O Bolo Riscado é um clássico intemporal, uma surpresa visual que encanta tanto crianças como adultos. A sua beleza reside na simplicidade da técnica: duas massas, uma clara e outra de chocolate, que se entrelaçam para criar um padrão único em cada fatia. É o bolo perfeito para um lanche em família, fácil de fazer e com um resultado final que parece muito mais complexo do que realmente é.

Ingredientes

  • 3 ovos;
  • 150 de açúcar;
  • 190 g farinha;
  • 62 ml óleo (comigo foi mais “a olho”);
  • uma colher de chá de fermento;
  • e col. (sopa) de cacau em pó;
  • 62 ml de água ou leite;
  • baunilha líquida (facultativo).

Preparação

  1. Batem-se as claras em castelo com metade do açúcar. Batem-se as gemas com os restantes 75 g de açúcar e junta-se o leite. Junta-se a farinha peneirada, o fermento e o óleo. Por fim, junta-se delicadamente a este preparado as claras em castelo açucaradas.
  2. Divide-se a massa em duas partes iguais, juntando numa o cacau (e baunilha se assim se desejar).
  3. Unta-se uma forma como habitualmente (manteiga e/ou margarina e farinha) e de seguida…ta..ta…ta…(é só para criar um pouco de suspense…) vem a parte principal: usando uma colher de sopa, vai-se deitando, alternando as massas, colheradas de massa mas sempre a partir do meio da forma, umas por cima das outras. Não sei se me faço entender. Acabamos por deitar ambas as massas sempre no mesmo sítio (meio da forma), as colheradas de massa vão-se “alargando”, acabando por criar aquele efeito marmorizado/riscado.
  4. Vai a cozer em forno moderado.

Here’s how you can create this beautiful, classic cake, a little piece of edible art for your table.

Marble Cake

The simple magic of a marble cake never fails to delight. With its beautiful swirls of vanilla and chocolate, every slice reveals a unique and beautiful pattern. It’s a classic bake that looks wonderfully impressive, yet the secret to its stunning appearance lies in a surprisingly simple and fun technique. There’s no need for swirling with skewers or knives; the beautiful marbled effect is created simply by layering the two different batters.

This recipe produces a wonderfully light and airy sponge, thanks to the separately whisked egg whites that are gently folded into the batter. This creates a tender crumb that is the perfect vehicle for the classic combination of vanilla and chocolate flavours.

While the vanilla and chocolate combination is a timeless classic, feel free to get creative with the flavours. You could add the zest of an orange to the plain batter for a lovely citrus note, or a teaspoon of instant coffee dissolved in a little hot water to the cocoa batter to create a mocha swirl.

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs, separated
  • 150g caster sugar
  • 190g plain flour
  • 62ml vegetable oil (the author notes this was done “by eye”)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
  • 62ml water or milk
  • A few drops of vanilla extract (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan / Gas Mark 4). Grease and flour a round cake tin.
  2. Whisk the egg whites with half of the sugar (75g) until they form stiff, glossy peaks. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the remaining 75g of sugar, then add the milk or water.
  3. Gently fold in the sifted flour, baking powder, and oil. Finally, very gently, fold the whisked egg whites into this batter.
  4. Divide the batter into two equal parts. In one half, gently fold in the cocoa powder (and vanilla, if using).
  5. Now for the marbling technique: using a tablespoon, drop a spoonful of one batter into the very centre of the prepared tin. Then, drop a spoonful of the other batter directly on top of the first one, again in the very centre. Continue alternating the batters, always dropping the spoonfuls into the middle of the pan. The batters will spread outwards on their own, creating the beautiful striped/marbled effect.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Tips:

  • The key to a light and fluffy cake is to be very gentle when folding in the egg whites. Use a large metal spoon or spatula and a figure-of-eight motion to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
  • Resist the temptation to swirl the batters together with a knife. The magic of this technique is allowing the weight of the spoonfuls to spread the batter out naturally into concentric rings.
  • Ensure your oven is preheated to the correct temperature. A moderate oven is key for an even bake that doesn’t rise too quickly and crack.
  • This cake is delicious on its own, but you could also top it with a simple chocolate glaze or a dusting of icing sugar.