The ultimate people pleaser, this soft, fluffy, moist Marble Cake is a swirled masterpiece of vanilla and chocolate. This cake is shockingly easy to make and tastes as good as it looks! Recipe includes a how-to video.
Marble Cake (AKA: The People Pleaser)
Some people like chocolate cake, some people like vanilla cake–but everyone loves this marble cake!
It’s a beautiful, swirled combination that’s perfectly chocolatey with just the right amount of vanilla. If you’ve tried and enjoyed my zebra cake, you’ll love this richer, more elegant take, minus the whipped egg whites and special ingredients. It’s simple, gorgeous, and designed to please!
This recipe is a close cousin to my popular vanilla cake; it’s wonderfully soft, moist, and so flavorful. When developing this recipe, I originally toyed with the idea of making two separate batters, but ultimately decided it was too much of a hassle. That technique produced many more dishes and a much larger mess, and the cakes didn’t bake as evenly together as I would’ve liked. After a dozen more rounds of testing, I finally figured out a way to keep things simple with one batter for both flavors.
You’ll love my recipe because it’s:
- Perfect for parties–everyone is happy!
- Soft, fluffy, and moist.
- Simple to make with just one batter.
- Cloaked with a thick and fudgy chocolate frosting (just one of many options–more below!)
What You Need
This marble cake uses basic ingredients you’ll already have on hand. Let’s go over a few of the key players:
- Butter and oil. Butter adds flavor that you would miss from using just oil, and oil adds moisture that you would miss if you only used butter.
- Flour. I use all-purpose, but cake flour may be substituted; see the notes below the recipe card.
- Baking powder. A tablespoon may seem like a lot. It’s not a typo, trust me on this one ๐.
- Buttermilk. Yes, even though we aren’t using baking soda (which is often used alongside buttermilk, if you recall my buttermilk substitute post), we are still using buttermilk. It adds flavor and moisture to the marble cake.
- Chocolate. Adding cocoa powder didnโt give me the deep, distinct chocolate flavor that I was looking for (largely because we arenโt adding any hot water to bloom it, like in myย chocolate cakeย recipe), but adding melted semisweet chocolate did the trick. You can use semisweet or dark chocolate here depending on your preference.
SAM’S TIP: If you only have salted butter on hand, you can reduce the salt in the recipe to ยฝ teaspoon.
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Marble Cake
- Heat your chopped chocolate in the microwave until it’s smooth and melted, then set aside.
- Cream the butter, oil, and sugar until fluffy, then stir in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then alternate adding this mixture and the buttermilk to the wet ingredients, starting and ending with the dry ingredients.
- Portion โ -ยฝ of the batter into a separate bowl and add stir in the melted chocolate until uniform.
- Alternate adding the vanilla and chocolate batter into your pans, then swirl them with a knife for a marbled appearance.
- Bake your cakes for 30 minutes, let them cool in their pans for 15 minutes, then invert them onto a cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
SAM’S TIP: You can also reverse-cream this marble cake (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.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like using my favorite chocolate frosting (though in the video I used my chocolate buttercream; either will work!). If you’re looking for a vanilla option, my classic buttercream frosting, cream cheese frosting, Swiss meringue buttercream, or German buttercream would work well.
There are a few causes for a dry cake, but the main reasons are over-measuring your flour, overmixing, or overbaking.
I use a kitchen scale to measure my ingredients to avoid over-measuring my flour, as this is a very common mistake. I suggest you do the same! Once you begin combining the dry and wet ingredients, you want to be very careful to mix until just combined–and don’t use a mixer. Finally, you want to bake your marble cake until a toothpick comes out clean, or preferably, with a few moist crumbs; many ovens run hot though, so you’ll want to start checking your cake a few minutes before it should be done.
Follow these tips and your marble cake should turn out perfectly moist every time!
Store your marble 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). This cake may be refrigerated (again, 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.
It’s always exciting to see the beautiful swirls when you cut into a marble cake!
Enjoy!
