My (Italian) grandmother had a newspaper clipping of a German recipe for a classic marble cake, Marmorgugelhupf. A Gugelhupf is a Central European cake made in a bundt-style pan, and since I’m adapting this recipe and making it in a loaf pan, a German friend (who also helped with the translation) tells me this becomes just a marble cake, Marmorkuchen.

I’ve adapted the recipe into a no-sacrifice vegan recipe, although I’ve kept the non-vegan ingredients as alternatives. The cake is straightforward to make, although it does require beating egg whites to stiff peaks (or in our case, substituting aquafaba). The cake is light and moist, not too sweet, with good chocolate flavour for just a touch of richness. This vegan marble cake makes a perfect afternoon snack with a cup of coffee.

Makes 1 cake.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer (or if not vegan, 4 egg yolks)
• 300 g all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 40 g cocoa
• 125 g unsalted stick margarine, vegan butter or vegetable shortening (if not vegan, unsalted butter), at room temperature
• 150 g sugar
• 125 ml oat milk or other non-dairy milk (or if not vegan, dairy milk)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 Tbsp aquafaba (or if not vegan, 4 egg whites)
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• margarine/butter/shortening and flour for loaf pan (or parchment paper)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, or grease and flour the pan.
2. Combine the egg replacer with 4 Tbsp water and mix well. Let sit to thicken while proceeding with the next steps. (If using egg yolks, do not add water.)
3. Sift together the flour and baking powder.
4. Separately, sift the cocoa.
5. With an electric mixer, beat the margarine/butter/shortening until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat until sugar is dissolved and mixture is airy.
6. Gently mix in the milk, vanilla and flour.
7. Add the cream of tartar to the aquafaba (or egg whites) and beat to stiff peaks. Gently fold into the batter. Batter will be thick.
8. Divide the mixture into equal halves and mix the cocoa into one half.
9. Spoon the batter into the loaf pan, alternating white and brown batters. Swirl the batters with a cake tester, chop stick or small knife.
10. Bake until set and a cake tester comes out clean, about 60 minutes.
11. Let sit for 10 minutes then remove from loaf pan. Let cool completely before serving.

Enjoy!