Best Marble Cake Recipe

Ready to bake a showstopper? This marble cake starts with one easy batter, swirls together vanilla and chocolate flavors, and finishes with rich chocolate frosting. I’ll show you exactly how to create bakery-style swirls and a cake that looks and tastes incredible!

Made this today, loved it!
-Janet

You will love this Marble Cake Recipe

Marble cake is a timeless classic — and with the right techniques, it’s surprisingly easy to master at home. After extensive testing, I developed a foolproof method that starts with just one simple batter. No complicated juggling of two separate recipes. I’ll walk you through exactly how to divide the vanilla batter, transform half into a rich chocolate version with melted chocolate (not cocoa powder!), and swirl them together for that signature marble look.

When it came to perfecting the swirl, I didn’t leave it to chance. I tested different techniques — layering, spooning, dragging — and discovered that alternating small dollops of each batter and gently swirling them together creates the most beautiful, bakery-style marble effect every time.

Layered with my ultra-decadent but easy chocolate frosting, this marble cake is everything you want in a celebration cake: moist, fluffy, and full of rich vanilla and chocolate flavor. Whether you’re a newer baker or a seasoned pro, my step-by-step instructions are designed to help you bake a cake that looks as good as it tastes — and leaves everyone asking for seconds.

What is Marble Cake?

Marble cake is made from two different flavors of cake batter being swirled together, creating a marbled look. It is normally made with vanilla and chocolate cake and topped with a chocolate frosting. 

Chocolate and Vanilla Cake Ingredients

This marble cake looks fancy, but there are no fancy ingredients needed. Get the full recipe with measurements and instructions in the recipe card below. For the cake and frosting you will need:

Cake

• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Unsalted butter: room temperature 
• Granulated sugar 
• Eggs
• Sour cream 
• Milk: I used whole milk
• Vanilla extract
• Semi sweet chocolate: melted and cooled 

Chocolate Frosting

• Unsalted butter: room temperature
• Unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• Powdered sugar
• Heavy cream
• Salt
• Vanilla extract

How to make Chocolate Marble Cake

This fluffy marble cake is a cake lovers dream, easy to make and delicious every time. Get the full recipe in the recipe card below. Here are the foolproof steps to make this cake:

Cake

1. Prep oven and pans. Preheat the oven to 350º F. Grease two or three 8 inch springform pans with butter (butter the sides and bottom) and line each pan with a parchment paper circle for easy cake removal. Set aside.
2. Mix dry ingredients. In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Mix butter and sugar. In a large mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar, beat using an electric mixer, 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
4. Mix in wet ingredients. Add in the eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat with the electric mixer.
5. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until the flour is incorporated.

6. Separate batter and add chocolate. Add 2 ½ to 2 ¾ cups of batter to a separate mixing bowl, about 610-630 grams of batter. Gently mix the melted chocolate into the batter. 

7. ​Evenly divide the batter among the pans. I found that the batter looked most marbled when I alternated small dollops of each batter, swirling and repeating until the batter is gone. If using 2 pans, that’s 2 ½ to 3 cups of batter per pan, if using 3 pans, that’s 2 cups of batter per pan. If you have bake even cake strips, secure them around the outside of the pans.
8. Bake. Bake 2 pans for 40-45 minutes or 3 pans for 32-37 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
9. Cool. Allow the cakes to cool for 20-30 minutes in the pans, then use a small spatula to loosen the cake from the edge of the pan. Remove the cake from the pans and allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Chocolate Frosting

1. Beat butter. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on high for 3 minutes. 
2. Add cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Sift in the cocoa powder and 3 cups of powdered sugar. I like to sift these in because it helps break up clumps, creating a light and fluffy frosting. Beat the frosting on low speed until combined and thick.
3. ​Mix in 3 tbsp of heavy cream, vanilla extract and salt. 
4. Finish and adjust if needed. Add in the additional powdered sugar (1-2 cups), mix on low. If the frosting is too thick, beat in an additional tablespoon of heavy cream.

 Assemble the Marble Cake

1. Level cakes. If needed, level the cooled cakes using a cake leveler or serrated knife.

2. Layer and frost cake. Spread a small amount of frosting on the bottom of your cake plate / stand, this acts as “glue” to prevent the cake from moving. Place one cake layer over the frosting. Measure 3/4 to 1 cup of frosting and evenly spread that on top of the first layer. Top with the second cake layer and spread another ¾ to 1 cup of frosting on top of that layer. Use the remaining frosting around the sides and top of the cake.

How to Decorate this Swirl Cake

My favorite way to decorate marble cake is with a simple chocolate frosting. To frost the cake, follow the simple instructions above. You can decorate the frosted cake with any toppings you want. Here are some ideas:

• Sprinkles
• Chocolate shavings
• Chopped nuts
• Chocolate chips

Best Marble Cake Recipe Tips

For best results, follow these tips:

• Properly measure the flour: ​Measuring the flour correctly is key for a moist marble cake. To avoid a dry cake, measure the flour using the spoon and level method.
• Don’t over-swirl: ​Too much swirl is not a good thing! If you over-swirl the separate batters together, you’ll lose the marble effect altogether and just blend them into one color. Follow my tips below to get the perfect swirl in your cake.
• Cool cakes before frosting: Be sure to completely cool the cake before frosting it so the frosting doesn’t melt and run.

