Today I’m sharing the BEST Marble Cake recipe from scratch that belongs in your recipe box! It’s so moist and has wonderful flavor (not to mention beautiful swirls). Everybody needs a go-to marble cake recipe, don’t they? (YES they do!)
Why choose between a delicious chocolate and a delicious yellow cake when a marble cake can give you the best of both worlds? This is a dessert that never disappoints. Mmmmmm…..
It is the perfect balance of yellow cake with swirls of chocolate, makes beautiful cake layers as well as cupcakes, and it is sturdy enough to hold up well to fondant too.
I LOVE to fill and frost marble layer cakes with our rich Chocolate Buttercream! (You can find it linked at the bottom of this post!)
What is Marble Cake?
- Marble cake is a type of cake that has contrasting swirls of batter, giving a fun marbled or swirled pattern to your slices. The contrasting swirls may be from a different flavor of batter, or simply batter that has been tinted. Once the two types of batter are in the pan, you can lightly drag a knife through the batter to create the marbled effect.
Years ago, when making marble cake, I used to prepare a chocolate cake recipe and a yellow cake recipe separately and then combined them. That’s just too much work and too much batter. Other recipes call for melted chocolate.
With this Marble Cake technique, simply choose your favorite yellow or white cake recipe, and reserve a little to combine with cocoa powder for your swirls- what could be easier?
I just LOVE the combination of yellow cake with chocolate and so this recipe is based on our favorite scratch Yellow Cake.
However, no matter what recipe you are using (whether yellow or white cake), you can follow the same technique!
Using the Reverse Creaming Method of Mixing
When you take a closer look at our Marble Cake Recipe, you’ll notice that the method of mixing is a little different than the traditional method (which involves creaming the butter and sugar and adding wet & dry ingredients alternately).
The mixing method for this marble cake is most similar to the Reverse Creaming Method of Mixing that we have used in several of our recipes, in that the dry ingredients are combined before the butter is mixed in. However, it is unique in that the eggs are then added one at a time before the reminder of the wet ingredients are slowly poured in.
We find this mixing method to be very easy to follow, and the result is a slightly finer crumb, yet it has a soft texture and is very moist. We love it!
How to Make a Marble Cake
- To create a marbled effect with your cake batter you first need to make your white or yellow cake batter.
- Next, dissolve cocoa powder into hot water.
- Scoop some of your cake batter into a small bowl (see recipe for details) and combine with the chocolate mixture to create chocolate batter.
- Next, scoop spoonfuls of batter into the pans, alternating between the yellow and chocolate batter. You can see how we did this in our video tutorial. For me, I added yellow cake batter to each pan first, then added spoonfuls of chocolate batter, gave it a swirl, then added additional yellow and chocolate batter and gave it another swirl.
- It’s up to you how marbled you make it, although you have to stop yourself from having too much fun or you’ll loose your beautiful swirls!
That’s all there is to it! Bake, fill, frost, and enjoy! We hope that you love this recipe as much as we have. It’s guaranteed to please any crowd.
What Frosting Pairs well with Marble Cake?
Our marble cake in the photo was frosted with our go-to chocolate buttercream frosting recipe.
You can find the Chocolate Buttercream recipe here! It has a wonderful chocolate flavor, is simple to make, and pipes beautifully!:Classic Chocolate Buttercream.
We also love Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting which is a little less rich. If you love cream cheese, you will love this recipe!
Of course, Vanilla Buttercream is a great choice too if you aren’t in as chocolatey of a mood ;0)
Zebra Cakes and Checkerboard Cakes!
If you love Marble Cake, you should try changing things up a bit sometime with Zebra cake! The same idea as marble cake, only with a zebra print pattern! You can find our free step by step tutorial here: Zebra Cake Tutorial.
Our checkerboard cake is another fun alternative to marble cake, but with the same wonderful combination of flavors! How to Make a Checkerboard Cake
Yellow Cake
Don’t miss our Yellow Cake from scratch recipe which is what this marble cake was based on! It is a moist cake with wonderful flavor. You can find it here!: Yellow Cake Recipe from Scratch.
Learn cake decorating with My Cake School
Thanks for stopping by! Make sure to check out our full collection of favorite cake and frosting recipes in our Recipes section! If you are interested in learning more about cake decorating, you can find our free cake tutorials here: Free Cake Tutorials Section.
Or, if you are interested in gaining full online access to our entire collection of cake decorating video tutorials (hundreds!) you should consider becoming a member of My Cake School!
You can find all of the details here: Joining Information for MyCakeSchool.com- Online cake Instruction
**5/10/19- We have updated this Marble Cake recipe! It is now suitable for a three layer cake. When we adjusted our yellow cake recipe, we updated this marble cake as well (since it was based on our yellow cake). We think that you will love the new recipe!
It makes more batter, has contains more butter, and uses buttermilk for a softer crumb. Although we really liked our older version of yellow cake, we find the updated version to be more moist. If you are attached to our OLDER yellow cake recipe, you can still find it here!
Learn how to make this Marble Cake in our video tutorial!:
Marble Cake from Scratch
This moist and delicious Marble Cake recipe is always a crowd pleaser! Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting (we love it with our Classic Chocolate Buttercream)!
