I baked a Marble Cake so ridiculously moist and perfectly swirled that you’ll have to keep scrolling to believe me.

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I’m obsessed with Marble Cake because it feels wrong to resist a slice. I love how a ribbon of chocolate meets vanilla and makes my fork hesitate.

I keep saying I only wanted a little bite, then I eat half the pan. I adore batter that hides soft pockets from sour cream and melted unsalted butter that make crumbs stay moist.

But the real pull is the look, the swirls that make Homemade Cakes feel special without lying about effort. And people always ask where it came from.

I tell them bluntly: it’s mine, and it’s ridiculous. I make peace.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: The cake’s backbone, gives structure and that classic crumb.
Granulated sugar: Sweetness and tender crumb, it’ll brown the top nicely.
Unsalted butter: Richness and flavor, makes slices feel decadent and not dry.
Eggs: Bind everything, add lift and a bit of protein.
Whole milk: Adds moisture and helps batter stay silky.
Sour cream: Basically the secret to a super moist, slightly tangy cake.
Vegetable oil: Keeps crumbs soft and stays moist even days later.
Baking powder: Light lift so the cake isn’t dense or heavy.
Baking soda: Reacts with sour cream for extra rise and browning.
Salt: Balances sweetness and brings out the butter’s flavor.
Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and a familiar, comforting aroma.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: Gives the chocolate swirl its deep, slightly bitter cocoa.
Powdered sugar: Plus it makes slices look pretty when dusted.
Simple glaze: Basically optional gloss that makes each bite feel fancy.

Ingredient Quantities

All purpose flour 2 cups (about 250 g)

Granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups (300 g)

Unsalted butter 1 cup (225 g), softened

Eggs 3 large, room temperature

Whole milk 1/2 cup (120 ml)

Sour cream 1/2 cup (120 g) for extra moistness

Vegetable oil 2 tablespoons

Baking powder 2 teaspoons

Baking soda 1/2 teaspoon

Salt 1/2 teaspoon

Vanilla extract 2 teaspoons

Unsweetened cocoa powder 1/3 cup (about 30 g)

Optional powdered sugar for dusting or a simple glaze if you want

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan or two 8 inch round pans, or line with parchment, and set aside.

2. Whisk together 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl; set that dry mix aside.

3. In a large bowl, cream 1 cup (225 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape sides, it matters.

4. Add 3 large room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined after each, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

5. In a measuring cup combine 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the dry ingredients to the butter-egg mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; dont overmix.

6. Scoop about one third of the batter into a separate bowl. To that bowl add 1/3 cup (about 30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder and stir until fully incorporated. If it’s too thick add a teaspoon or two of milk to loosen.

7. Spoon alternating dollops of vanilla batter and chocolate batter into the prepared pan(s). Use a knife or skewer to give a few gentle figure-eight swirls for a marble effect, dont overdo the swirls or it will all blend.

8. Bake in the preheated oven 40 to 55 minutes depending on pan and oven. Start checking at 40 minutes; cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.

9. Let the cake cool in the pan 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. For extra moistness cover the warm cake loosely with a clean towel while it cools a bit, it helps keep the steam in.

10. Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle a simple glaze if you want: mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk and a splash of vanilla until pourable. Slice and serve. Store wrapped at room temp up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheated to 350°F)
2. 9×5 inch loaf pan or two 8 inch round pans, greased and floured or lined with parchment
3. Large mixing bowl and one smaller bowl for the cocoa batter
4. Electric mixer or sturdy whisk (for creaming the butter and sugar)
5. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and scraping the sides, it matters
6. Dry measuring cups, liquid measuring cup and measuring spoons (or a kitchen scale)
7. Sifter or fine mesh sieve for the flour and cocoa if you like a smoother mix
8. Knife or skewer and toothpick for marbling and checking doneness
9. Wire cooling rack and a clean kitchen towel for resting the cake

FAQ

Q: Can I make this cake in a bundt pan instead of a loaf or round pan? A: Yes, you can, just grease it well and bake about 10 to 15 minutes longer, check with a skewer. Bundt pans hold more batter so timing changes, dont overfill it.

Q: How do I get a nice marble effect without overmixing? A: Spoon half the plain batter into the pan, mix cocoa into the rest, then dollop the chocolate batter on top and swirl gently with a skewer or butter knife a few times. If you swirl too much the batters will blend and you lose the marble look.

Q: Can I swap sour cream for something else? A: Yes, you can use plain Greek yogurt or buttermilk in roughly the same amount. Yogurt keeps it moist, but buttermilk might make the batter a little thinner so watch baking time.

Q: My cake came out dense, what went wrong? A: Common causes are overmixing after adding flour, using cold eggs or ingredients, or too much flour. Make sure ingredients are room temp and mix just until combined.