How to Marble a Cake

Creating that perfect chocolate swirl throughout the yellow cake is easier than you may think. Once you have made your vanilla batter and chocolate batter, here is the best way to create a marbled effect:

• Place small dollops of each of the separate cake batters, alternating between batter flavors, swirling and repeating as you go. Use a butter knife to gently swirl around the dollops of batter.

• For two cake pans like in this recipe, evenly divide the batter among the pans. That’s 2 ½ to 3 cups of batter per pan. If using 3 pans, that’s 2 cups of batter per pan. 
• If you have bake even cake strips, secure them around the outside of the pans.

How to store Vanilla and Chocolate Cake

Store leftover swirl cake in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days, or in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

 More Swirl Recipes

• Cheesecake Swirl Brownies
• Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies
• Cinnamon Swirl Bread
• Nutella Swirl Muffins

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Chocolate Marble Cake

By: Beth

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes minutes

Cooling Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 16 slices

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This homemade marble cake rivals any bakery and is incredibly easy to make. With just 15 minutes of prep time, this cake pairs vanilla and chocolate cake in a gorgeous swirl that is sure to impress and tastes as good as it looks.

Equipment

• Glass Mixing Bowl
• 8 inch springform pan
• KitchenAid 9-Speed Mixer
• My favorite spatula!

Ingredients

Cake

• ▢ 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 tsp baking powder
• ▢ ½ tsp baking soda
• ▢ 1 tsp salt
• ▢ ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, 1 ½ sticks, room temperature
• ▢ 1 ¾ cups (346g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 4 large eggs
• ▢ 1 cup (227g) sour cream
• ▢ ⅔ cup (158ml) milk, I used whole milk
• ▢ 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• ▢ 4 oz (114g) semi sweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Chocolate Frosting

• ▢ 2 cups (452g) unsalted butter, 4 sticks, room temperature
• ▢ 1 cup (84g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
• ▢ 4-5 cups (454-567g) powdered sugar
• ▢ 3-4 Tbsp heavy cream
• ▢ ¼ tsp salt
• ▢ 1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions 

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 350º F. Grease two or three 8 inch springform pans with butter (butter the sides and bottom) and line each pan with a parchment paper circle for easy cake removal. Set aside.
• In a small mixing bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour, 2 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp salt
• In a large mixing bowl combine the butter and sugar, beat using an electric mixer, 1-2 minutes until fluffy.
  ¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, 1 ¾ cups (346g) granulated sugar
• Add in the eggs, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat with the electric mixer.
  4 large eggs, 1 cup (227g) sour cream, ⅔ cup (158ml) milk, 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until the flour is incorporated.
• Add 2 ½ to 2 ¾ cups of batter to a separate mixing bowl, about 610-630 grams of batter. Gently mix the melted chocolate into the batter.
  4 oz (114g) semi sweet chocolate
• Evenly divide the batter among the pans. I found that the batter looked most marbled when I alternated small dollops of each batter, swirling and repeating until the batter is gone. If using 2 pans, that’s 2 ½ to 3 cups of batter per pan, if using 3 pans, that’s 2 cups of batter per pan. If you have bake even cake strips, secure them around the outside of the pans.
• Bake 2 pans for 40-45 minutes or 3 pans for 32-37 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow the cakes to cool for 20-30 minutes in the pans, then use a small spatula to loosen the cake from the edge of the pan. Remove the cake from the pans and allow them to cool completely on a cooling rack.

Chocolate Frosting

• In a mixing bowl, beat the butter on high for 3 minutes.
  2 cups (452g) unsalted butter
• Sift in the cocoa powder and 3 cups of powdered sugar. I like to sift these in because it helps break up clumps, creating a light and fluffy frosting. Beat the frosting on low speed until combined and thick.
  1 cup (84g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder, 4-5 cups (454-567g) powdered sugar
• Mix in 3 Tbsp of heavy cream, vanilla extract and salt.
  3-4 Tbsp heavy cream, 1 tsp vanilla extract, ¼ tsp salt
• Add in the additional powdered sugar (1-2 cups), mix on low. If the frosting is too thick, beat in an additional tablespoon of heavy cream.

Assemble the Cake

• If needed, level the cooled cakes using a cake leveler or serrated knife.
• Spread a small amount of frosting on the bottom of your cake plate / stand, this acts as “glue” to prevent the cake from moving. Place one cake layer over the frosting. Measure 3/4 to 1 cup of frosting and evenly spread that on top of the first layer. Top with the second cake layer and spread another ¾ to 1 cup of frosting on top of that layer. Use the remaining frosting around the sides and top of the cake.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 670kcal | Carbohydrates: 75g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 303mg | Potassium: 208mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 55g | Vitamin A: 1193IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition Disclosure

All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.

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