Ingredients
- 3 cups (342g) cake flour
- 2 cups (400g) sugar
- 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon (3g) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
- 2 sticks (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (239g) buttermilk — **if you do not have buttermilk see note below
- 1 Tablespoon (12g) vanilla extract
- 4 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (measure then sift) + 3 to 4 Tablespoons very hot water (for marbling)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour three 8x2 inch round cake pans. Place a piece of parchment in the bottom of each pan. (Note that we used three layers- this recipe has been updated since our photos were taken. We will update the photos soon!)
- Put the first 5 ingredients into the bowl of your mixer. Mix on low speed for at least 30 seconds to combine.
- Add the softened butter (cut into pieces) mix on low speed just until it looks like coarse sand. The dry ingredients will be moistened/coated by the butter and will stick to together if you press some between two fingers. Don't over-mix or it will turn into a large dough-like ball.
- Add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing until blended.
- Add the vanilla to the 1 cup buttermilk. With the mixer on lowest speed gradually pour into the mixer. Increase the speed to #2 or # 3 (on a KitchenAid mixer). Mix for about 2 minutes, batter will be smooth and fluffy. If you are using a hand mixer rather than a stand mixer, mix a bit longer.
MARBLING INSTRUCTIONS..
- Mix 4 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder with 3 to 4 Tablespoons very hot water. Stir until smooth & set aside.
- Put 1 1/2 cups cake batter into a medium sized bowl and stir in the chocolate mixture to create chocolate batter. Set aside.
- Put about a cup of yellow batter into each of the three pans & spread, then add a few dollops of chocolate batter by the spoonful to each of the pans. Swirl with offset spatula or knife (we usually use something about 1/2 inch wide). Add more yellow batter by the spoonful, adding chocolate batter here and there until finished. Swirl this newly added yellow and chocolate. Be careful not to over-swirl- you'll lose the contrasting colors.
- Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then turn out.
Notes
** Buttermilk Substitute: In a 1 cup measuring cup add 2 Tablespoons white vinegar or lemon juice. Fill the cup with milk, stir and let sit for 5 minutes.
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Looks delicious! Can this recipe be used for leopard and/or zebra print cakes?
This is too funny! I was literally on here yesterday searching for a marble cake recipe!
@Sally, yes this should work for those projects! You may need to alter the amount of batter that you reserve to tint chocolate (at least for the zebra cake which is usually closer to equal parts chocolate and white batter) but the consistency of the batter should work just fine for animal print cakes.
@Jennifer~ We read your mind! :0) Hope you like it!
Can you publish the frosting recipe for this cake please .
Hi Grace, we used our Classic Chocolate Frosting–Here’s a link for you! –
https://www.mycakeschool.com/recipes/classic-chocolate-buttercream/
Is it dense enough for a tiered cake?
My cake came out more on the dense side and was difficult to frost because of crumbling. Any thoughts on what I did wrong?
Es hermoso gracias por poner los pasos lo voy a preparar se ve delicioso
@Danielle- Yes, this is dense enough for a tiered cake.
@Jennifer, I’m sorry that you had trouble with crumbling! It may be that your frosting was a little too thick. This can make frosting a cake difficult as it doesn’t easily glide on, but instead pulls the cake a bit too much as you work your way around. You could try adding a touch more liquid to your frosting next time, or if you could even crumb coat the cake while it is partially frozen so that the layers will not be as fragile as you work with them. Good luck!
How does this recipe turn out when doubled?
Hi Elizabeth, I have not doubled this recipe but I think it would be fine.
How well does this work for cupcakes?
Hi Cher, It should be fine for cupcakes
Hola, Se ve delicioso suave que se pierde en el paladar ,Muchas gracias por compartir que el Dios lo bendiga.
Yummy! I baked this cake and froze the layers a couple of weekends ago. Yesterday I frosted using the classic chocolate buttercream and it is delicious. Very moist and flavorful! I also used the “modern basket weave” piping technique which was easy and fun then piped a big sunflower on top. The basket looked great…the sunflower so great!
The sunflower NOT so great! Lol
Melissa, will this cake hold up under fondant.
Hi Rosangel, yes it will! ;0)
Can’t wait to try! Would this recipe work with 9″ rounds instead of 8″?
Hi Lynn, You could bake it in 9″ round pans, it would just not be quite as tall. I would also check for doneness a few minutes sooner.
Can I substitute the cake flour with all purpose flour ??? Thanks
Hi Francesca, Yes, you can use all purpose flour. It will not be quite as tender, but still very good. This is the substitution, for each cup of cake flour, use 1 cup all purpose flour plus 2 more Tablespoons flour. The recipes calls for 2 1/2 cups cake flour so you will use 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour plus 5 Tablespoons more all purpose flour.
Thank you so much
I used this recipe last week. The batter came together very nicely. However I struggled with the cocoa/water mixture. When I mixed the 3 tbsp of cocoa and 2 tbsp of hot water it became a giant clump. The cocoa absorbed all the water, and I still had some dry cocoa left in my bowl. I tried to work it in, but it just became harder. Then I made the mistake of thinking I could just mix it into the separated cake batter, hoping it would dissolve. Well it just broke into smaller pieces. I had chunks of it in the batter. So what I did was pass the “chocolate” batter through a sieve. I did have a lot of chocolate clumps left in the sieve. I continued to press it through. I baked it. The yellow sections were nice and spongy, but the chocolate marbling seemed dry. I tasted a small piece from the side and there was a noticeable difference in texture between the yellow and the chocolate. But the flavor was good. Made no difference to the party guests.
