Almond Butter Loaf Cake with Cocoa Swirl

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan and line it with a parchment sling.
2. Spread the chopped almonds on a small sheet pan and toast them in the heating oven for 6 to 8 minutes until fragrant, then let them cool.
3. Make the cocoa filling first: in a small bowl, stir the unsweetened cocoa powder, the granulated sugar, the cinnamon and the warm 2% milk into a thick, smooth paste. Set the cocoa filling aside.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to make the dry mix.
5. In a large bowl, whisk the almond butter, brown sugar and canola oil until smooth. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then the plain yogurt and the vanilla extract.
6. Fold the dry mix into the almond butter batter just until no dry streaks remain, then fold in half of the toasted almonds, keeping the other half for the top.
7. Spread half of the batter in the prepared pan. Dollop all of the cocoa filling over it and spread it gently, then cover with the remaining half of the batter.
8. Run a knife through the batter in a few S-shaped passes to swirl the cocoa filling, then scatter the remaining half of the toasted almonds over the top.
9. Bake 55 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the cake part near the center comes out clean. Tent with foil after 40 minutes if the almonds brown quickly.
10. Cool in the pan on a rack for 15 minutes, lift the cake out by the parchment, and cool completely on the rack, about 1 hour, before cutting into 12 slices.