Marble Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Yesterday I conducted my own little scientific experiment.  Could you substitute gram for gram a butter replacement for butter?  What I wanted to do was replace butter with Rice Bran Oil Spread.  Why you ask?  Well this spread is made from pure rice bran oil, it has a similar taste to butter, but has half the amount of saturated fat!!  It also contains no cholesterol.  In addition to that it contains oryzanol, which anecdotally has been said to help reduce cholesterol absorption.  So, if replacing butter gram for gram with a replacement works, why not use it more often - we can all do with reducing our saturated fat intake.

So Dear Readers, did the experiment work?  Well the proof is in the pudding, or should I say cake!!

Looks like a cake, smells like a cake, and most importantly tastes like a cake!!!

So here is the recipe for a cake with half the saturated fat of a regular cake!!

Marble Cake with Chocolate Frosting


200g Rice Bran Oil Spread (butter)
1 cup caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
1 cup self raising flour
1 cup plain flour
2-3 drops pink food colouring
1 tbs cocoa powder, sifted


Frosting
100g soft butter
2 cups icing sugar mixture
1 tbs cocoa
2 tbs milk


Preheat oven to 180C (non fan) Lightly grease a square (I used 23 cm base measurements pan) cake pan with melted butter, line with baking paper.


Using an electric mixer beat the rice bran oil spread, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl until pale and creamy.  Add the eggs, beating well after each addition, until well combined.  Sift together the flours.  Reserve 2 tbs of the milk.  Fold half of the flour mixture into the "butter" mixture, and then half of the milk.  Repeat with the remaining flour and milk.  Mix until well combined.


Divide the cake batter evenly among 3 bowls.  Add a few drops of pink food colouring to one bowl, mix well.  Combine the cocoa powder with the reserved milk and add to another portion.  Combine well.


Place alternate spoonfuls of the 3 mixes into the prepared cake tin, tapping the base on a flat surface to settle the mixture.  Use a skewer to gently swirl the batters together to create a marble effect.  Tap the base of the pan on a flat surface again to smooth the surface.  Bake in the oven for approximately 40 minutes, or until the a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.  Remove from the oven, and set aside in the pan for 5 minutes.  Turn out onto a cake rack to cool completely before icing.

To make the frosting, place the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until creamy.  Sift over the combined icing sugar and cocoa powder, beat until well combined.  Add the milk and beat until fluffy.


You will note that I didn't replace the butter in the frosting - I didn't think the consistency of the rice bran oil spread would lend itself too well to the frosting - but be my guest and give it a try.  Let me know how you fare!!!

So Dear Readers, please share with us if you have had similar experiments that have worked out - we would would love to hear from you.