A marble swirl of butter and chocolate

Dear SOS: I absolutely love Buttercake Bakery in West Los Angeles. I especially love the marble cake. It’s comfort food in cake form. Do you think you could print the recipe?

Michelle Cerami

Los Angeles

Dear Michelle: This version of the classic cake combines a moist butter bundt cake and a swirl of rich chocolate syrup, with a big handful of chocolate chips thrown in for good measure. Cool the cake and dust it lightly with powdered sugar if you can -- before it disappears.

Buttercake Bakery’s marble cake

Total time: 1 1/2 hours

Servings: 12 to 16

Note: Adapted from a Buttercake Bakery recipe.

2 1/2 cups sugar, divided

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup light corn syrup

2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided

2 2/3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

4 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup chocolate chips

Powdered sugar for dusting

1. In a small saucepan, whisk together one-half cup of the sugar, the cocoa powder and corn syrup with one-half cup hot water. Bring just to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Add a half-teaspoon of vanilla off the heat and set aside.

2. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour a 12-cup bundt pan.

3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer), cream the butter with the remaining sugar until light and fluffy. Whisk in the eggs one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, then whisk in the remaining vanilla.

3. Whisk about a third of the flour mixture into the batter, then a third of the milk. Continue whisking in the flour mixture and milk, alternately and a little at a time, until everything is added and the batter is light and smooth.

4. Gently fold in the chocolate chips, then divide the batter into thirds. Pour a third of the batter into the prepared bundt pan.

5. Whisk the chocolate syrup with another third of batter, then pour this into the prepared bundt pan. Pour the remaining third of batter over this, lightly swirl the batters with a wooden skewer or knife to give a “marble” effect and place the pan in the oven.

6. Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the cake springs back lightly when touched, about 1 hour. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack. Invert the cooled cake onto a serving platter and dust lightly with powdered sugar.

Each of 16 servings: 399 calories; 5 grams protein; 60 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 17 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 85 mg. cholesterol; 167 mg. sodium.