Salted mocha marble loaf
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
Salted mocha marble loaf
This rich, coffee-and-chocolate-swirled loaf, topped with a silky ganache, will keep in the fridge for up to five days
Prep time: 25 minsTotal time: 
Spencer Lengsfield
Our Senior Food Producer Spencer was born in Los Angeles, so has an inherent love for all things Mexican, Japanese, and Korean but is also heavily influenced by her family’s Louisiana heritage. She loves spice, bright flavours, and fusion food, and she has a soft spot for a chocolate chip cookie.
Spencer Lengsfield
Our Senior Food Producer Spencer was born in Los Angeles, so has an inherent love for all things Mexican, Japanese, and Korean but is also heavily influenced by her family’s Louisiana heritage. She loves spice, bright flavours, and fusion food, and she has a soft spot for a chocolate chip cookie.
Ingredients
- 175g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 225g self-raising flour
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 2 tbsp whole milk, at room temperature
- 2 tbsp very strong black coffee, cooled
- 2 tbsp fine dark cocoa powder
- 2 tbsp soured cream, at room temperature
For the ganache
- 150ml double cream
- 1 tbsp instant coffee powder
- 150g dark chocolate, finely chopped
- sea salt flakes, to serve
Step by step
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Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. Butter a 900g loaf tin (10-12cm x 20-22cm base measurement) and line with baking paper. Put the butter and sugar in a large bowl, then beat with an electric hand whisk until very pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next, followed by the vanilla.
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Sift over the flour and ½ teaspoon of salt, then slowly fold them into the batter until just combined. Divide the mixture between two bowls and stir the milk into the first bowl. Put the coffee in a separate small bowl and mix in the cocoa powder to create a smooth paste. Add the soured cream and stir until well combined, then fold this mixture into the second bowl, until just combined. The two batters should be similar in consistency.
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Spoon alternating dollops of each batter into the prepared tin. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl a figure of eight, then bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the sponge comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
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Meanwhile, make the ganache. Pour the cream into a pan and set over a medium heat until steaming but not boiling. Put the coffee powder and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and pour over the hot cream. Cover with a plate and leave to stand for 3 minutes, or until the chocolate has melted. Use a balloon whisk to whisk until smooth. Pour the ganache over the cooled loaf, allowing it to drip down the sides slightly, then scatter over a pinch of sea salt flakes. Leave to set slightly before slicing.
