Recipe: Chocolate Marble Pound Cake

CHOCOLATE MARBLE POUND CAKE
Source: Southern Living
Yield: one 10-inch cake

1 tbsp shortening
1 oz unsweetened chocolate squares
1/2 cup butter or margarine; softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

Melt 1 tablespoon shortening and unsweetened chocolate in a small saucepan, stirring until smooth. Set aside.

Cream butter and shortening; gradually add sugar to creamed mixture, beating well at medium speed of an electric mixer. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

Dissolve soda in buttermilk.

Combine flour and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix just until blended after each addition. Stir in flavorings. Remove 2 cups of batter, and add chocolate mixture, stirring until blended.

Spoon one-third of remaining plain batter into prepared pan; top with half of chocolate batter. Repeat layers, ending with plain batter. Gently swirl batter with a knife to create a marble effect.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack.