the batter before baking for a clean, even crack.
Do not skip the soaking syrup. Pour it over the hot cake so it sinks in completely.
Use a thermometer when making the glaze. 77°F (25°C) is the correct pouring temperature.
Only glaze a chilled cake, never a warm one.

Nutrition