With the End of Year festivities closing in, it has been a awkward juggle between work, dinner parties, Christmas shopping and cleaning for me. I had initially planned a long list of things I wanted to bake this December but I’m afraid I will have to rewrite them on my 2016 to-do list. There have been requests from work colleagues for old favorites like the Tres Leches cake and the classic Tarte Banane so I have been mostly revisiting existing recipes instead of dabbling with new ones. This Triple Chocolate Swirl cake, from Taste.com.au, unexpectedly happened because I was stuck at home on a cloudy [about-to-rain] afternoon and had all three types of chocolate the recipe call for. This rich butter cake makes a nice tea-time treat and can be stored for days, if well wrapped in aluminum foil, without losing any of its freshness. It can be easily turned into a stunning celebration cake by a simple white ganache coating and chocolate candy toppings and curls for a sophisticated finish.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE SWIRL CAKE

Ingredients:

200 g unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cup caster sugar

3 eggs, room temperature

2 cups self-raising flour

3/4 cup full cream milk

100 g dark chocolate, chopped

100 g milk chocolate, chopped

100 g white chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

2 tablespoons golden syrup

Method:

  • Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 7-cm deep, 20-cm round pan. Line its base and sides with baking paper.

  • Beat butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

  • Add flour and beat on low speed, gradually adding 1/2 cup milk until combined. Divide between 4 bowls.

  • Place dark chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high (100%) for one minute until smooth.

  • Stir with metal spoon halfway during cooking. Repeat with milk and white chocolate, in separate bowls.

  • Add dark chocolate, cocoa and 1 tablespoon remaining milk to 1 portion of batter. Mix well to combine.

  • Add milk chocolate to 1 portion, mixing well. Add white chocolate and golden syrup to another portion.

  • Add remaining milk to remaining batter. Drop tablespoons of the mixtures, alternating colors, into pan.

  • Run a butter knife back and forth through mixtures to create a slight marbled effect, do not over-marble.

  • Bake the cake together for one hour or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

  • Cover with foil if over-browning. Stand in pan for 10 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.

  • Decorate the cake with chocolate melts, M&Ms and sprinkles. Cut into slices to serve. Makes 24 pieces.

This calls for a Celebration!