Marble Cake Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (2024)

The best marble cake I’ve ever had. And here’s how you can make it.

Marble Cake Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (1)

It’s been a long time coming, but I finally have a marble cake recipe to share with you! This recipe is years in the making—in fact, I wanted to publish a marble cake in my first cookbook but couldn’t perfect a recipe in time. (Though there is a marble pound cake recipe in that book!) Three years, 2 cookbooks, and 23 mediocre marble cakes later, here we are.

To say I’m excited is an understatement. Things are about to get awesome.

Marble Cake Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (2)

Tell Me About This Marble Cake

  • Simple and straightforward
  • Tender and moist
  • Soft and cakey
  • Infinitely buttery
  • Classic birthday cake status!
  • Better than a box
  • Slathered with milk chocolate frosting

This marble cake is not:

  • Difficult to make
  • Dry and bland
  • From a box
  • Lacking chocolate flavor like most marble cakes do
  • Boring!

Let’s walk through the steps real quick so you know exactly what you’re doing in the kitchen. An overload of step photos in your scrolling future.

Marble Cake Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (3)

The first thing we’re going to do is prepare a basic yellow cake batter (photo above, right). You only need 1 batter for this marble cake recipe. The chocolate batter is made from the yellow batter. So, it all starts out the same!The yellow cake batter can also be left plain to make a traditional yellow layer cake. But since I’m on a chocolate binge with my recipes lately (sorry?), we’re adding chocolate to the batter to make it a marble cake. Like, real chocolate. More on that in a sec.

The basic yellow cake batter is super straightforward. Let’s discuss the ingredients. You need cake flour, not all-purpose flour. Cake flour has a lower protein content than all-purpose, which correlates to a lighter crumbed cake. Like the light, airy cakes from box mixes. All-purpose flour will make your cake heavy, dense, and bread-like. In a pinch, you can make your own cake flour substitute. Baking powder gives the cake its lift. Even though we will be using buttermilk as the liquid in the batter, we are using baking powder. Buttermilk (an acid) is usually paired with baking soda, but the purpose of buttermilk in this marble cake recipe isn’t for its acidity. Rather, it’s for flavor and moisture. Buttermilk is the secret to the super moist texture. Whole milk makes a wonderful substitution.

Like most traditional cakes, creamed butter and sugar is the base of the entire marble cake. (Photo above, left.) And, like usual, I use a mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar in today’s recipe. You know I can’t live without my beloved brown sugar. Moisture! Flavor! You’d be silly not to use it in a giant cake like this.

Eggs. Everything! Specifically, egg yolks. Have I drilled it into your head yet? Egg yolks (fat) give baked goods their moisture, tenderness, richness, and flavor. Not to mention its color. Yellow egg yolks = yellow cake. You’ll need 2 whole eggs, plus an additional 4 egg yolks. You’ll have 4 egg whites leftover, so make yourself a super healthy egg white omelet to balance out all the slices of marble cake you’ll be eating. Is that genius or what?

Once the yellow cake batter is prepared, set 1 cup of it aside. Mix in 4 ounces of pure, high quality chocolate. We’re talking the real chocolate, not chocolate chips (save those for chocolate chip cookies) or even cocoa powder. Pure chocolate bars—the kind you find in the baking aisle, like Lindt or Ghirardelli. You can also use Trader Joe’s pound plus bar. In my recipe testing, I tried several marble cakes using cocoa powder and the results just do NOT compare to marble cake made with pure chocolate.

Pure chocolate makes the chocolate swirls taste like decadent chocolate cake.

All you’ll do is melt the chocolate and stir it into 1 cup of the yellow batter. Photo above: poured in. Photo below: stirred together. The chocolate batter will be quite thick.

Marble Cake Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (5)

Now let’s create that marbled beauty! It’s so easy. Pour a base of yellow batter into each cake pan. Spoon chocolate batter on top. Spoon remaining yellow batter on top of that. Grab a knife and swirl it all around. Like so:

Marble Cake Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (6)

It doesn’t have to be neat or perfect. The haphazardness of the batters swirled together makes the cake extra charming.

Now it’s time to bake. The cake layers take anywhere from 22-27 minutes, give or take. All ovens are different, so I suggest using an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is at the correct temperature (my oven runs hot; thermometer saves the day!) and use a toothpick to test the cake’s doneness.

Once the cakes are baked and cooled, it’s time to assemble and frost. Speaking of, I’m sure you’ve tried my legendary milk chocolate frosting by now. It’s made several appearances in both cookbooks and on my blog as well. I’m completely obsessed. It’s like the old-fashioned chocolate buttercream my grandmother used to make. Smooth and creamy, rich and thick.Smothered between and all around homemade marble cake, it’s nothing short of extraordinary.