Q: Do I need to sift the cocoa or flour? A: Sifting helps avoid lumps, especially with cocoa, but you can whisk them together well instead. If your flour was packed, spoon and level to measure accurately.

Q: How should I store the cake and how long does it stay fresh? A: Wrapped tightly at room temp it lasts 2 to 3 days, in the fridge up to a week. Bring to room temp before serving for best texture. You can also freeze slices for up to 3 months.

Marble Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: substitute 1 to 1 with a cup for cup gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan gum, or use 2 cups of a mix of 1 3/4 cups cake flour plus 1/4 cup all purpose for a lighter crumb. You may need a bit less liquid if using gluten free blends, so check the batter.
Unsalted butter: swap with an equal amount of softened salted butter but reduce added salt by about 1/4 teaspoon, or use 3/4 cup butter plus 1/4 cup neutral oil for a slightly moister cake.
Sour cream: replace with an equal amount of Greek yogurt or 1/2 cup plain yogurt mixed with 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to mimic the tang and thickness. For a dairy free option use full fat coconut yogurt.
Whole milk: use an equal amount of buttermilk for extra tenderness, or 1/2 cup milk plus 1/2 tablespoon vinegar to make a quick soured milk which reacts well with baking soda.

Pro Tips

1) Use room temp eggs and let the butter get properly soft but not greasy. If the butter is too cold you wont get that light, fluffy creaming; if it’s too warm the batter will be runny and the cake could sink. A good test: press the butter with your finger, it should yield slightly.

2) Don’t overmix after adding the flour. Mix until you cant see streaks of flour, then stop. Overworking develops gluten and makes the cake dense, not tender. Fold gently and take your time when alternating the wet and dry.

3) Measure the flour properly. Fluff the flour in the container, spoon it into the cup, and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly with the measuring cup packs too much flour and you end up with a dry heavy loaf.

4) Watch the bake time and test early. Oven temps vary a lot, so start checking at 40 minutes and every 5 minutes after. Insert a toothpick near the center and a little to the side; if it comes out with a few moist crumbs its done. If you wait until it’s completely dry you’ll overbake it.

Marble Cake Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I baked a Marble Cake so ridiculously moist and perfectly swirled that you’ll have to keep scrolling to believe me.

Servings

servings

Calories

384

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheated to 350°F)
2. 9×5 inch loaf pan or two 8 inch round pans, greased and floured or lined with parchment
3. Large mixing bowl and one smaller bowl for the cocoa batter
4. Electric mixer or sturdy whisk (for creaming the butter and sugar)
5. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and scraping the sides, it matters
6. Dry measuring cups, liquid measuring cup and measuring spoons (or a kitchen scale)
7. Sifter or fine mesh sieve for the flour and cocoa if you like a smoother mix
8. Knife or skewer and toothpick for marbling and checking doneness
9. Wire cooling rack and a clean kitchen towel for resting the cake

Ingredients

All purpose flour 2 cups (about 250 g)
Granulated sugar 1 1/2 cups (300 g)
Unsalted butter 1 cup (225 g), softened
Eggs 3 large, room temperature
Whole milk 1/2 cup (120 ml)
Sour cream 1/2 cup (120 g) for extra moistness
Vegetable oil 2 tablespoons
Baking powder 2 teaspoons
Baking soda 1/2 teaspoon
Salt 1/2 teaspoon
Vanilla extract 2 teaspoons
Unsweetened cocoa powder 1/3 cup (about 30 g)
Optional powdered sugar for dusting or a simple glaze if you want

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan or two 8 inch round pans, or line with parchment, and set aside.
Whisk together 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl; set that dry mix aside.
In a large bowl, cream 1 cup (225 g) softened unsalted butter with 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape sides, it matters.
Add 3 large room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing just until combined after each, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract.
In a measuring cup combine 1/2 cup (120 ml) whole milk, 1/2 cup (120 g) sour cream and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Add the dry ingredients to the butter-egg mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined; dont overmix.
Scoop about one third of the batter into a separate bowl. To that bowl add 1/3 cup (about 30 g) unsweetened cocoa powder and stir until fully incorporated. If it's too thick add a teaspoon or two of milk to loosen.
Spoon alternating dollops of vanilla batter and chocolate batter into the prepared pan(s). Use a knife or skewer to give a few gentle figure-eight swirls for a marble effect, dont overdo the swirls or it will all blend.
Bake in the preheated oven 40 to 55 minutes depending on pan and oven. Start checking at 40 minutes; cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter.
Let the cake cool in the pan 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. For extra moistness cover the warm cake loosely with a clean towel while it cools a bit, it helps keep the steam in.
Dust with powdered sugar or drizzle a simple glaze if you want: mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tablespoons milk and a splash of vanilla until pourable. Slice and serve. Store wrapped at room temp up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.