Marble Cake with Olive Oil and Yogurt

Yesterday I decided to make a marble cake for the weekend. I had everything at home – except butter!

So I searched the net to find an idea how to replace butter by olive oil. I found several recipes but non of it would really find my approval. But, at least, it gave me the idea to this one. As usually, I “tested” it on my family and they liked it!

Quicky tip: If you are lazy like I to sieve the flour, here is a great tip how to do it: add the flour (or cocoa powder) together with all other dry ingredients (if so indicated in your recipe) and whisk with a wire whisk until all lumps dissolved.

To get best results it is important to beat the batter as long as possible. Do not worry about the texture of the batter! It will be of a kind of slow-moving and thick consistency. I was also surprised about the syrup like batter but it raised up very well while baking and turned out a juicy and fluffy cake.

What you need:
450 gr all purpose flour
3 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
250 gr sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla sugar
350 ml olive oil
200 gr white yogurt
Zest of ½ untreated lemon or a few drops of rum or bitter almond aroma (optional)

4 Tbsp cocoa powder
4 Tbsp milk

2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp Olive oil

How to prepare it:

Combine the flour, the baking powder and the salt in a bowl and whisk or sieve until all lumps dissolved.

In another bowl combine the eggs with the sugar and the vanilla sugar and beat with an electric hand-mixer until foamy (this can take 5 minutes, if you beat it the longer the better).

Add the olive oil and beat for another 1-2 minutes. Add the yogurt and beat again 1-2 minutes. If you like add some grated lemon zest or a few drops of rum or bitter almond aroma.

Add spoon-wise the flour. Let beat ½-1 minute every time you add some flour until mixed in well.

In a separate bowl add the cocoa powder and whisk well or sieve. Add 1/4-1/3 of the batter, 4 Tbsp of milk and beat well with the hand-mixer.

Add 2 Tbsp of oil in a ring form and wipe out well with a kitchen paper. Add 2 Tbsp of flour and spread all around the form. Beat the remaining flour out.

First add approx. 1/2 of the remaining vanilla batter into the ring form. Add all chocolate batter and finish with the remaining vanilla batter.

With the help of a fork mix the batters 1-2 rounds to get the typical marble shape.

Bake on the lowest rack in the preheated oven at 170ºC for approx. 55 minutes on air. Test the cake  with a wooden stick or a knife if done.

Let cool for approx. 10 minutes in the form before turning. Let cool well and sprinkle with powdered  sugar before serving.