The perfect combination of chocolate and almond, swirled together and topped with chocolate and almond frosting for a delicious, and sinful treat! This chocolate almond marble pound cake will truly disappear in a flash!

Chocolate Almond Marble Pound Cake

Dish Count :: 1 Loaf Pan, 2 Mixing Bowls

I’m officially throwing off the yolk of the rational, emotionally stable woman. She is now gone. Hopefully back in the next six weeks when the little one’s eviction date rolls around, but for now, I apologize to anyone in my immediate circle for the complete lack of filter that has overtaken the former me. But who are we kidding, when the little one’s eviction day comes, there will be a whole new barrel of emotional monkeys to tangle with. So I bring you a pound cake as a peace offering.

The last few weeks have been stressful. Under “normal” circumstances it wouldn’t be anything I couldn’t handle, especially emotionally. But with the diagnosis of gestational diabetes looming over my head, it has put me through a wringer that I never expected. For all of the encouragements, “it isn’t your faults”, “it will be fine”s, and more, the further I have gone into this process, the worse I have gotten. And although the protocol is routine, with just mandated twice weekly non-stress tests, more ultrasounds, and amniotic indexing – I’ve gone through the roof with worry, anxiety, crying, and self doubt. And even cake can’t help me now. 

Chocolate Almond Marble Pound Cake

I want to imagine my ‘normal’ being happy, worry free, and trotting along with a growing bump and never a worry that anything bad could happen. And that would be the ‘normal’ me. All of the feelings have been magnified, and compounded. Trying not to stress has been made worse because I know that no matter what I am stressing myself out with worry and a feeling of hopelessness that I can’t do anything to stop it, or make my diabetes go away – not for my sake but for the little dude’s. Of course, it is normal for women to experience gestational diabetes, one of my closest friends had it with her kiddos, too. She’s walked me through it, but I still panic. Like now.

When no matter what I tried to do didn’t work – from controlling it through just my diet – to now being on pills. To the email on a Saturday night from my midwife to tell me that they want to add in more protocols for non stress tests, ultra sounds and indexing, I lost it. My day at the beach with my family, somewhat dashed by the adding of not just “one more thing” to do and deal with, but three. Time away from my home, when everyone encourages me to rest and put my feet up means I will be driving to my doctors’ twice a week in Seattle rush hour to get laid on a table and strapped with machines.

And if it doesn’t work – then what?

Chocolate Almond Marble Pound Cake

The endless cycle of what-if’s plays in my mind, like a bad song, and then I cry again.

So, this might be “normal”, this gestational diabetes But it’s not my normal. The worry that I can’t handle, the fact that I am feeling so helpless when things just don’t improve. We are doing everything right, and managing it the best, but this new “normal” isn’t me, and it’s terrifying.

He needs 6 more healthy weeks. I need 6 more healthy weeks. I’ll poke my fingers four times a day, watch what I eat (even giving up ice cream in the middle of August while pregnant – who’s sick joke is that?!?), count my carbs, meet with the dietician again, take the pills, do the tests, drive in the rush hour – just for 6 more weeks of good results and less worry to get a healthy kid.

But please, universe, can I just catch a break? Let me be normal again.

And as a PSA for anyone who wants to poke the pregnant bear for posting desserts along with a gestational diabetes post – just don’t. Am I still baking? Yes. Do I eat it? Definitely try not to! I take it into work and my husband consumes it. The next couple weeks of recipes are likely going to be baking related because I have a backlog of summer to share with you. So please save your self righteous indignation for another time. Be a friend instead, and eat a slice of chocolate almond marble pound cake for me. Thanks!

Need other baking inspiration?

Cranberry Orange Sour Cream Bundt Cake

Pumpkin Gingerbread Coffee Cake

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Chocolate Almond Marble Pound Cake

Chocolate Almond Marble Pound Cake

  • Author: Country Cleaver
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 45 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 loaf 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Description

The perfect combination of chocolate and almond, swirled together and topped with chocolate and almond frosting for a delicious, and sinful treat! This chocolate almond marble pound cake will truly disappear in a flash!

Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Almond Pound Cake

  • 2 cups Flour
  • 2 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 cup Shortening, or Butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cup Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
  • 3 Eggs, room temperature
  • 1 ounce Chocolate, chopped and melted
  • 2 Tbsp Warm Water
  • 2 tsp Cocoa Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Baking Soda

Chocolate Almond Frosting

  • 2 Tbsp Butter, softened
  • 2 ounces Chocolate, chopped
  • 2 cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Water, or Milk
  • 1/2 tsp Vanilla
  • 1/4 tsp Almond Extract
  • Pinch of Salt, optional

Instructions

FOR CHOCOLATE ALMOND MARBLE POUND CAKE

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Or grease and line with parchment paper.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  3. In another large bowl, beat the shortening (or butter), until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl as necessary.
  4. Beat in the sugar and vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy again, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl.
  5. Beat in one egg at a time, at least 30 seconds in between additions. Scrape the bowl, as necessary.
  6. Add in the flour, and milk, in three separate additions, alternating between them. Mix until just combined, and no more.
  7. Remove one cup of the batter and set aside momentarily.
  8. Add in the almond extract to the main batter bowl, and mix just until it is combined. Set aside.
  9. In a small bowl, mix together the melted chocolate, water, baking soda, and cocoa powder. Take the set aside one cup of the batter, and add in the bowl, mixing together to make a chocolate batter.
  10. With two large spoons for each batter bowl, drop spoonfuls of each batter into the loaf pan until it is filled.
  11. Using a knife or a chopstick, swirl the two batters together – but not too much. Keep the streaks large.
  12. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  13. Set aside on a cake rack to cool.

FOR CHOCOLATE ALMOND FROSTING

  1. In a pan, or bowl in a microwave, melt 2 Tbsp of butter and chopped chocolate until smooth.
  2. Pour mixture into a mixing bowl, with 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 Tbsp water (or milk), and half vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer until light and and fluffy.
  3. Repeat the almond frosting with 2 Tbsp butter (don’t melt, use the softened), remaining cup of powdered sugar, almond extract, milk and pinch of salt. Beat together with a hand mixer until smooth.

TO FROST

  1. Spoon the chocolate and almond frostings on top of the completely cooled cake and then swirl together to create a marbled effect.
  2. Slice and serve.

Notes

Inspired by Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake from BHG Fall Baking Magazine