Spiced Chocolate Ripple Loaf

Cook Time 1 hour and 30 minutes

Servings 10

Ingredients

125g cream cheese, softened
75g butter, softened
¾ cup caster sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla
1 1⁄3 cups self raising flour
½ tsp baking powder
200g milk chocolate, broken into pieces
25g butter, extra, softened
1¼ tsp mixed spice

Topping
100g milk chocolate, extra, roughly chopped

TIP: When it comes to spreading the chocolate layer over the cake mixture, don’t delay! It firms quickly as it cools.

Method

Combine the cream cheese, butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Stir in the sifted flour and baking powder and mix with an electric mixer until smooth and pale in colour.

Combine the chocolate, extra butter and spice in a bowl over simmering water. Stir until the chocolate has melted.

Spoon one quarter of the cream cheese mixture into the base of a greased 21cm x 11cm loaf pan. Spread one third of the melted chocolate over the cake mixture. Repeat layers, finishing with a layer of the cake mixture. Sprinkle with extra chopped chocolate.

Bake in a moderate oven 180°C for 1 hour or until cooked when tested. Stand for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. Cool.