Soft, fluffy, moist marble cake, made with vanilla and chocolate cake swirled together. This cake is easy to make with my step-by-step instructions (and new video!), and is frosted with my favorite silky chocolate frosting.
The People Pleaser
👆🏻That’s what I call this marble cake. It just has something for everyone. It’s perfectly contrasted to appease taste testers of all dessert preferences. This cake isn’t just delicious, it’s:
- Soft, fluffy, and moist.
- Cloaked with a thick, dense, and fudgy chocolate frosting
- Light in texture
- But has a dark chocolate ripple
- Sweet vanilla
- Deep chocolate
I mean, really, if you don’t like marble cake, who are you? And also, why are you here?
This recipe is a close cousin to my vanilla cake. In fact, that recipe was only developed because I needed a solid and reliable base for both this marble cake recipe and my pineapple upside-down cake. It took about 60 tries and many months to get the recipe just right, but hundreds of five star reviews later, I’d have to say all the testing paid off.
What You Need
A few basic ingredients:
- Butter. Use unsalted, or if you only have salted reduce the salt in the recipe to 1/2 teaspoon. Butter adds flavor to the cake that you wouldn’t get by just using oil.
- Oil. Oil keeps the cake soft and moist by adding moisture to the batter that you would miss out on if you only used butter.
- Sugar. We just use granulated for this recipe.
- Eggs. Four large. For best results, use room-temperature eggs. In fact, all of your ingredients should be at room temperature.
- Vanilla extract. To enhance the flavor.
- Flour. I use all-purpose. Cake flour may be substituted, please see the notes below the recipe card.
- Baking powder. A Tablespoon may seem like a lot. It’s not a typo, trust me.
- Salt. For flavor.
- Buttermilk. Yes, even though we aren’t using baking soda (which is often used alongside buttermilk, if you recall my buttermilk substitute post), you still want to use buttermilk. It adds flavor and moisture to your marble cake.
- Chocolate. A 4 oz bar .You can use semisweet or dark chocolate.
You’ll also need the ingredients for a batch of chocolate frosting (though I include some possible substitutions a bit further down the page!
Just One Batter
When making the cake I originally toyed with the idea of making two separate batters (one vanilla, and one chocolate). It was a hassle. Many more dishes, a much larger mess, and the cakes didn’t bake as evenly together as I would’ve liked. With a teething 5 month old who’s currently not letting me sleep very much anymore, I had neither the time nor the patience to entertain this tale of two batters for very long.
Instead we make a simple vanilla cake batter, and then infuse half of it with chocolate. Adding cocoa powder didn’t give me the deep, distinct chocolate flavor that I was looking for, unfortunately (largely because we aren’t adding any hot water or hot cocoa to bloom it, like we do in my favorite chocolate cake recipe), but adding melted semisweet chocolate did the trick.
Swirl this into half of the vanilla batter and then swirl the two batters together with a butterknife for a beautiful marble effect.
Hint: You can also reverse-cream this cake, using the technique I used in my caramel cake for a plush, dense crumb. If you often accidentally over-mix your cakes, it’s almost impossible to do so with the reverse-creaming method.
For the Frosting
For the frosting, I used my favorite chocolate frosting (though in the video I used my chocolate buttercream, either will work!). I wanted a rich chocolate icing to really help set off the chocolate flavor in the cake, but if you’re looking for a vanilla option, my classic buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting (or even Swiss meringue buttercream) would work well.
Storing
Store this cake in an airtight container. I recommend keeping it at room temperature, where it will keep for 2-3 days (so long as it isn’t a particularly humid environment). Marble cake may be refrigerated (in an airtight container) and will keep for about 5-7 days in the fridge, but keep in mind that the refrigerator will dry out your cake, even in a container.
More Recipes You Might Like:
Enjoy!
Be sure to check out my how-to video in the recipe card!
Marble Cake
Ingredients
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate bar finely chopped
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
- 1/2 cup canola oil (or vegetable oil) (120ml)
- 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar (350g)
- 4 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cup buttermilk room temperature preferred (300ml)
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (see post for more frosting options)
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (170g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature (226g)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (320g)
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and generously grease and flour two 8" round cake pans (you may instead use 9" pans, just keep in mind you will need to bake the cake for about 5 minutes less than indicated). Set aside.
