Marble cake with plums and cream cheese

Name: Marble cake with plums and cream cheese - Domnica E.
Ingredients: For the base: 200 g butter; 200 ml milk; 6 eggs; 150 g powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 2 tablespoons cocoa; 300 g flour; 2 teaspoons vanilla essence; a pinch of salt; 300 g plums. Cream cheese: 650 g cottage cheese; 150 g liquid cream; 100 g country; style sour cream; 120 g powdered sugar; grated zest of an orange; plums for decoration.

Desert - Marble cake with plums and cream cheese by Domnica E. - Recipia

Dough: We start by washing the plums thoroughly, ensuring they are clean and free of impurities. After washing, we carefully remove the pits and cut them into quarters, making them easy to integrate into the cake mixture. The soft butter, which should be at room temperature, is mixed with powdered sugar until we obtain a fluffy and homogeneous cream. It is essential to get this step right, as well-beaten butter will contribute to an airy texture of the cake. We continue by incorporating the egg yolks, one by one, making sure that each yolk is well incorporated before adding the next. Then, we gradually pour in the milk, mixing constantly. The next step is to sift the flour, a process that helps eliminate lumps and aerate the flour. We add it in a rain-like manner, gently mixing with a spatula. It is important not to over-mix, in order to keep the air in the mixture. We add the baking powder and vanilla essence, which will bring a delicious aroma to our cake. Separately, the egg whites are beaten with a pinch of salt until they become firm. These will be carefully incorporated into the above mixture using a spatula, so as not to lose the aeration. We divide the mixture into two equal parts: one we leave white, while in the other we add cocoa and gently mix to obtain an even mixture. We preheat the oven to a medium temperature. We grease a 24/36 cm tray with butter and line it with baking paper to prevent sticking. We pour the cocoa mixture into the tray and level it evenly. Then, using a spoon, we carefully add the white mixture on top, creating a marbled effect. We place the plum quarters on top, distributing them evenly. We place the tray in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until the cake is golden brown and firm to the touch. We do the toothpick test: if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. We let it cool completely in the tray. Cream Cheese: In a bowl, we crumble the cheese, add powdered sugar, and mix well. We add liquid cream and sour cream, as well as the grated orange zest, which will add a fresh note. We mix everything until we obtain a smooth and homogeneous cream. We spread it over the plum layer, leveling the surface well. We refrigerate the cake for 2-3 hours to allow the creaminess to set. When ready, we take it out of the fridge, slice it, and decorate with fresh plum slices on top. Enjoy!