Thinking back, I probably should have added more hot water to the cocoa. Perhaps a 1/2 tbsp at a time? I tend to follow a recipe to the T my first time around.
Usually you cream butter and sugar and they tell you not to mix hardly at all after adding flour. Can you explain process of how this works differently. Interesting. Kind of scared of it.
Thanks!
Hi Robin, This recipe uses the reverse creaming method. Here is a link to the video Melissa has made on this method. I think you will find it helpful, https://www.mycakeschool.com/blog/reverse-creaming-method-of-mixing-a-cake-video-tutorial/. Cakes made with this method are slightly more dense and very tender, especially when made with cake flour.
Anamor20 I have the same problem, but I have a friendwho always wants this cake for her family birthdays so I was forced to figure this out. I get good results if I slightly boil my water and add to SIFTED chocolate a little at at a time,then stir until smooth and set aside to cool. Then I make my batter and add my vanilla batter just a spoon or two at a time to the chocolate until it incorporates then you can add the remainder of the reserved batter, the chocolate blends in better and it keeps you from over mixing the chocolate batter. I also make sure my ingredients are at room temp (more so than normal) before making the batter. I think adding a chilly batter to the chocolate makes it clump.
Good Luck hope this helps you out!
I make your recipe and I loved thank you it is moist and good texture.
Hi Melissa,
I want to make this recipe for my friend’s wedding cake , I normally use AP flour … how do I change the flour to make it cake flour?
Tia
For each cup of AP flour, remove 2 Tablespoons flour and replace with 2Tablespoons cornstarch. This recipe has 2 1/2 cups flour, so measure out the 2 1/2 cups flour, remove 5 Tablespoons of the AP flour and replace with 5 Tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk at least 30 seconds to incorporate and you are all set.
Thank you very much BeBe for your help
How many people would this serve?
Hi Annie, You should be able to get 20 servings from a two layer 8 inch round cake.
Does this recipe make a 2 layer cake
Does this cake recipe make a 2 layer cake
Yes, this recipe will make a 2 layer cake.
Thanks so much!
Thanks BeBe for the link to the reverse creaming. I tried the recipe but will probably try again. I liked my creaming the butter and sugar recipe better however, I will watch the video and make sure I did all right! Appreciate you!
Can I use water instead of milk
Hi Ava, When baking a cake with a scratch recipe instead of a cake mix, it is best to use milk. Your cake will have more moisture and more flavor. You could possibly use almond or soy milk, but I have not tried that so I am not sure of the outcome.
I would like to use this recipe for my wife’s birthday cake but I only have 9 inch pans, do you have a way of increasing the batter to utilized 9 inch pans?
Hi Joe- I would just use the recipe as it is with your 9″ pans. It will still be very good, just slightly shorter.
I want to make a two layer cake, but I want to use to use two 9 inch cake pans. Do I need to change to baking time
Hi Beginner Baker, Leave the baking time the same
Hi Melissa and BeBe,
I just printed the recipe to make the cake and noticed under Directions in says to grease and flour THREE 8″ pans, but under Marbling Instructions in says to use TWO 8″ pans. Just wondering if there’s a typo somewhere and which it should be. Would the baking time be the same for either 2 or 3 pans or less with 3 pans?
Gloria
Hi Gloria, Thanks for letting us know. I have corrected the recipe to read, grease and flour two 8″ pans. If you decided to bake this recipe in 3 pans I would decrease the baking time to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
Hi, I did make this cake tonight and even though it didn’t look as shown in your picture (my chocolate batter was not real dark looking – looked more like coffee with cream in it!), but it tasted great.
I think I did something wrong because my cake had a lot of holes in it! I wish I could upload a picture for you to see. What do you suppose caused all those holes? I did tap the pan 3 or 4 times before baking the cake. Followed instructions to the “T” and timed each step according to directions. I was planning on filling with a mocha filling but I’m afraid it will sink in all the holes.
Thanks for any help!
Gloria
Hi Gloria, I am sorry there was a problem. There are several possible causes. Accidentally using too much baking powder, or using baking soda instead of baking powder. Also, making sure the dry ingredients are well blended so there will be no areas where there are clumps of baking powder. If the holes are also in other cakes you bake, it might be that your oven is running too hot. You might want to buy an inexpensive oven thermometer so you can check if your oven temperature is the same as the temperature you have set it to. I hope some of these ideas help.
Hi! Your cakes look delicious im a new baker and your blog really helps a lot
I want to make a two layer cake, but I want to use to use two 10 inch cake pans. How much batter do I need to double the recepie. Do I need to change to baking time?
Hi Yadira, Doubling the recipe will give you enough batter. Each 10 inch pan will need 6 cups of batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. You might want to use a rose nail in the center of the pan for more even baking. Are you familiar with using the Reverse Creaming Method? If not, you could watch Melissa’s video. She has a link to it under the picture of the cake. Hope all goes well.
