If you love a classic, old‑fashioned bake that feels both nostalgic and comforting, this Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake is the perfect treat to make. With its tender vanilla crumb and rich chocolate swirls, it’s a simple family‑style cake that delivers big flavour without any fuss. Baked in a loaf tin for easy slicing, this cake is just the right size for everyday enjoyment — not too big, not too small — and it’s the kind of recipe you’ll want to keep in your regular rotation.

What makes this marble loaf so charming is its beautiful contrast of flavours. The vanilla batter stays soft and buttery, while the chocolate portion adds depth and richness in every slice. Even if your marbling isn’t picture‑perfect (and honestly, that’s part of the fun), the result is always delicious. This is the sort of cake that pairs perfectly with a cup of tea, a morning coffee, or even a cold glass of milk.

Whether you’re baking for your family, treating yourself on the weekend, or looking for a simple cake that always turns out well, this Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake is a timeless favorite that never disappoints.

• 1 3/4 cup (219g) plain all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (114g) butter
• 1 cup (190g) sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup (160ml) whole milk
• 1 ounce (30g) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 2 TBS HOT water
• 1/4 tsp bicarbonate of soda

• Do not use self-raising flour.  All purpose plain flour is what is used.
• Check your baking powder for freshness. You can do so by dropping some into a bit of hot water. If it fizzes, it's okay.
• I use salted butter. If this bothers you by all means use unsalted.
• I use Kirkland brand organic granulated sugar. In the U.K. use caster sugar.
• North American large eggs are the same size as medium European eggs.
• I use only pure vanilla.
• If you don't have unsweetened chocolate to melt, then you can substitute it with 3 TBS cocoa powder mixed with 1 TBS oil or melted shortening. Mix together until smooth.

1. Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 X 5 X 3 inch baking tin and line it with baking paper. Butter the paper. Set aside. (This will ensure that the cake doesn't stick to the pan.)
2. Cream together the sugar and butter with the vanilla until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating for one minute after each. (Beating in your eggs one at a time helps to prevent the batter from curdling. If it does curdle you can add a bit of the required flour which will bring it back together.)
3. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the creamed mixture, alternately with the milk, beating well after each addition. (Don't overbeat so as not to toughen the batter. It should be smooth and lump free.)
4. Whisk together the melted chocolate, hot water and soda. Separate 1/3 of the cake batter from the rest and stir the chocolate mixture into this. (I use a small wire whisk to stir it in thoroughly.)
5. Spoon the batters, alternately into the prepared cake tin. (I do a thin layer of white on the bottom of the loaf tin of plain, and then put in three blobs of white leaving space to put in 3 blobs of chocolate in between, then I reverse that on the next layer, putting white batter on top of the chocolate blobs and chocolate on the white, repeating until I have used all of both batters. Run a thin spatula through the batter in a zigzag shape to marbleize, without overdoing it.)
6. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes. The top should spring back with lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
7. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes on a wire rack before removing from the pan to finish cooling. Ice or not as desired. Cut into slices to serve.

• To check for sustainability check for recognized certification on seafood packaging. MSC for wild caught fish, or ASC for farmed fish.
• I used a long shallot, also called Echalion or Banana. I love the flavor of shallots. Not quite as sharp as an onion, but with a faint hint of garlic.
• I used round cherry tomatoes, not the plum cherry tomatoes. Any type of cherry tomato will do. Make sure they are fresh and not wrinkled or beginning to whither.
• I used the Better Than Bullion chicken stock concentrate, reconstituted for the stock. You could also use vegetable stock in the place of chicken stock.
• I used salted butter. Do make sure it is really cold.
• Fresh herbs are best. You could use dried, but the sauce will not be as pretty as it would be if using fresh.

1. Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 4. Drizzle a baking dish large enough to hold the fish in one layer with some olive oil and place it into the oven to heat. (You want the baking dish to be large enough that air can circulate around your pieces of fish.)
2. Begin making the sauce. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until softened without browning. (Keep an eye on it as you really don't want the shallots or garlic to color.)
3. Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, pepper flakes and sugar. Simmer until the tomatoes break down and burst, releasing their juices, and the sauce has thickened somewhat with most of the stock having evaporated. (The tomatoes should still retain their shape, but be somewhat broken open.)
4. Whisk in the butter, bit by bit, until you have a thick velvety sauce. Stir in the herbs, cover and set aside, keeping it warm. (Whisking the butter in bit by bit helps the butter to completely emulsify and create a silky sauce)
5. Remove the baking dish from the oven. Place the fish into the dish, skin side down. (If your fish has no skin, place it into the dish flat side down, rounded side up.)
6. Season generously with salt and black pepper. Squeeze the lemon juice over all. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and return to the oven. 
7. Bake for 12 to 18 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily with the tines of a fork. (Time depends on the thickness of your fish.) (If your fish is thin, start checking it at 12 minutes. It should flake and separate easily with the tip of a fork.)
8. Remove from the oven and place on a heated serving platter, spooning the sauce over and around. Serve immediately.