Letโs bake together! Iโll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Marble Cake
Ingredients
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate bar finely chopped
- ยฝ cup (113 g) unsalted butter softened
- ยฝ cup (120 ml) canola oil (or vegetable oil)
- 1 ยพ cup (350 g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ยพ teaspoon salt
- 1 ยผ cup (300 ml) buttermilk room temperature preferred
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (see post for more frosting options)
- 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2 cups (320 g) powdered sugar
- ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยฝ 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).ย 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.4 oz semisweet chocolate bar
- Using an electric or stand mixer, cream together butter, oil, and sugar until light and fluffy (about 30 seconds on high speed).ยฝ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, ยฝ cup (120 ml) canola oil (or vegetable oil), 1 ยพ cup (350 g) granulated sugar
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Pause as needed to scrape down sides and bottom of bowl.4 large eggs
- Stir in vanilla extract.2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour, 1 Tablespoon baking powder, ยพ teaspoon 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. ย Do not overmix!1 ยผ cup (300 ml) buttermilk
- Pour โ -ยฝ of the batter into a separate bowl and add chocolate mixture. ย 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 Frostingยน
- 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).1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips
- Cream room temperature butter with an electric mixer. Stir in slightly cooled chocolate and beat well.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- Gradually add sugar, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl occasionally.2 cups (320 g) powdered sugar
- Sprinkle in salt and vanilla extract, stir well.ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract, ยฝ teaspoon salt
- Gradually add heavy cream, increase speed to high and beat for 1 minute.2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 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
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Kim
hi! can i use semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of a chocolate bar?
Sam
Hi Kim! I haven’t tried it. I think it will work. I would recommend using a quality chocolate chip like ghirardelli. ๐
Wendy
I would like to try this. I’m curious if you have tried baking it in different size pans like maybe a 13×9? Thanks
Sam
Hi Wendy! I have not tried making it in a 9 x 13, but it will fit. I’m not sure of a bake time. Enjoy! ๐
Michelle
Cake came out perfect! Made half the recipe and it didnโt even need the frosting! I followed the directions exactly as recommended! Thank you.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Michelle! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and letting me know how it turned out for you!
Manveen Duggal
Hi We love this cake made it several times for friends and family. My question is I would like to make it without the frosting and in a bundt pan this time. Any tips for quantities or cooking time ? Thanks.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Manveen! You will just want to keep an eye on it since the baking time will be different than what is listed. We hope that you enjoy the cake! ๐
Michaela
Hi! I made this last weekend for a baby shower and everyone loved it! I’m wondering if I can do chocolate on one side vanilla on the other? I have someone asking me to make a 1/2 vanilla 1/2 chocolate.
Sam
Hi Michaela! I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why that wouldn’t work. ๐
Michaela
Great!!! Thanks for getting back to me to quick๐
Ines Cardillo
Love your recipes!! Looking forward to baking this beautiful marble cake! I baked your strawberry cake for Memorial Day! It was a hit!! Thank you for sharing your great recipes!
Sam
You’re so sweet, Ines! I hope you love all of the recipes that you try, thanks so much for trusting my recipes! <3
Linette
I tried several marble cupcake recipes and the taste was just off. I gave this
One a try and perfecto!!! 17-18 minutes. Came out great!!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Linette! ๐
elaine
Hi is it possible to convert this cake into a sheet pan a 13×9?
Sam
Sure thing! This makes enough batter to fill a 13 x 9. I’m not sure on a bake time though.
Colin
About 40 minutes worked for me.
Navalika
This is by far the best Marble cake that I have ever baked. My family loved it to the core. It is moist and just too good. Thanks for the recipe ๐
Shelly Wilson
This cake looked impressive but it was dry. Very dry! Our family loves a good cake so we made this for Mother’s Day and not one person finished half a piece of cake. We were so disappointed!!!
Sam
I’m so sorry this happened, Shelly! If you do try it again, make sure to not over-mix or over-bake the cake. These are two things that can really dry out a cake. ๐
Jeannie
Made this into cupcakes and they came out perfect. Baked for 17-18min. Fluffy and moist. I topped it with a chocolate and vanilla whipped cream frosting. First time making my own buttermilk and it came out perfectly, I used almond milk with the vinegar as you suggested. Thank you!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Jeannie! I love the mixed frosting idea too. ๐
Lily
Can I replace cocoa for the chocolate chips? In your other resipys you use cocoa.if so how much
Sam
Hi Lily! I haven’t successfully used cocoa powder with this recipe, it always dries out the cake, and so I don’t recommend it ๐
Lily
Hey how long would it take to bake is I made it in a 6 inch pan? Thank you
Sam
Hi Lily! I haven’t made it myself in a 6 inch pan so I can’t give good advice here. ๐
Vivi
Can I make a tier cake with this recipe? I want to use a 10 inch, 8 inch, and 6 inch springform pans. Will I just need to double the recipe? And how long would I need to bake the 10 inch cake?
Sam
You should be able to increase the recipe by 50% to fill one of each of those pans. I’m not sure how long the 10″ pan will need to bake. This cake should hold up pretty nicely for you. ๐
Vivi
Thank you! ๐
Joanne Goh
By the way, for the muffin can I check is it possible to replace the oil with others?
Sam
Hi Joanne! Any neutral oil will work here. ๐
Joanne Goh
May I know why the marble Cale come out a bit wet
Sam
Hi Joanne! It may have needed a little bit more time in the oven. ๐
Joanne Goh
Thank you Sam.