Mexican Chocolate Marble Pound Cake

It’s that time of the year when my house smells like chocolate, cinnamon, vanilla, butter, and cakes and cookies. I’m so excited. I now have a legitimate excuse for keeping the oven busy and the gas bill at its highest.

There are so many recipes and not enough time. I have promised my family that I will really try to think about actual cooking of meals and not just try and serve them dessert for lunch and dinner.

I was thinking about Capirotada, Mexican Bread Pudding. But I didn’t want to make it with French bread. And there is no way (Jose) that I’m going to use frozen store bought pound cake. Not that you can’t use it, I have, but I wanted this Capirotada to be special. Bob and I celebrate our 20th Anniversary this week, and he really likes the bread pudding. So it’s got to be extra special. So, today I made a double loaf of Mexican Chocolate Marble Pound Cake. One loaf that Bob and Lily will be munching on and the other to use in my Capirotada. Check back on Wednesday, I’ll give you the picture and the recipe.

For now, here’s that gorgeous marbled pound cake. I hope you like it. There are so many ways to serve this. You can serve it with ice cream or whip up a little whipping cream and flavor it with vanilla or Kahlua or serve it with fruit. Afternoon coffee and a slice of this heavenly cake will keep the hunger growls at bay and you won’t have to rush through the kitchen to get everyone fed.

To all my lovely foodie friends who wished me a happy birthday, I thank you. I’ve had a difficult week, so your wishes were very special to me. They really touched my heart.

Abrazos a todos, hugs to all.
MARBLE POUND CAKE
3 cups flour
3 cups sugar
2 sticks butter, softened
8 tbsp. Crisco
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 bar Abuelita Mexican Chocolate, melted
1 tsp. baking powder
Pinch salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. lemon extract

Measure and sift flour, salt and baking powder. Cream butter and Crisco, add sugar gradually and continue creaming until light. Add eggs, one at a time, continue beating. Add lemon and vanilla flavorings. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
Pour 1/3 of batter into separate bowl and add chocolate. Grease and flour 2 loaf pans (or a tube pan). Divide remaining vanilla batter into each loaf pan. Spoon chocolate batter over vanilla batter in dollops. Swirl once around entire pan with wooden spoon handle to marbleize.

Bake in preheated oven at 325 degrees for 1 hour 20 minutes. Cool before icing.

ICING:

1 box powdered sugar
8 tbsp. cocoa
1 stick softened butter
¼ cup of milk (or more to thin out frosting)
1 tsp. vanilla
Sift sugar and cocoa together. Add butter and blend in well. Add milk a little at a time, mixing well. Add vanilla and beat til smooth.
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Chocolate Quote of the Day:
There's nothing better than a good friend, except a good friend with CHOCOLATE.
"The Pickwick Papers"