Hi Mellisa, I need to make 2 tier birthday cake and I came across your recipes. I will have to do 2x 10’inch and 2x 8’inch. How much batter shall I make?
Hi Katerina, this Wilton chart is a good one to refer to as it has a specific column for batter amounts. Here is the link:
http://www.wilton.com/cake-serving-guide/cms-baking-serving-guide.html
They recommend 6 cups of batter for each 10 inch pan (for a 2 layer cake that stands 4 inches high), and 4 cups of batter for each 8 inch pan.
These are estimates but a good point of reference. You’ll fill your pans approx 1/2-2/3 full. Hope this helps!
Hi Melissa I have tried you cake at least 3 times and it does not come out like your picture it comes out like all the liquids to the bottom of the cake I have followed your instructions and even watch your video to see what I’m doing wrong don’t know what else to do
Hi Alicia, I am sorry you have had this problem. The darker streak at the bottom of the cake means that you are mixing your cake too long or the speed of the mixer is too high. Do not mix higher than medium speed with your mixer. I hope this will solve the problem for you.
Hey doing a scratch cake for my wife’s Mom’s Birthday tomorrow. I’m pretty good with general cake but this recipe intrigued me. Was totally paranoid while mixing
Brain to self:”Dude, this is so weird the texture is off, you gotta add something !”
Self to Brain: Trust the recipe…! right? .. I hope ?”
Brain to self:this is not right, it’s nor pouring, it does not move right, just add some liquid !”
Self to brain: ” If this does not go we can always do a mix tomorrow really quick[which coming from me is almost like baking blasphemy.
Anyway, I followed the recipe, I now have two nice looking layers cooling on my cook top, and a version of the white chocolate raspberry gnauche in my fridge.
Hopefully these will become a harmonious whole tomorrow.
Thanks for enlarging my experience of cake and caking [yes I just verbed cake]
If all goes well, I’ll try to get some assembly photos.
Hi Mike, I enjoyed reading your post! Yes, the reverse creaming method is so different from the conventional method that it seems wrong. So glad you gave it a try and I hope you love the cake, the chocolate raspberry ganache sounds wonderful!! Thanks for posting!!
Well the cake was a success. THe one lesson learned is simply that the filling I chose was not quite dense enough for a cake filling. first cut went well, successive cuts got a little sloppy, but No one cared.
I asked people for honest opinions and they [including two moms who were life long cooks] were quite pleased with the flavors and texture of this recipe.
Since my lovely wife was kind enough to let me sleep til 10, I did not make time to take assembly pictures.
All’s well that ends well.
Thanks so much for your feedback. I’m happy to hear that everyone approved! I’m sure it was delicious, even if the filling didn’t behave during slicing. At that point, everyone is just happy to dive in anyway! ;0)
My granddaughter and I just made this cake for her parents for Valentines Day. It is fantastic! Even not waiting as long as I would normally to frost it, it held up beautifully. It was moist and delicious. Definitely a keeper! Thanks!
Hi Kate, What a sweet thing to do with your granddaughter. Your review of the recipe makes our Valentine’s Day happy! So happy you like the cake and thanks so much for posting your comments.
I would like to make this in a 9×13 pan. Do you know how long I should cook it?
Hi Alexandria, Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. If you happen to have rose nails, you could put 2 in the center of the pan to help distribute the heat to the center of the pan. If the edges begin to get too brown as you near the 40 minute mark you could cover the cake loosely with aluminum foil until done. Check for doneness with a toothpick in the center of the cake, when it come out clean or with only a few crumbs attached it is done.
What tip did you use for the top?
Hi Linda, I started piping the buttercream in the center with a 2D piping tip and spiraled outward until the entire top was covered. (A 1M would work well too).
What technique and equipment did you use to frost the sides of the cake in your pictures? Thx.
Hi Mike- I frosted my cake with a fairly thin layer of chocolate frosting (since some of this layer will show), and then piped open circles using a star tip 21. I piped my circles in vertical rows, working from bottom to top, with each circle slightly overlapping the circle beneath.
Hi Melissa!
This recipe looks yummy! But before I attempt….
A couple questions….
I noticed several other marble cake recipes say to use a bread pan (deep rectangular shape)…so, to keep it simple I’d like to use the bread pan instead of 2 round cake pans… do you have a recommendation for baking time with a bread pan?
And my other question… what is the difference between all purpose flour and cake flour? I read in another post to add 2 T (extra) regular flour to 1 cup cake flour.
I like finding simple recipes that I can make with existing ingredients in my pantry and not having to run off to the store!
Thank you!
lol I thought my picture would be the small pic to the side! Like a profile picture!
Totally didn’t mean for my picture to so big!
Ahhhhh!
Hi Ashley, It is such a sweet picture!! We have not baked this recipe in a loaf pan, but I am sure you can. For a 9×5 inch pan, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. It would be a good idea to tent the cake with aluminum foil at about 40 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake. It is done when the toothpick is clean or with only a few crumbs attached. Cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then turn out.
I ended up using a bundt pan. Powdered sugar on top. It came out beautiful. Soft. Delicious. 5 stars!
And the picture is upside down! Oops!
