Red Velvet Marble Bundt

Marble cake is one of life’s simple pleasures and one of my favorite things to bake. I love the melt in your mouth texture of a great pound cake (like this one!) and a swirl of chocolate makes it even better. This bundt is all about the red velvet swirl, which is a beautiful surprise when the cake is cut. I like to finish this cake with a simple ganache glaze but it is just as incredible all on its own.

RED VELVET MARBLE CAKE

⅔ cup buttermilk, room temp

6 large eggs, room temp

4 teaspoons vanilla

½ cup vegetable oil

3 ½ cups all purpose flour- 440 grams

2 ⅔ cups granulated sugar- 540 grams

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 ⅛ teaspoons fine salt

18 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

RED VELVET SWIRL

2 Tablespoons cocoa

1 Tablespoon red liquid food color

1 Tablespoon sugar

¼ teaspoon baking powder

2 Tablespoons buttermilk

Grease and flour a standard bundt pan. Preheat oven to 350*F with rack in center.In a large measuring cup whisk the oil, eggs, vanilla and buttermilk until smooth, set aside. In your stand mixer bowl add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Blend on low for one minute. With mixer still on low, begin adding small chunks of the softened butter. Allow to mix until the butter disappears and the mixture looks sandy, 3-4 minutes. Add half of the liquid ingredients to the dry and blend on low to combine. Scrape bowl. Beat on medium speed for 75 seconds. Scrape bowl. With mixer on low add in half the remaining liquid ingredients and blend until smooth. Add remaining liquids, mixing until combined. Measure 2.5 cups of finished batter into a bowl. In a small bowl stir together swirl ingredients until smooth and then stir this red velvet paste into the 2.5 cups batter.Layer half the vanilla batter into the pan, top with half of the red batter and then repeat layers. Swirl slightly with a knife. Bake for 65-75 minutes until a skewer inserted in several spots comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in pan for 20 minutes, then knock the sides of the pan side to side before turning onto a cooling rack to cool until warm, about another 20 minutes. Wrap the warm cake in plastic wrap and cool completely to room temp. Top with ganache and strawberries if desired.

GANACHE
4 ounces heavy cream

5 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Combine the cream and chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and melt in 15 second increments, stirring after each, until smooth. Don’t overheat- if any small bits of chocolate remain just keep stirring the ganache. Pour a small amount onto the cake as a test to check consistency. If the ganache is too runny, allow it to cool for 5-10 minutes before re stirring and glazing the cake. If the ganache is too stiff, rewarm in the microwave for 5 seconds and test again.