If you prefer, vanilla buttercream would also be fantastic here.

Marble Cake Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (7)

Welcome to my happy place.

As always, straying from the written recipe and instructions will yield different results. There’s a reason this cake took me so long to perfect… it’s all in the precision and ratio of specific ingredients and mixing techniques. I advise you to follow the recipe as directed first then make any adjustments you see fit next time.

Plenty of recipe notes for you in case you have questions. Enjoy this classic beauty!

Print

Marble Cake Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (9)

Marble Cake

5 from 2 reviews

  • Author: Sally
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 4 hours, 30 minutes
  • Yield: serves 10
  • Category: Cake
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
Print Recipe

Save Recipe

Description

The best marble cake I’ve ever had. And here’s how you can make it.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups (236g) cake flour ()*
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) tightly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
  • 1 Tablespoon (15ml) pure vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup (160ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
  • 4 ounces (113g) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped*

Milk Chocolate Frosting

  • 1 and 1/4 cups (282g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3 and 1/2 cups (420g) confectioners’ sugar
  • 3/4 cup (62g) natural unsweetened or dutch-process cocoa powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk
  • optional:chocolate or rainbow sprinkles for decorating

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
  2. Make the cake: Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
  3. With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed in a large bowl until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated and brown sugars and beat on high speed for 3-4 minutes until creamed. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer running on low speed, add the eggs then the egg yolks one at a time, then add the vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined.Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not overmix. Use a whisk to rid any large lumps, if needed. The batter will be slightly thick.
  4. Remove 1 cup of yellow batter and pour into a medium bowl. Melt 4 ounces of chocolate in the microwave, stopping and stirring every 20 seconds until completely smooth. Pour chocolate into the 1 cup of yellow batter you set aside and stir until combined.
  5. Pour an even layer of the yellow batter into each cake pan. Spoon chocolate batter on top, as shown in the photo above. Pour remaining yellow batter on top of the chocolate. Using a knife, swirl the two batters together. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect.
  6. Bake the layers for 22-27 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one cake comes out clean. Mine usually take 24 minutes. During bake time, loosely cover the cakes with aluminum foil if you find the tops are browning too quickly. Remove cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pans set on a wire rack.
  7. Make the frosting:With a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the butter on high speed in a large bowl until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, and cream with the mixer running on low. Once added, increase to high speed and beat for 3 full minutes. Add 1-2 more Tablespoons confectioners’ sugar if frosting is too thin or 1-2 more Tablespoons of cream if frosting is too thick. Taste the frosting and add a pinch more salt if it’s too sweet.
  8. Frost and assemble cake: If needed, level cakes to create a flat surface (I usually use a knife, be careful doing this!). Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand, cake turntable, or large serving plate. Evenly spread about 3/4 cup frosting on top. Top with 2nd cake and spread the remaining frosting all over the sides and top. Decorate with sprinkles if desired. Slice and serve.
  9. Cover any leftover cake and store at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

  1. Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: To prepare 1 day in advance, keep baked cakes covered at room temperature and refrigerate prepared frosting in an airtight container. Bring frosting to room temperature before spreading. Frosted cake can be frozen up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving.
  2. Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk |Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cake Turntable, Cake Stand, or Large Serving Plate | Straight Icing Spatula | Offset Icing Spatula | Cake Carrier (for storage)
  3. Cupcakes: This recipe can be made into about 30 cupcakes. Simply layer a spoonful of each batter into the cupcake wrappers, filling each only halfway. Swirl with a toothpick. Bake the cupcakes for 20 minutes.
  4. 9×13-inch Sheet Cake: This cake can be baked into one 9×13-inch pan for about 35 minutes, give or take. Layer the batters, use a knife to swirl.
  5. Vanilla Frosting: Instead of chocolate, you can use the vanilla frosting from this confetti cakeif desired. It is the perfect amount for thick layers of frosting.
  6. Room Temperature Ingredients: Here is more on the importance of room temperature ingredients.
  7. Cake Flour: If you can’t get your hands on cake flour, use this cake flour substitute.
  8. Buttermilk: You can substitute whole milk for buttermilk if desired. (Acidic buttermilk isn’t needed in order for the cake to rise since we’re using baking powder.) You can use lower fat or nondairy milk in a pinch, but the cake won’t taste as rich and moist.
  9. Chocolate: I recommend Lindt or Ghirardelli chocolates, or Trader Joe’s pound plus bar. Do not use low quality chocolate or chocolate chips.
  10. Adapted from The Great Milky Way Cake in Sally’s Candy Addiction.
Marble Cake Recipe - Sally's Baking Addiction (2024)

FAQs

What is marble cake made of? ›

What is a marble cake? A marble cake is a type of cake that gets its name from the distinct marbled pattern it has when sliced. It is made by combining two different flavors of cake batter, usually vanilla and chocolate, in a way that creates a swirling effect.

