Marble Cake with Brown Sugar Buttercream

This is a classic.  Fun with chocolate and vanilla cake and the brown sugar buttercream is a real treat!

CAKE:
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup milk
4 squares semi sweet chocolate, melted

FROSTING
3 egg whites
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup water
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp lemon juice
1 1/2 cups butter, softened
Chocolate Curls (optional)

Cake:

1. Butter three 8 inch round cake pans.  Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Whisk eggs with vanilla.  Set aside. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Stir butter into flour mixture until well combined.  Gradually add milk and beat with electric mixer for 1 minute.  Beat in egg mixture.  Measure out 1 cup of the batter and stir with melted chocolate.
3. Scrape remaining batter into prepared pans.  Drop a large dollop of chocolate mixture in centre of each pan.  Spread using the back of a spoon and then draw a knife from the centre of pan to edge, blending batters.  Zig-zag the tip of a knife through batters to integrate.  Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or until golden and cakes spring back when lightly touched in the centre.  Cool on a rack for 10 minutes.  Turn out onto rack and let cool completely.

Frosting:

1. In large heatproof bowl, beat egg whites, sugar and water.  Set bowl over barely simmering water and beat egg mixture until thick, marshmallowy and warm to the touch, for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla and lemon juice.
2. Beat for about 5 minutes or until cool and very thick.  Add butter in dollops, beating well between additions.  Ice cake, swirling frosting decoratively.  Garnish with chocolate curls.

Makes 10 servings