Bábovka (marble bundt cake)

Bábovka — a tender marble bundt cake with cocoa swirls baked in the classic fluted ring; an easy, everyday Czech sweet for twelve.

Ingredients

• plain flour300 g
• sugar200 g
• butter200 g
• eggs4 pcs
• milk100 ml
• baking powder1 pcs
• cocoa2 tbsp

Method

1. Prep tin and butter. Heat your oven to 170 °C fan (190 °C conventional). Generously butter every groove of your bundt tin, then dust with flour, tapping out the excess — this is the step that guarantees a clean release, so don't rush it.
2. Cream butter and sugar. Beat the softened butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes with a hand mixer. The mixture should look almost mousse-like before you move on.
3. Add eggs and milk. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour in the milk and stir to combine — don't worry if the batter looks slightly curdled at this point.
4. Fold in flour. Sift in the flour and baking powder, then fold gently until you have a smooth, thick batter with no dry pockets. Avoid overmixing or the cake will tighten up.
5. Make the cocoa batter. Spoon roughly one-third of the batter into a separate bowl and stir in the cocoa until evenly combined and deep brown.
6. Layer and swirl. Spoon the plain batter into the prepared tin, then drop spoonfuls of the cocoa batter on top. Drag a skewer or knife through in wide loops two or three times to create the marble effect — a little restraint here gives a better swirl than vigorous stirring.
7. Bake until set. Bake in the centre of the oven for 45–50 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the deepest part comes out clean and the top is firm to the touch. If the surface colours too quickly, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the top for the final 10 minutes.
8. Turn out and serve. Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and lift the tin away. Allow to cool before dusting lightly with icing sugar and slicing into wedges to serve.