- Place chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well, and then return to microwave and heat in 15-second increments, stirring well in between, until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Set aside.
- Using an electric or stand mixer, cream together butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy (about 30 seconds on high speed).
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pause as needed to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.
- Stir in vanilla extract.
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Using a spatula and gently hand-mixing, alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk to the butter/oil batter, starting and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined after each addition. Do not overmix!
- Pour 1/3-1/2 of the batter into a separate bowl and add chocolate mixture. Stir until completely combined and batter is evenly chocolate.
- Alternate adding vanilla and chocolate batter to each pan, evenly distributing batter into each pan. Use a knife to swirl for marbled appearance.
- Bake on 350F (175C) for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out mostly clean but with a few moist crumbs (do not over-bake or the cake will be dry, you want there to be a few crumbs).
- Allow cake to cool for 15 minutes before carefully inverting onto cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate Frosting¹
- In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips at 15 second intervals, stirring between intervals, until chips are completely melted. Set aside and allow to cool slightly (about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally).
- Cream room temperature butter with an electric mixer. Stir in slightly cooled chocolate and beat well.
- Gradually add sugar, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl occasionally.
- Sprinkle in salt and vanilla extract, stir well.
- Gradually add heavy cream, increase speed to high and beat for 1 minute.
- Spread a thick layer of frosting over the top of one cake round and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Top with second cake round and evenly frost cake. Slice and serve.
Notes
Cake Flour
Cake flour may be substituted. If using weights, use the same weight indicated in the recipe. If using cups you will need to use 3 cups + 6 Tablespoons of cake flour (cake flour is lighter than all purpose, which is why the weight is the same but the volume is different).Storing
Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Keep in mind the refrigerator tends to dry out cakes and make them a bit dry!Troubleshooting
A cake that turns out dense, dry, or crumbly (or tasting like cornbread) was most likely over-mixed, the flour was over-measured, or the cake was over-baked. When mixing wet and dry ingredients together, do not use an electric mixer, use a spatula and a gentle hand to stir ingredients together until combined. If you are not using a scale for this recipe, please see my tutorial on how to measure flour. When baking, always bake in the center rack. Make sure that your oven is not running hot, as many ovens run much hotter or cooler than indicated. Keep an oven thermometer near the center of your oven to monitor the temperature, as an oven that runs hot will cook a cake too fast and dry it out. Use the toothpick test to test if your cake is done. Ideally a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake should come out with a few moist crumbs (but not wet batter). If the toothpick comes out completely clean, the cake is definitely done baking and may be bordering on being over-baked.Nutrition
This recipe was originally published 07/03/2017. Photos and post updated to be more helpful and a how-to video added 05/07/2020.Original photo:
Zukhraf says
Hi
I really want to try this recipe but I have two square 8″ pans not round ones. Can I use square pans?
Sam says
That should be fine! Enjoy! 🙂
Allie says
I made this today for my husband’s cousin’s birthday. Turned out great. I read the directions wrong and instead of mixing the chocolate into half the batter, I mixed it in only a half cup of the batter. Whoops. But it turned out really great, especially with the mess up. And, surprisingly, it tasted like Reeses!!!!
Sam says
The Reese’s taste is definitely surprising, but I am so glad it turned out for you, Allie!! Thank you for commenting!! 🙂
Denise Corrie says
Can I use semi sweet chocolate chips in the cake batter?
Sam says
Hi Denise, that should be fine. Enjoy!
Katarina says
THIS CAKE WAS THE TITS! I made it for my 21st birthday but covered it with a blue fondant and cream cheese frosting, oh my god it’s my new favorite cake! I’m so thankful I found this recipe thank you sam!
Tessa says
Oh my God! This was AMAZZINGG!!! Thank you so much for this recipe.
