Rum-Scented Marble Cake

Santa doesn't really want cookies on Christmas eve. I've got it on good authority that he's sick and tired of eating them. So how about mixing up a nice moist rum marble cake? That will get better results from the jolly old man. Trust me ..... I know how to deal with jolly old men.

Ingredients for Base Batter:

2 & 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (spoon flour into a dry-measure cup and level off)

1 & 2/3 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt
12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
7 large eggs
3 tablespoons dark rum


Ingredients for Chocolate Batter:
2 tablespoons dark rum
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) chocolate, melted and cooled
2 cups Base Batter

Directions:
1. Set a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 325 degrees.

2. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir well by hand to mix. Add the butter. Beat the mixture on low speed with the paddle until the mixture is a smooth, heavy paste, 1 to 2 minutes.

3. Whisk the eggs and rum together. On medium speed, beat 1/3 of the egg mixture into the flour and butter mixture. Beat for 1 minute.

4. Stop and scrape down the bow and beater. Add half of the egg mixture and beat for 2 minutes. Repeat with the other half.

5. Remove the bowl from the mixer and using a large rubber spatula give the batter a final mix.

6. For the chocolate batter, combine the rum, milk, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk well to dissolve the baking soda. Scrape in the chocolate and whisk it well. Add the 2 cups of base batter to the chocolate mixture and whisk well to combine.

7. To marbleize the cake, alternate spoonfuls of the the two batters, in a checkerboard pattern. Run a table knife through the batter creating swirls.

8. Bake the cake until it is well risen and firm, and a toothpick or a small thin knife inserted midway between the side of the pan and the central tube emerges dry, about 1 hour.

9. Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes, then invert a rack over it. Invert and lift off the pan. Cool the cake completely over the rack.

Recipe adapted from Epicurious.