What is the secret ingredient in cake? ›

Vinegar is a secret ingredient that can make your cakes light and fluffy.” One of the great things about using vinegar in cakes is that it's versatile. You can incorporate it into various cake recipes, from classic chocolate cakes to fruity variations.

Where did zebra cake come from? ›

A Zebra Cake sometimes known as Marble cake, to my knowledge originated in Germany although some say it's also Russian. It's known in Germany as Marmorkuchen. The technique is to create a marble effect or as in this case a zebra effect by mixing two different coloured cake batters.

Why is my marble cake so dry? ›

If you have too much flour in a recipe and not enough fat, like butter or oil, your cake is going to be dry and hard. For best results, I would encourage you to use a scale when baking, but if you don't have a scale, then just make sure you're using measuring cups correctly.

What is another name for marble cake? ›

A marble cake (German: Marmorkuchen, pronounced [ˈmaʁmoːɐ̯ˌkuːxn̩]), or Marmor ( German: [ˈmaʁmoːɐ̯] lit. 'marble')) is a cake with a streaked or mottled appearance (like marble) achieved by very lightly blending light and dark batter. Due to its zebra-striped pattern, it is also called zebra cake.

Does Walmart make marble cake? ›

Wal-mart Bakery 1/8 Marble Cake With Whipped Topping - Walmart.com.

What is the difference between marble cake and layered cake? ›

Marble cake federalism is based on a pragmatic mixing of authority and programs among the national, state, and local governments. Layer cake federalism is based on a clear delineation of authority and programs among the levels of government.

What is the main ingredient that makes a cake moist? ›

Use Real Butter

It's also made from plant oils, whereas, butter is made from dairy and rich in saturated fats. That fat helps create moisture in our cakes. So when you're at the store, make sure you reach for butter (I always use unsalted), not margarine.

Which 2 ingredients help the cake to rise? ›

Most cakes will call for a leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda. These create the bubbles you need for the cake to rise. If the flour you use is self-raising, it already has a leavening agent in it. Make sure your butter is room temperature, and beat the butter and sugar together until properly creamed.

What is the secret to a perfect cake? ›

The next time you're baking a cake, keep these simple tricks in mind:
  1. Prep the ingredients. Have all of the ingredients at room temperature, unless the recipe directs otherwise. ...
  2. Use the right flour. ...
  3. Prep your pans. ...
  4. Alternate wet and dry ingredients. ...
  5. Preheat. ...
  6. Release air bubbles. ...
  7. Test for doneness. ...
  8. Cool down.
Jun 29, 2022

What was the first Debbie cake? ›

While the Oatmeal Creme Pie was the original Little Debbie snack cake, there were 14 different varieties by 1964 including the ever-popular Nutty Buddy® Wafer Bars and Swiss Cake Roll.

Why is hummingbird cake? ›

Some say the cake was named after the bird because it was sweet enough to attract hummingbirds (who eat only nectar), while others say the yellow streaks of banana was reminiscent of the bird's plumage. Either way, the Doctor bird was about to take flight.

What did zebra cakes used to be called? ›

Before 1991, this delicious treat was not called by the name it is known for now. Originally known as “Little Debbie Vanilla Snack Cakes” is wasn't until the early 90s that the product became the famously loved treat we all know today – Zebra Cakes!

How do you give something a marble effect? ›

Use your medium-sized paintbrush to paint large veins in the lighter shade of gray paint. Paint them over large areas of your surface. Once your veins are painted, take your sponge and lightly sponge over the veins to create a smoky look. Then, lightly and randomly sponge over the “smoky” veins with white paint.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Edwin Metz

Last Updated:

Views: 6231

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (78 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Edwin Metz

Birthday: 1997-04-16

Address: 51593 Leanne Light, Kuphalmouth, DE 50012-5183

Phone: +639107620957

Job: Corporate Banking Technician

Hobby: Reading, scrapbook, role-playing games, Fishing, Fishing, Scuba diving, Beekeeping

Introduction: My name is Edwin Metz, I am a fair, energetic, helpful, brave, outstanding, nice, helpful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.