Marble Cake Recipe

This Marble Cake Recipe combines chocolate and vanilla in one gorgeous dessert! Vanilla and chocolate cake batters are swirled together, baked and topped with a thick layer of rich cocoa frosting. Learn how to make marble cake with this easy step-by-step tutorial. 

Marble Cake has an elegant and impressive appearance that makes it just about impossible to resist. If you’ve never made it before, you’ll be amazed by how easy it is to make at home! 

Marble Cake Ingredients

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Cocoa Powder – Cocoa powder gives your cake and frosting a rich, chocolatey flavor. When it comes to unsweetened cocoa powder, my favorites are Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder, Rodelle Baking Cocoa and Ghirardelli 100% Cocoa. If you don’t have any cocoa powder on hand, but need a slice of this cake asap, in place of cocoa powder you could just melt 3 ounces of unsweetened chocolate. Once it is cooled, just add this to the batter. You will however need cocoa powder for the frosting.
• Buttermilk – Buttermilk helps create a wonderfully tender cake, and also helps the cake rise. If you don’t have any buttermilk, you can make your own homemade buttermilk in a flash.
• Vegetable Oil – I recommend a mild oil, such as canola in this recipe. You could use other oils. You can also replace the oil with melted butter. It will still be delicious, I just find it to not be quite as moist.
• Powdered Sugar – Also called confectioners sugar, this is what creates that smooth and fluffy frosting. If you don’t have any powdered sugar, you can make your own. I wrote about it at the BOTTOM of this post.
• Egg Whites – I strongly prefer to use fresh egg whites in this recipe, versus those that come in a carton. Use those leftover egg yolks to make Chocolate Cream Pie or Molten Chocolate Cake.

How To Make Marble Cake

Let’s discuss the steps you’ll take to make the best marble cake recipe. If you want to skip my discussion, tips, information and answers to frequently asked questions, just scroll to the bottom of this post for the printable recipe.

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Grease and flour 2 8-inch round cake pans. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add 2 Tablespoons of sugar to the egg whites and beat on high speed. 
2. Add an additional 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat again until fully incorporated. Set aside
3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the remaining sugar with flour, buttermilk, vegetable oil, baking powder, salt, and vanilla at low speed until combined.
4. Divide cake batter into 2 bowls. In one bowl, mix in half of the egg whites.
5. In the other bowl, mix in cocoa powder and 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar.
6. Then, beat in the other half of the egg whites. 
7. Spoon half of the vanilla cake batter into each of the prepared pans.
8.  Spoon half of the chocolate cake batter into each pan by dropping batter in areas around the pan. Leave space between the areas with chocolate cake batter. 
9. Gently drag a butter knife through the batter to create the marble swirl. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center, and cake bounces back when lightly pressed. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack. Let cake cool completely prior to frosting.

How To Make Chocolate Frosting

1. To make the chocolate frosting, cream together shortening and butter in a large bowl.
2. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla to the bowl and mix. Beat in 2 cups of powdered sugar.
3. Then, beat in 1-2 Tablespoons of milk to keep the frosting from getting too dry. Once the ingredients are well combined, add the rest of the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Stir in more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency is reached.
4. Place the first layer on a plate or cake stand.
5. Cover with chocolate frosting. 
6. Gently set the second layer on top of the frosted first layer, then finish by frosting the top and edges of the entire cake.

Chocolate frosting can be spread on the cake with an offset spatula or butter knife, or it can be piped on using a piping bag.

Recipe Tips and Advice

Prepare Your Pan

To avoid having your cake stick to the pan, make sure to take the time to prepare it correctly. You can grease and flour your pan, or use a product like Baker’s Joy, which combines those into an easy to use spray. I’m also a fan of placing a parchment paper circle in the bottom of my round pans.

Storage

Once the cakes have cooled completely, they may be individually wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

After the cake is frosted you may put it in the fridge to allow the frosting to set. Then simply cover it loosely (a cake saver works well). Store it at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to a week. 

9 x 13 Size Pan Option

You can also make this cake in a 9×13 inch baking pan. The cake may need a few extra minutes of baking time.