Chec Marmorat
(kek mar-mo-rat)
Dulcegării (Mamaie’s Bakery & Sweets)
A standard 9x5 loaf pan rests on the counter. Dark cocoa powder swirls through the Chec Marmorat. The whole bake takes exactly forty-five minutes. The warm crust releases the intoxicating hit of vanilla, citrus, and cheap rum extract. This cake needs no pricey butter. It is an aerated sponge built on simple ingenuity: carbonated water, everyday oil, and meticulously whipped egg whites. Run a butter knife along the edges, free the loaf, and cut a thick slice.
Before you start
Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare the baking vessel.
Liberally spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with non-stick spray, or line it with parchment paper so the edges hang over the sides for easy removal.
Ingredients
- large eggs5 large
- white vinegar1 tsp
- fine sea salt1 pinch
- granulated sugar1 cup
- sunflower oil1/2 cup
- sparkling water1/2 cup
- unbleached all-purpose flour1 1/2 cup
- baking powder1 1/2 tsp
- vanilla extract1 tbsp
- medium lemon1 med
- unsweetened cocoa powder2 tbsp
- warm water3 tbsp
- imitation rum extract1 tsp
Method
- 01
Whip the egg whites into a stiff, glossy meringue.
In an impeccably clean bowl, beat the egg whites, salt, and vinegar until foamy. Gradually stream in half a cup of the sugar, beating until you hit stiff peaks that stand at attention. The acid from the vinegar stabilizes the protein—do not skip it.
- 02
Emulsify the yolks with the remaining sugar and oil.
In a separate bowl, beat the yolks with the remaining half cup of sugar until pale and thick. Slowly stream in the oil like you're making mayonnaise, then stir in the vanilla, lemon zest, and sparkling water. The mixture will bubble and loosen up.
- 03
Sift in the dry ingredients.
Whisk the flour and baking powder together, then gently fold them into the wet yolk mixture just until the flour vanishes.
- 04
Gently fold the meringue into the batter to build the matrix.
Sacrifice one large scoop of the stiff egg whites by stirring it into the yolk mixture to lighten the load. Then, with a silicone spatula, gently fold the entire yolk mixture into the remaining whites using a sweeping bottom-to-top motion. Stop the second no white streaks remain.
- 05
Hydrate the cocoa powder to prevent a sunken marble.
Scoop out about a third of your batter into a separate bowl. In a small ramekin, mix the cocoa powder and warm water into a smooth paste, stir in the rum extract, and gently fold this dark paste into the reserved batter. Hydrating the cocoa equalizes the density so the chocolate doesn't sink to the bottom of the pan like a stone.
- 06
Layer the batters and swirl them together.
Pour the white batter into your prepped pan and smooth the top. Pour the chocolate-rum batter straight down the center line, then plunge a knife or skewer all the way to the bottom and drag it through in a continuous figure-eight motion from one end to the other.
- 07
Bake undisturbed for 45 to 55 minutes.
Place on the middle rack and keep the oven door firmly shut for at least the first 35 minutes to prevent the delicate structure from collapsing. It's done when a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan before lifting it out by the parchment.
Notes
Use imitation rum extract.
Do not substitute with real rum. The alcohol burns off differently, and the artificial extract provides the exact nostalgic flavor profile of authentic Romanian sweets.
From Cook Romanian in America.