Chocolate and vanilla marble cake

Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3. Line a 30cm loaf tin with baking paper

Whisk together the butter, sugar and vanilla essence until pale and fluffy

Whisk in the eggs a little at a time until fully incorporated

Gently fold in the flour in 2 stages, then place ⅓ of the mix into a separate bowl and fold in the cocoa powder

The mix should gently fall from a spoon when lifted – if it is a little thick let it down with the milk

Pour ¼ of the vanilla batter into the lined tin and spread out evenly. Pour ½ of the chocolate mixture on top in a swirling motion then cover with the remaining vanilla mixture

Finish with the rest of the chocolate mixture then use a metal skewer to swirl the chocolate through the vanilla to create the marbled effect

Bake for 45–50 minutes, until a metal skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving