Coconut Marble Cake

(photo courtesy of Woman's Day magazine online)

We had company over on Sunday night so I figured it was the perfect time to try this recipe I saw in a recent issue of Woman's Day magazine.

I was so excited when my cake turned out EXACTLY like the one in the photo! While not my favorite cake ever, it was definitely delicious and one I'll most likely make again.

COCONUT MARBLE CAKE

Ingredients:
1.5 sticks (3⁄4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1.5 cups sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 large eggs
2.25 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
1 tsp almond extract
1⁄2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut, finely chopped

Chocolate Drizzle: 1⁄2 cup semisweet chocolate chips melted with 1.5 tsp oil
Garnish: toasted coconut

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-in. (12-cup) bundt pan.

2. Beat butter, sugar, baking powder and vanilla in a large bowl with mixer on high 3 minutes or until fluffy.

3. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. On low speed, beat in flour in 3 additions alternately with milk in 2 additions, just until blended, scraping sides of bowl as needed. Stir in almond extract just to combine.

4. Melt chocolate chips in a medium glass bowl in microwave as pkg directs. Cool slightly, then stir in 1.5 cups batter until blended.

5. Stir coconut into remaining batter. Spoon 2 cups into prepared pan. Drop spoonfuls of chocolate batter into pan, leaving spaces between each dollop. Drop spoonfuls of coconut batter between chocolate batter. Repeat, alternating batters. Run a knife through batters to marbleize.

6. Bake 55 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes before inverting cake on rack to cool completely.

7. Drizzle: Scrape melted chocolate into a small ziptop bag. Cut a tip off 1 corner and pipe chocolate over cake; sprinkle with toasted coconut.

NOTE: I've never had a problem with my Bundt cakes not wanting to come out of the pan until this cake. I greased and floured the pan the same way, but it still split in the middle as it was coming out. Thankfully I could cover up the seams with the chocolate drizzle and coconut. Next time I'll try greasing it even more I guess.