Show Results (& Marble Cake)

Well, following on from last week's post about show baking, I can say the results are in!  At the Pine Rivers Show, I won 2nd for my Marble Cake, 3rd for the Muffins and nothing for my Carrot Cake :-(

So all in all, pretty pleased with the results - a little disappointed to have slipped from my reigning champion crown in the Marble Cake - but there's always next year!  I made $3 in prize money, and my entries cost $2.40, so I'm 60 cents richer!  Better not spend it all at once :-)

Anyway, back into the show baking this week, with entries for the Ekka due on Tuesday.  Exciting!  So for now, here is the recipe for my prize-winning Marble Cake.  Do people actually make Marble Cake anymore?  It's not really in fashion at the moment - but maybe this is the start of its comeback!

Ingredients
250g butter, at room temperature
215g (1 cup) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
300g (2 cups) self-raising flour
125g (1/2 cup) sour cream
2-3 drops pink liquid food colouring
2 tbs cocoa powder
1 tbs milk

Icing
125g butter, at room temperature
2 tbs milk
1 1/2 cups icing sugar mixture

Method
Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a 20cm cake pan with baking paper.

Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition until combined. Add half the flour to the butter mixture and stir until just combined. Add the sour cream and remaining flour, in batches, and stir until just combined.

Divide the batter among 3 bowls. Add a few drops of pink food colouring to 1 portion and stir to combine. Combine the cocoa powder and milk in a small bowl and add to another portion of batter. Stir to combine.

Place alternate spoonfuls of the 3 batters into the prepared pan. Use a spoon or skewer to swirl the colours together to create a marble effect. Use the back of a spoon to smooth the surface. Bake for about 1 hour. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the icing, place the butter in a bowl and use electric beaters to beat until very pale. Add the milk and icing sugar and beat until combined.

Ice cake and serve.