Good work
I’d like to make this an all chocolate cake. Would you add melted bakers chocolate to this recipe?
Hi Kristie, For an all chocolate cake, I suggest using our Classic Chocolate Cake recipe, here is a link https://www.mycakeschool.com/recipes/classic-chocolate-cakescratch-recipe/
If you double the recipe will it work for a half sheet pan?
Hi Vanessa, doubling the recipe will give you 13 cups of batter. I’m not sure if your half sheet is 11×15 or 12×18 so here is a link to two party cake batter amounts that you will find helpful.
http://www.fromkarenskitchen.com/tips/party_cake_batter_amounts_baking_times_2inch_pan.php
http://www.wilton.com/cake-serving-guide/cms-baking-serving-guide.html
How many cupcakes would this batter make?
Hi Asha, I think it would make about 30 standard cupcakes, maybe more.
Oh thanks a lot for the reply… I made it last evening using all purpose flour and the normal creaming method. It still tastes lovely and super soft and moist too. I over filled my cupcake liners and got about 19 of them with some of them overflowing into the oven ?. Totally my fault coz I didn’t see this response! I’m going to make it again today coz it’s an order for a child’s birthday ?
Can you make this more white than yellow with this recipe?
Hi kdawn22, The best thing to do us to use your favorite white cake recipe adding the chocolate instructions from this recipe to swirl in the cake batter for the marble effect.
hi, i tried this recipe… I loved the taste but I have problem with the texture.. Is this a pound cake recipe? because my cake is a bit dense than the usual… what do you think is the reason for this? Thank you and more power.
Do you have an adjustment for high altitude?
Hi Krystal, we do not have experience with high altitude baking . Here is a link that might be helpful.
I have the same question as Che Lumigue(above). I love the taste of the this cake but it is a little dense, what causes that?
Hi, I made this recipe and cakes are cooking as I type this. They baked beautifully but once out of the oven they kind of deflated and look thin. I followed the recipe to a T.
Hi Madelyn, I’m sorry you had a problem with your cake. A cake falling when taken out of the oven can be caused by several things. The most common cause is under baking. Always check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake, it should pull out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Your flour should always be kept in an airtight container. If you are in humid conditions the flour can absorb moisture, creating too much moisture for the cake. The batter could have been mixed at too high a speed. It is best not to mix above medium speed on your mixer. Also, it is a good idea to check your oven temperature to see if it is heating to the temperature you have set. Are you baking at high altitude? Hope this helps
Hi, can i use the regular creaming method for this recipe instead of the reverse creaming method?
Hi Sweetpalms, Yes, it will be fine to use the conventional mixing method for the recipe. I suggest writing out the recipe using that method and counting the ingredients because it is so easy to leave out an ingredient when changing a recipe.
Hi BeBe and Melissa. I made your marble cake and used 2 layers, with a chocolate layer, for a 3 layer cake filled and frosted with ganache. All 3 layers had been baked weeks ago, but wrapped very well and frozen. The marble cake has a great look and taste, but the density and tight crumb made it seem too much like pound cake. Is there a way to adjust the amount of oil so that the texture/crumb is a little fluffier/larger like my chocolate layer (which is all oil, no butter)? Thank you.
Hi BeBe. Thank you for your reply. I am going to try this today. I will use the butter/oil experiment as you suggested. I do have a question: it looks like the baking powder amount you just listed for me using the conventional method is different from the original reverse cream amount. Does the method change the ingredient amount? Thank you.
Hi Paula, Thanks for catching that, it is the same as reverse creaming, I’ll make a correction. I proof read and still did not catch that, maybe I was just looking at the gram weight, I’m giving myself an excuse.
Hi Paula, We don’t have a recipe that is mostly oil. If I were experimenting, I would try 1/2 cup oil and 1/2 stick butter. The reverse creaming method that this recipe uses results in a soft but slightly more dense (like pound cake) texture). The conventional mixing method will give you a lighter texture. Maybe you would prefer that mixing method with this recipe. I have posted it below. If you experiment using more oil let us know how it goes.
Marbled Cake (Conventional Mixing Method)
1 1/2 sticks (12T) (169g) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups (300g) sugar
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups (285g) cake flour
1 tsp. (6g) salt
2 1/2 teaspoons (12g) baking powder
1 cup (242g) milk
2 teaspoons (18g) vegetable oil
2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder plus 2 Tablespoons very hot water, mixed together for marbling
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, grease and flour two 8×2 inch round pans
Mix 3 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder with 2 Tablespoons very hot water. Stir until smooth and set aside.
In a medium sized bowl add the cake flour, salt, baking powder. Whisk to blend, set aside.
In another bowl add the milk, vegetable oil and vanilla
Beat the softened butter until smooth, gradually add the sugar and mix on medium speed 4 to 5 minutes until it is light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until the yellow of the yolk disappears.
Add the flour mixture and the milk mixture alternately, begin and end with the flour mixture ( 3 additions of flour and 2 of milk). Mix until combined and smooth, do not mix above medium speed or over mix.
