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 😉.
- 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 didn’t give me the deep, distinct chocolate flavor that I was looking for (largely because we aren’t adding any hot water to bloom it, like in my chocolate cake 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 ½ 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 ⅓-½ 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!
Let’s bake together! I’ll 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
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened (113g)
- ½ cup canola oil (or vegetable oil) (120ml)
- 1 ¾ cup granulated sugar (350g)
- 4 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¼ 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)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ 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 ⅓-½ 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
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.
Tate
Wondering if I can use this recipe for a half chocolate half vanilla cake in a pan?
Sam
That will work just fine. 🙂
Bobbe Josephson
Yippee, another well written Sam recipe..Thank you
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Enjoy, Bobbe! 🥰
Louise
Hi, thanks for your reply. I’m sure this is an amazing cake when baked in the correct tin size. I bake alot and have great deal of success, but I’m sorry to say this didn’t work for me in a standard 9 x 5 loaf tin. I baked it at the correct temperature (double checking with oven thermometer). The cake was too deep and took forever to bake. i had to use foil and it still took 1 hour 20 minutes. It came out over cooked on sides and dry. The issue I suspect is that this mixture doesn’t work in a deep tin and needs to be baked in two shallower tins, or tray bake etc. I just wanted to post this incase anybody else attempts this in a loaf tin; please don’t! This will.be a beautiful cake no doubt otherwise!
Cas
If I made with food coloring would you suggest gel or liquid?
Sam
I always recommend gel. You need less and get a better color. 🙂
Samantha
Hi there, if I double this recipe to make a 3-layer 8inch cake it wouldn’t throw off any flavors correct? Sorry, I’m a new baker here lol
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Samantha! You will just need to increase the recipe by 50% to fit your three pans. Doing this won’t change any flavors. Hope that helps! 😊
Amanda
Can I make this into a 3 layer cake without making more batter?
Sam
Hi Amanda! You can make it three layers. You will just have thinner layers and the bake time will need to be reduced. 🙂
Alexis
Hello! I would like to try this recipe for my boyfriends birthday but I live in Denver. What adjustments should I make for high altitude?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Alexis! Unfortunately we aren’t familiar with high-altitude baking; hopefully someone who is can chime in and offer some tips 🙂
Carol
I need to make two 8” round layers and 3 dozen cupcakes.
Is this recipe okay to use for cupcakes? Will a double batch be enough for the 3 dozen cupcakes?
I’m using smaller cake pans, how full should the pans be and do I adjust cook time?
Sam
Hi Carol! This recipe will work for cupcakes, although your liners may end up getting a little bit messy. My cake recipes typically make somewhere between 24 and 30 cupcakes so you may need 1.5 batches for the cupcakes. For the smaller pans, I’m not sure about bake times, but the oven temperatures will remain the same. You’ll want to follow the same guidelines for filling the pans. 🙂
Carol
The cake fell once it came out of the oven. It seems heavy. Did I do something wrong?
Sam
Hi Carol! I’m thinking it may have needed a little more time in the oven if it sank and appeared heavy. Did you use the toothpick test to check for doneness?
Carol
This was the best cake cake I’ve ever had. It was so moist, light and delicious. It was definitely fully cooked and had a creamy, melt in your mouth texture. This will be the recipe I use from now on. Thank you for sharing.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so happy you enjoyed it so much, Carol! Thank you for your review 😍
Marcy
Cake was soft and delicious—great recipe and easy to follow! My colleagues enjoyed it too 🙂
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Thanks so much for trying our recipe, Marcy! ❤
Sophia Piper
How many 9 by 13 pans do you think one recipe would make?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Just one 😊
Louise
Hi, thank you for the recipe. I was searching for a good marble
cake, and loved your oreo cookie cake so thought I’d try this one! I was just wondering if it would work in a loaf tin? What would be the temperature and timing? Thank you so much in advance! I will also let you know how it goes.
Sam
Hi Louise! The temperature won’t change. I’m not quite sure on how long it will take to bake as I haven’t tried it. Enjoy! 🙂
Geri
I made this cake… tripled the recipe for my 12 x 18 pan. This is the first cake I have made in more than 10 years. Everyone raved about it. Delicious!! This recipe is a keeper!! I followed your instructions carefully. Ps. I was asked to make a cake for someone’s party. Thank you so much for your great recipe and video.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Geri! 🙂
Denise
Going to make this for Mothers day dinner! The video helps…thanks
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Love that idea, Denise! Enjoy ❤
Tee
Hi Geri, how long did you bake the cake in the 12×18 pan? Good to know the recipe needs to be tripled. I was going to double it.
Steven
Can I substitute coconut oil for vegetable oil?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
That should work fine, although it may impart a subtle coconut flavor. Let us know how it turns out for you! 😊
Donna
Hi,
How long would I need to bake a 9×13 cake?
Thanks!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Donna! We haven’t tried baking it this way ourselves, so we can’t say for sure. We would love to know how long it takes if you do try it! 🙂
Christy
I’d like to adapt this recipe to make a 12×18 sheet cake. Do you think doubling the recipe would be enough?
Sam
Hi Christy! Doubling it should give you enough batter. 🙂
Heather
Can I use semi sweet chocolate chips instead?
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Yes, that will be fine. Enjoy, Heather!
Paula
How much semisweet choc chips, and anything else added/melted with It? I have that and cocoa is all. I will be baking in a 9×13 pan and topping with old-fashioned boiled fudge icing (I hope lol). Thank you!!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Paula! You can substitute the 4 oz semisweet baking bar with 4 oz of semisweet chips. Hope your cake turns out nicely!
Anju
Hi…
Made this yesterday.. It was yum. Loved it. Thank you.
Anju
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so glad you liked it, Anju! Thanks for trying our recipe 😊
Kathydowning
Can you make the cake in advance and freeze it?
Sam
That should work just fine. 🙂