There are times, when only the comfort of a childhood favourite will do. I will always remember early mornings of summer when I sat on the bench of my Grandma’s (Teata’s) kitchen while she made this cake, always in twos because when the family gathered we were quite a cast. She used to let me hold the electric mixer, pour in the ingredients, and sometimes she even let me lick the bowl (raw eggs and all!) and my love of baking was sparked in those early mornings. I scarcely remember a day where we didn’t have thick slice of this cake to dip into our milk and each time I take a bite of this cake, I remember those easy, breezy, innocent days of childhood summer. I miss you Teata. Happy cooking all xx

Ingredients

3 cups SR flour
2 cups castor sugar
250g butter softened
1 cup milk
5 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
1 tbspn cocoa

Method
1. Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius
2. Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy, add 1 egg at a time mixing well after each addition.
3. Add the vanilla and mix well.
4. Alternate between adding milk and flour, ending with milk. Beat until homogenous.
5. Separate 1/3 of the cake batter and add the cocoa to it.
6. Grease 2 10 x 15cm loaf trays and dust with flour.
7.  Divide half of the remaining 2/3 into each tray, then half the cocoa mixture and put on top, and finish with a layer of the the vanilla. Marble with the back of a wooden spoon for effect. 8. Bake at 160 degrees for about 1 hour or until top is firm and skewer inserted comes out clean.
Happy cooking xx