Marble Cake

YIELDS 1 9X13-INCH PAN OR 1 BUNDT PAN

• 4 eggs, separated
• 1¹⁄₂ scant cups cane sugar (healthier than refined white sugar)
• 2 tsp vanilla
• ¹⁄₄ cup oil
• ¹⁄₂ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• ¹⁄₄ tsp salt
• juice of 1 orange plus water to equal 1 cup, or 1 cup soy milk (both are equally good)
• scant ¹⁄₄ cup cocoa powder

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

• 3 Tbsp oil, put in the freezer for at least an hour (see note)
• 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
• 1¹⁄₂ cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 Tbsp soy milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a Bundt pan or 9x13-inch (20x30-cm) baking pan with cooking spray. Beat the egg whites until stiff. Set them aside.

Combine egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, oil, and applesauce, and beat until the mixture is light, about 5 minutes. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; add this to the batter alternately with the juice.

Mix just until blended. Gently fold in the beaten egg whites. Pour two-thirds of the batter into the pan.

To the remaining one-third of the batter, gently mix in the cocoa. Pour this over the white batter. Cut through the batter with a knife a few times to make a marbled design. Bake for approximately 1 hour for a Bundt pan or 45 minutes for a 9x13-inch pan. A toothpick inserted should come out clean, with no batter clinging to it. Cool for 20 minutes in the pan.

Remove the cake from the pan and sprinkle it with confectioners’ sugar or frost it with chocolate frosting. To make the frosting, combine the oil and cocoa in a mixing bowl. Mix well.

Add the sugar, soy milk, and vanilla. Beat it together until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.

Note: Chilling the oil thickens it and precludes using margarine.