European Style Choc-Ripple Cake

A perfect cake to enjoy on a warm, lazy, summer afternoon.
 No icing, no cream.
 Simplicity at it's best. 

European Style Choc-Ripple Cake

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sifted self-raising flour
3/4 cup caster sugar
1tsp vanilla extract
5 eggs, at room temperature, separated
1/2 tepid milk
1/2 light olive oil
1tsp cocoa powder
ground almonds & butter OR lard & flour to coat the baking tin

Method:
Preheat oven to a moderate temperature. Thoroughly grease the baking container (I use a kugelhopf tin); then coat with finely processed almonds or flour. Shake off any excess. 

Using an electric mixer, beat together the egg yolks, sugar & vanilla extract till light, pale & creamy. Will take up to 10 minutes.

In a clean bowl, using clean beaters, whip up the egg whites till they just hold their peaks. 

Add the olive oil, milk & flour to the egg yolk mixture.

Fold through till ingredients are well incorporated.

Beat some of the egg whites into this mixture; do not worry about being too heavy handed at this stage. Gently fold through remaining egg whites. 

The mixture should be pourable and not at all firm.

Place a small amount of this mixture into a small bowl & whisk in the cocoa.

Half fill the baking tin with the vanilla mixture, drizzle the cocoa mixture over this; then finish off with the remaining vanilla mixture. Take a knife & swirl through once or twice; no more. 

Bake in the oven for approx. 35 to 40 minutes. Take out; rest on a wire rack till the cake has completely cooled

Gently hit the sides of the tin to help release the cake. Invert onto a dish. This cake is almost sponge-like, however unlike a sponge it has a much longer keeping time.