Marbled Chocolate-Peanut Butter Cake

Chris Kinimaka

• 4 oz. bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 C. unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 C. peanut butter
• 1 scant C. granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 C. light brown sugar
• 5 large eggs
• 2 C. flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 C. milk
• 1/3 C. chocolate chips
• Glaze
• 2 T. each butter and smooth peanut butter
• 1 T. water
• 3 T. golden syrup (or maple syrup)
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces

Preheat oven to 350°. Generously grease and flour 12-cup tube or ring tin. Melt chocolate in microwave on high for 1 minute, stir, then microwave in 15-second intervals until creamy and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, peanut butter and sugars until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time to the peanut butter mixture, beating well after each addition. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Add flour mixture alternately with milk to the peanut butter mixture until batter is just blended. Pour half the batter into another bowl and stir melted chocolate into one bowl of batter until well blended. Stir the chocolate chips into the other bowl of peanut butter batter. Using a large spoon, drop alternate spoonfuls of chocolate batter and peanut butter batter into the prepared tin. Using a knife, pull through the batters to create a swirled marbled effect. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the top springs back when touched. Cool the cake in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out on a rack to cool completely. Combine all the glaze ingredients in a small saucepan and melt over a low heat, stirring until blended and smooth. Cool slightly. When slightly thickened, drizzle the glaze over the cake, allowing it to run down the sides.