This cake marbles itself in the pan as it bakes! Every slice looks a bit different and is a joy to slice into. It's moist and deliciously dense, and has the right amount of vanilla and chocolate flavor.
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup hot water
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, room temp.
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, room temp.
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 cups sugar
10 large eggs, room temp.
4 ½ cups cake flour or White Lily All Purpose Flour
Preheat oven to 300°F. Prepare Old Country Kitchenware square tube pan by brushing with pan coat and inserting a parchment paper square between the two pieces. Combine cocoa powder and hot water and let cool.
Beat butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer until pale, light and fluffy. Add cream cheese, salt, and vanilla extract and beat until combined. Scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl. Add ½ cup flour and beat to combine. With the mixer running at low speed, add 1 egg and beat for 30 seconds. Repeat with each egg, beating well after each addition. Add the rest of the flour in 2 additions, beating on low until it just disappears. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat for another 15 seconds.
In two additional medium bowls, divide batter roughly in thirds. Add 1/3 of the cocoa powder and hot water mixture to one bowl and mix until combined. Add the rest of the cocoa mixture to the third bowl and mix until combined. Layer vanilla batter first, then the lighter chocolate batter, then the darker chocolate batter. Shake between each layer to settle the batter.
Place on middle rack of oven with a baking sheet on the rack below it to catch any drips. Bake 2 to 2 ½ hours or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cool 15 minutes. To unmold, place over a metal can, like those containing beans or tomatoes, and push down to remove outer piece. When cool enough to handle, lift or turn cake out onto a wire rack and let cool completely.