Makes 6 1/2 cups batter
MARBLING INSTRUCTIONS
Put 1 1/2 cups cake batter into a medium sized bowl and stir in the chocolate mixture to create chocolate batter. Using a large spoon, place 3 large spoonfuls of vanilla cake batter into each pan, then 3 spoonfuls chocolate batter. Repeat adding more vanilla batter. You will have areas of both vanilla and chocolate batter in your pan. Using an offset spatula or knife ( we prefer something approximately 1/2 inch wide), swirl the two colors together to get a marbled effect. Do not over mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cent comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Let the cake cool 5 to 10 minutes then turn out.
OK. Here is my opinion on the changes to oil and butter for this cake……..
DON’T CHANGE ANYTHING!! :-/ The texture did change, more to my liking, but…..the flavor!!! It was lost. Looks like you need the butter for flavor and color. That is what I am seeking…the great color and flavor of this cake, just a little fluffier in crumb.
Back to the drawing board!
Paula, I hate that those ingredients were wasted on the experiment.
Aww…well, I have to chalk it up to the experiment. Didn’t know until I tried. I haven’t been trying too much lately, so I am getting back into the groove. All good. Thanks very much for your replies…
I made this recipe for a large, three tiered birthday cake last weekend. I doubled it to make two 10 inch layers and had only a little bit of batter left over, which was just enough for a snack. ;) I didn’t change a thing and it was absolutely perfect, and a huge hit at the party. I’ve never made marble cake before and I was worried about the difficulty, but it was easy! I used vanilla buttercream since the design of the cake called for a white frosting, but I just KNOW that chocolate frosting would be divine! I plan to make a blog post about the cake in general, and I hope you don’t mind if I link to this recipe.
Hi Dawn! So happy that you loved the cake. If you’d like to link to our recipe in your blog post, that would be great. Thanks for your feedback!
I have to make a baby shower cake to feed 15-20 people, i was thinking of using my 10in rounds (Doubling the recipe), or would this be big enough on its own?
Hi FaeGoddess, It depends on your serving sizes but you should be fine with the recipe as written for 8 inch pans to get the number of serving you need. Here is a link to serving charts that give batter amounts and number of servings that you will find helpful. Hope all goes well.
http://www.wilton.com/cake-serving-guide/cms-baking-serving-guide.html
http://www.fromkarenskitchen.com/tips/party_cake_batter_amounts_baking_times_2inch_pan.php
Hey Bebe!! Is it safe to assume that you are using dutched chocolate? Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge! All of you recipes I have tried so far rock!
Hi Tracy, I use unsweetened cocoa in the recipe, not dutch processed.
Thanks for the amazingly quick response!
: )
Is it possible to use this in a bread pan to make it a loaf?
Hi Shardonnay, We have not tried the recipe in a loaf pan, but I think you could do so. Fill the pan 1/2 to 2/3’s full. Position the oven rack to the lower third of your oven. I’m not positive on the time since we have not used this pan but for a 9 x 5 pan bake at 350 degrees for maybe 50 minutes ……for a 8×4 loaf pan 35 minutes. Keep an eye on it and when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached it is done. If the top begins to get too dark, cover loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.
I made this recipe without the chocolate buttercream and it turned out to be amazing. Thank you for sharing. My family loves this marble cake.
Hi Simran, I’m happy to hear that you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for your feedback.
Hi Melissa! Can I safety cut the ingredients into half if I want to make batter enough for one loaf pan? Thank you!
Hi Kay, We have not done that but I think it would be fine to do so.
Hi BeBe,
It worked!!! Lovin’ your recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Kay, Great! It looks good, thanks for letting me know!
Melissa can we use melted chocolate instead of cocoa. I have used the cocoa before and found it to come out a bit light in flavor
Hi Rosangel, Yes, it will be fine to use melted chocolate
Can I substitute the butter and use oil instead?
Hi Telma, This recipe uses the reverse creaming method, I am not sure it would work using all oil. The recipe can be rewritten into the conventional mixing method but even so I don’t know how the texture of the cake would be using all oil, since I have not tried it.
Hi. Can i use all purpose flour instead of cake flour. Many thanks!
Hi Hema, If you do not have cake flour, this is the substitution you can use. For each cup of all purpose flour in a recipe, remove 2 Tablespoons flour and replace with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch. For this recipe measure out 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, remove 5 Tablespoons of the flour and replace with 5 Tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk to blend the cornstarch into the flour and proceed with the recipe.
Hi,
Can I use the conventional method of mixing for this recipe? Will it work? I have had no luck with getting any height to the cake using the Reverse method. My layers are always about an inch high once cooled. If using melted chocolate, do I use the same amount as cocoa and will I need to bake extra time if using melted chocolate? Thanks!
Hi Gloria, Yes, it will be fine to use the conventional mixing method with this recipe. I recommend writing it out and counting the ingredients to make sure nothing is left out. Using melted chocolate in the same amount will be fine and the baking time will remain the same.
How does this recipe work for cupcakes? I have 4 dozen cupcakes to make for the end of the month. It’s for a baby shower and marble cake is the mama to be’s favorite.
Also, could the zebra effect be used for cupcakes?
Hi Beth, The recipe should work well for cupcakes. If you would prefer the conventional mixing method, I posted it in the Comments under the cake recipe on 4-3-18. We have not tried the zebra effect for cupcakes but the link below will show you an example. I think you will find it helpful.
https://www.lovefromtheoven.com/zebra-striped-cupcakes-topped-with-hello-kitty-for-my-birthday/
Perfect. Thank you so much.
