TWD: Mocha Walnut Marbled Cake

Ok, so full disclosure: Marble cake is definitely one of my Top 3 Cake Choices Of All Time (Of All Time).  So especially after last week's disappointment, I was again looking forward to this week's TWD challonj, though perhaps my enthusiasm was a mite more measured than last.  This time, I decided to only do a half recipe rather than get carried away and do a whole.  I can only take so much kitchen sad.

Desperate Housecats agree.

So I proceeded onward!

The steps to make this cake seemed unnecessarily cumbersome to me for some reason.  First there was grinding walnuts (which as usual for me was more like "chopping" walnuts.  Maybe I should start using the coffee grinder.)

Then melting chocolate for chocolate batter.  But wait!  I need to make coffee for it!  Shoot!  And heat water to melt over!  You want the pan buttered AND floured?!  I'm gonna be UP ALL NIGHT!  This cake is already FAIL!

(Though I know I could probably do it just as effectively in the microwave, I get a little suspicious when that isn't mentioned in the recipe). 

Now batter must be made.  I don't know what to think about the instructions to "beat 3 min at medium speed but don't really like cream it or nothin'" stuff.  Mine still came out pretty light and fairly fluffy, not pasty at all.  I kept it movin'.

Now half goes to make chocolate batter and half to make vanilla.

And to go in pans.  As much as I love marble cake, getting it to actually...you know, MARBLE is often tricky, so today I sez, "eh, I'ma do it MY WAY" and checkerboarded the batter before swirling.

It worked pretty well, I think.

I baked the little pans on the sheet for about 40 minutes.  They puffed a bit but popped right on out of the pans:

And they were actually MARBLED!  Lo!

I made Dorie's Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce to go over.  I ran out of heavy cream and had to sub half and half.  The texture was a little bit odd--it looks like unset pudding--but it tastes very good and compliments the cake well.

Really, there isn't too much to say about this but YUUUUUM.  It wiped away all my sadness.  This is, I think, hands down the best cake we've made since I joined TWD, and possibly the best cake I've ever made from this book (though the Black and White Cake, when it actually works, is mighty effing rad.)  It is fluffy and buttery and melty and full of flavor.  Perfect marble cake.  Loves it!  WILL make again.  Most def.

Thanks to Erin at When in Doubt...Leave it at 350 for picking this one!  *hugs*