Marble Sponge Cake

Heat oven to 180C/gas 160C/gas 4. Ensure you have two 20cm round sandwich tins preferably silacone - if not lightly grease to ensure the cake doesnt stick.

Place the Softened butter and caster sugar into a mixing bowl and beat together untill combined and soft and fluffy. Add each egg one at a time mixing well after each addition. Once all the eggs are mixed in add the tsp of vanilla extract and mix in.

Carefully sift in the flour (makes the cake nice and light) with a metal spoon fold in the flour and add the 3 tbsp of skimmed milk mix together until the mixture is nice and smooth with no lumps.

Divide the mixture between 2 bowls, in one of the bowls add the 2tbsp of bournville coco powder and stir through to give you one bowl of vanilla cake mix and one bowl of chocolatey cake mix.

Take 2 clean spoons and in each sandwich tin and alternate dollops of the vanilla and chocolate mix - when all the mixture has been used up tap the tins on the worksurface to ensure no air bubbles - take a skewer (or the end of a spoon) and gently swirl it around the cake mixtures to create an even more marbled effect

Smooth the tops of the cakes and place in the pre-heated oven for approximately 45 mins ( i check after 30 mins to be on the safe side) or until a tooth pick comes out clean and the cake springs back

Once done, turn the cakes onto a cooling rack and leave to cool totally before you add the buttercream.

For the Filling - beat the butter until very smooth & creamy - gradually sift the icing sugar stirring well after each addition, half way through add the vanilla extract , continue to add the icing sugar and the milk until a smooth mixture has formed - spread evenly over one of the marble cakes and then sandwich together

Sit back and enjoy your gorgeous Marble Masterpiece - keeps for upto 3 days in an airtight container (if it lasts that long!! ;)