This cake was tasty. Not gorgeous, but tasty.
Hi Cindy, I’m happy you gave the recipe a try! Your cake looks good, the most important thing is the taste. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Thanks for the recipe! I love all that I have tried. The cake came out good but was a little dry…could I increase the oil or add mayo or sour cream to help with that? I also used your freezing method.
Can I do this cake in two 9 inch pans? If yes, for how long would I bake it.
Hi Jessica, You can bake in two 9″ pans. Check at 25 minutes, it should be done in 25 to 30 minutes. When a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
Hi, would this recipe work for a half sheet pan or should I double the recipe?
Hi Sandra, This recipe makes 8 cups batter. Below are links to Karen’s Kitchen and Wilton for pan sizes and batter amounts plus baking time. You will find them helpful .
http://www.fromkarenskitchen.com/tips/party_cake_batter_amounts_baking_times_2inch_pan.php
http://www.wilton.com/cake-serving-guide/cms-baking-serving-guide.html
Hi Melissa. I truly love your tutorials and expertise. The vanilla cake is beautiful. I tried it now so many times and it is always a success. Beautifully moist. I’m not sure whether it’s a problem or not, but my mixtures are only slightly curdled ( not as much as when you sometimes put egg into a butter/sugar mixture) but it’s not as velvety as yours. The cake is always beautiful in the end. Nice, good height, nice texture, moist but I would like to know as to why it happens. All ingredients are at room temperature…also, sometimes it starts dripping from the bottom of the pans ( when in oven) – I have pans with removable bottoms. Again not a big deal but why does it happen? I always make sure they are properly sitting on. I just love how baking works, the science behind it and it’s truly amazing. Thank you.
Hi Stania, Thank you for your nice comment on Melissa’s tutorials. Yes, the cake batter is very slightly curdled when mixing. This is because the butter and eggs are not the same temperature, making it more difficult for the fats in the yolks and butter to blend with the water in the egg whites. It does not affect the outcome of the cake, so all is good. We don’t have experience using pans with removable bottoms. Below is a website I found that I think you will find helpful for your leaky pans.
https://www.cakeflix.com/questions/leaky-cake-tins
Hi BeBe, thank you so much for your speedy reply!! I really appreciate it. I just wanted to share another issue. When I bake my buttermilk cakes they are, in my eyes, the ideal texture the day the cake is baked. Moist but fluffy at the same time. The next day and the day after the cake texture becomes ever so slightly dense though.It still tastes great and feels light. It’s as if the moisture seeped over time into the cake slightly affecting the texture. ( In some recipes so much so that customer asked whether it’s cooked. It’s all perfectly cooked but some parts develops what is quite similar to “gluten streaks”.) It bothers me slightly and wondering if it’s something I can prevent or whether it naturally happens to all moist cakes. Would a standard creinv method prevent it? I’m attaching a picture of my marble cake baked yesterday so you know what I’m talking about. Basically I don’t know whether it’s in my head or it’s normal Thank you so much. You’ve been very helpful do far.
Hi BeBe, thank you so much for your speedy reply!! I really appreciate it. I just wanted to share another issue. When I bake my buttermilk cakes they are, in my eyes, the ideal texture the day they are baked. Moist but fluffy at the same time. The next day and the day after the cake texture becomes ever so slightly dense though.It still tastes great and feels light but it’s as if the moisture seeps over time into the cake and slightly affecting the texture. ( In some recipes so much so that customer asked whether it’s raw. It’s all perfectly cooked but some parts develops what is quite similar to “gluten streaks”. On day 1 it’s perfect but on day 2 there is only so slightly slightly rubbery texture, mainly at the bottom of the layers ) It bothers me slightly and wondering if it’s something I can prevent or whether it naturally happens to all moist cakes. Would a standard creaming method prevent it? Basically I don’t know whether it’s in my head or if it’s normal. Thank you so much. You’ve been very helpful so far.
How do you get your cake layers so flat? Mine always have a dome top. Please answer thank you
Hi Jean, Cake mix cakes always seem to have a higher dome than scratch cake recipes. Baking at 325 degrees rather than 350 will help to bake more even layers. You could also use bake even strips around the sides of the pan, many bakers have success with the strips. Another option is using a rose nail or heating core in the center of the cake pan. You might want to buy a oven thermometer to see if your oven is heating to the correct temperature. If your oven is running hot, that can also lead to doming problems. Using a serrated knife to slice off the dome is also fine.
Just made this cake. Upon making the batter decided to only make two (instead of 3) 8” pans. Each cake was only 1” high ( after baking) and appears to be quite dense. Weighed, instead of measured my ingredients, instead of measuring, & followed instructions to a tee. Very disappointed.