Julie says
So I made this cake today and removed it from the oven with a few moist crumbs on it. It came out of the pan easily. When going to torte it, I noticed it seemed a little dense and almost too moist—not raw dough but dense and somewhat damp. Is this a sign I overmixed, or is this the typical texture? It’s definitely not dry.
Sam says
Hi Julie! hmm, it sounds like it might have been not baked enough, maybe? There should be a few moist crumbs but they should definitively be crumbs and not wet batter, was that the case for you?
Mahjabeen says
Its looking delicious.
Morgan says
Hi I really want to make this cake but where’s the recipe for the vanilla cake?
Sam says
Hi Morgan, if you’re looking for just a vanilla cake recipe this is my favorite: https://sugarspunrun.com/vanilla-cake-recipe/
Kelly says
I made this cake this weekend for a birthday.
Things I loved about it:
– It came out of the pan BEAUTIFULLY after cooling in the pan for fifteen minutes. Seriously, not a crumb left behind.
– It was easy.
– It held up well to my decorating techniques. I torted the 8” cakes to make four separate layers and they held up so nicely to my cutting. Then, after being filled, stacked, and iced with buttercream, I covered the cake with fondant and it stayed together. No crumbling or falling or anything under all the weight.
Things I didn’t like about it:
– The whole thing just tasted like vanilla. Cutting into it was pretty with the marbles effect, but if you’re looking for a buttery vanilla swirled with a deep chocolate flavor, this isn’t your cake.
– While the consistency was ideal for decorating and torting, it was a little crumbly and dry when eating.
All things considered, it’s a great go-to recipe for a marbled cake if you need a sure thing!
Jennifer Young says
Can you double the recipe?
Jennifer Young says
I am trying to make 3 9in cakes
Sam says
Hi Jennifer! I haven’t tried doubling this recipe but it should be find to be doubled, just take care when mixing the dry ingredients into the wet that you don’t over-mix the batter (while still making sure that the ingredients are well combined). This will make a lot of batter and thick layers, so you will probably need to increase the baking time as well. Don’t over-fill your cake pans, and if you have extra batter I would just discard it or use it to make a few cupcakes. I hope that helps!
Susan B says
I love marble cake but find it difficult to make one that is soft and lucsious. I found your recipe and gave it a try for my grandson’s birthday. I was found the batter to be very thick. And then hand stirring the flour and buttermilk in was different. I always use a stand mixer on a slower speed for that. I watched the cooking time very carefully. At 23 minutes, the cake did not look done and still had some gooey mix coming out on toothpick. I left it in for another 3-5 minutes and it looked perfect. Just a few crumbs on the toothpick. After a complete cooling, I found it hard and dry. I was so disappointed. I had ran out of time so just frosted it up and will now take it to my grandson. I’ll let you know how it taste.
Sam says
I hope it wasn’t disappointing when you cut into it, Susan!! Yes the hand stirring is important because it is very important to not overmix the batter (if you over-mix the cake may come out dry), and it is very easy to overdo it with an electric mixer even on slow speed. I hope it tasted good!
Marisa French says
I made this for my sons third birthday. Delicious and easy to make. I used Softasilk cake flour and followed the recommendation on the box to add two tablespoons per cup of flour called for in the recipe (3 cups plus 6 tablespoons). The texture was light and it tasted delicious. So much better than a store bought cake. Thank you for sharing a great recipe!
Rosie says
Made this cake for my boyfriend’s birthday. He loved it. We really liked the light, fluffy butter cream frosting. This recipe is a keeper for sure! Just wondered if you could use cake flour instead of all purpose? I know there is a big difference in protein levels of different kinds of flours. Just wondered what the outcome would be???
Sam says
So glad that you enjoyed! I haven’t tried it with cake flour so unfortunately I’m really not sure how it would come out if you used cake flour instead, I’ll have to do some experimenting!
Sues says
Gah this cake looks seriously splendid!! So fluffy and delicious! My weekend was filled with baking/cooking fails, too, but sometimes you have to fail before you can come out on the other side with something perfect!
Patti says
Sam! I made this for the holiday and it was wonderful! Thank you for another great recipe!!
Maddie says
Gorgeous and delicious, thank you!!