CHOCOLATE ORANGE MARBLE POUND CAKE

3 cups cake flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 1/4 cups sugar
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup milk
1 tbsp grated orange peel
3 squares (1-oz each) semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease 10-inch tube pan with removable bottom and dust with flour tapping out any excess. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer at medium speed, beat together butter, sugar, and eggs until light and fluffy. At low speed, beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Beat after each addition until smooth. Place 2 cups of the batter into a small bowl and stir in the orange peel; set aside. Stir melted chocolate into the remaining batter. Spoon a layer of the chocolate batter into bottom of prepared pan. Top with a thin layer of the orange-flavored batter. Repeat with the remaining batters alternating orange over chocolate and chocolate over orange. With a large metal spatula, gently swirl batters together a few times to marble. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until top springs back when lightly touched with fingertip. Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen from edge of pan by running a thin knife or spatula between cake and pan. Remove sides of pan. Cool cake completely before removing the center and bottom. Cake is best when allowed to stand overnight before cutting.

File Photo