Hi Laura, I am sorry there was a problem, that is so disappointing. Did you “zero out ” the bowl when weighing the ingredients? I think there must have been a mistake in weighing or the reverse creaming method caused a problem for you. Did you watch Melissa’s video (link below)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=827&v=hMeVRJ8QPqM
Yes, I did “zero out” 5e bowl before weighing my ingredients. I have never done the reverse creaming method but I followed the video. I used cake flour as well instead of all-purpose flour. I live in Canada so not sure if the cake flour may be different here from the country you are.
any reason why I couldn’t use the standard mixing method rather than the reverse creaming method? I’ve not used it before so am somewhat reluctant to attempt since the cake is for Christmas. Thanks
How many batches would I need for 3 12 inch cakes and will it be sturdy enough for a few fondant pieces such as headphones?
Hi Cheryl, The recipe makes 6 1/2 to 7 cups batter for a 2 layer cake in 8 inch pans. This amount is just a guideline. We put the batter in three 8 inch pans filling them about 1/2 full because we wanted more filling per slice. For one 12 inch round pan 2 inches deep you will need 7 1/2 cups batter. Below is a chart that will help you with batter amounts and baking times for various size pans.
http://fromkarenskitchen.com/tips/party_cake_batter_amounts_baking_times_2inch_pan.php
If your fondant topper has any weight and just to be on the safe side, you should push a bubble T straw or a regular drinking or dowel under the fondant piece. If not supported, the headphone could begin to sink into the cake.
Hi Nancy, I am sorry I missed your question. Yes, you can use the standard mixing method for this recipe.
Did you even out the cake before putting frosting on the inside?
Hi Natalie, Do you mean cutting off the dome of the cake layers? Yes, when needed we do level the cake layers.
did I miss it or did you not include the recipe for the frosting?
Hi Eric, There was a link to the chocolate frosting within the text before the recipe. Here is the link
https://www.mycakeschool.com/recipes/classic-chocolate-buttercream/
Hope you enjoy it!
Hello
Can i use all purpose flour instead
Hi Sukrita, This is how to make cake flour if you only have all purpose. For each cup of flour in the recipe you will measure out 1 cup, remove 2 Tablespoons and replace with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour in the UK). For this recipe there are 3 cups cake flour so measure out 3 cups of all purpose flour, remove 6 Tablespoons and replace those with 6 Tablespoons cornstarch. Whisk to blend and proceed with the recipe. Hope you will enjoy the cake.
Hi I am wanting to make a 12inch round will this be enough and how long should I cook it?
Hi Kris, This recipe makes 7 cups batter so you will be fine. The chart I will link you to states 7 1/2 cups batter for a 12 inch round 2 inch deep pan. This is a suggested amount. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Keep an eye on the cake because I feel that it may take longer. A heating core in the center would help with more even distribution of heat and/or baking strips around the outside of the pan. I am thinking you probably have had experience baking with this size pan. Link below to chart
https://www.mycakeschool.com/blog/reverse-creaming-method-of-mixing-a-cake-video-tutorial/
Has anyone made this in a sheet cake instead of layers?
This cake was nothing but perfect, the texture and the taste. I couldn’t take a picture as my family kept watching the oven and couldn’t wait to try it.
Thank you for sharing it.
Hi Saada, I am happy you enjoyed the cake!! Thank you for posting your review!
Any recommendations for making this recipe into cupcakes? Timing and temp?
Hi Blair, For cupcakes, bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes
Can I bake it in a Bundt pan or a tube pan
Hi Shu, Yes, the recipe can be baked in a bundt pan or tube pan. The recipe uses the Reverse Creaming Method, if you are not familiar with this method, you should watch Melissa’s video. Link below. Be sure to read the introduction information on the cake. If you would like to use the Conventional Mixing Method, I posted it in the comment section on Apr. 3, 2018.
https://www.mycakeschool.com/blog/reverse-creaming-method-of-mixing-a-cake-video-tutorial/
Hi do you use cake flour or all purpose flour?
Hi Gloria, The recipe uses cake flour. If you do not have cake flour, you can use the following substitution — For this recipe you would measure out 3 cups all purpose flour, remove 6 Tablespoons of the all purpose flour and replace it with 6 Tablespoons cornstarch, whisk to blend.
Hi BeBe,
Thank you for your quick response. I am going to use cake flour. I’m excited to make my cake today!
can you use a fondant on this cake?
Hi Donna, Yes, you can use fondant on this cake.
I did a trial run on this cake, it is a delicious moist cake. I tried to refrigerate it without icing, & after a day it seemed to dry out. I’m going to make it for my granddaughter’s birthday with fondant, she will be decorating it, so I will need it to stay moist for a couple of days . If I put icing & fondant on it will that keep it moist? I know fondant usually keeps a cake moist
Hi Donna, Cakes can dry out rather quickly in the refrigerator if not kept completely wrapped airtight, or frosted. Your cake should be fine with frosting and fondant. If possible, it is a good idea to keep it under a cake cover or in a cake box for additional protection.
The recipe ingredients says 4 tbls of cocoa powder mixed with 2 tbls of hot water. But in the instructions, it says mix with 3 tbls of water. Which one is correct??
Hi Stephanie, Thank you Stephanie, use 3 to 4 Tablespoons very hot water, the amount differs with some cocoa powders
I tried this recipe…Cake turned out very well. Tqvm for sharing.
look like this
https://marmeladlimetbex.blogspot.com/2012/10/marble-patterned-cake-recipe.html
Hi Samanta, Your cake looks perfect? I’m so happy you tried the recipe. Thank you for posting.