Best, classic, old fashioned, easy marble cake recipe, homemade with simple ingredients from scratch. This soft, moist, tender pound loaf has chocolate swirls and a beautiful design that you can see in each slice. It has a combination of vanilla and cocoa batter.
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If you can't decide between chocolate or vanilla, then today's recipe is for you. It has the perfect balance of both flavors. Top it off with smooth and creamy chocolate ganache and that really takes it over the top. This is my go-to treat when I have friends over for tea or brunch. It's just as delicious as my Best Pound Cake and this Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe.
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Key ingredients for chocolate marble pound loaf
- Butter- Be sure it is unsalted and at room temperature.
- Vanilla- A subtle, well-loved flavoring that pairs well with many desserts.
- Eggs- Use large ones at room temperature for best results.
- Chocolate chips- Mini or regular can be used, but I recommend getting a high quality brand that is nice and creamy.
- Sugar- Classic sweetener that you likely already have in your pantry.
- Flour- For this recipe, cake flour is the best option to use.
- Baking powder- Acts as a leavening agent to help the cake rise.
- Cocoa powder- The higher the quality, the better the cake.
- Buttermilk- Homemade or store bought can be used.
- Heavy cream- This makes the ganache creamy.
- Water- Brings the cocoa powder into a chocolate mixture.
Variations
- Get creative- Add different extracts and zests to change the flavor of this cake slightly. The texture will still remain the same but a small change like that can give this classic cake more character. Try a little orange extract and zest or even a bit of almond extract.
- Color the vanilla portion- To celebrate holidays and events like I did for these Italian Rainbow Cookies (Venetians).
- Decorate it- I didn't decorate this time but after you have drizzled ganache, you you can toss some mini chocolate chips or Homemade Sprinkles or even chopped nuts and candy bars to make it very beautiful. You can also Pipe Buttercream Flowers With Russian Piping Tips.
- Use a different pan- This batter is so versatile that is works in a bundt pan, loaf pan and round pans. The process and ingredients are the same for all. However, the bake time may vary.
- Instead of ganache- Top off with Hot Fudge Sauce (Chocolate Fudge Sauce) or Homemade Dulce De Leche.
- You can also keep the topping simple- And enjoy with just a dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa powder.
- Top it off with frosting- Such as Biscoff Frosting (Cookie Butter Buttercream) or Nutella Frosting (Hazelnut Buttercream).
- Add a filling- Cut the cake in half lengthwise and add a filling of your choice, such as Raspberry Pie Filling, Dulche De Leche, or Homemade Whipped Cream.
How to make easy marble cake recipe from scratch?
1. Cream butter and sugar- Until light and fluffy.
2. Add in eggs and vanilla extract- And mix until smooth batter forms.
3. Separately, whisk together flour and baking powder- Add this to the wet mixture, alternating with buttermilk.
4. Scoop out a third of the batter- Place in another bowl and mix in water and cocoa powder.
5. Pour half vanilla batter in pan- Top it off with spoonfuls of chocolate batter.
6. Place more vanilla batter on top- Continuing to build up the layers.
7. Pour remaining vanilla batter- Top it off with remaining spoonfuls of chocolate batter.
8. Swirl batter, then bake- And let cool before pouring on ganache.
Tips and techniques
- All ingredients should be at room temperature– That’s because they blend together smoothly and evenly.
- You must use cake flour- Because it creates the best firm but tender texture.
- Use full-fat ingredients- Because they add a lot of moisture and richness to this cake.
- Don’t over-mix cake batter– Because this will yield a tough and it can also cause the cake to collapse/sink during baking.
- Quality matters! Use best quality of vanilla extract you can find for best flavor. Rodelle and Nielsen Massey are both great brands.
- Use unsalted butter- This prevents the cake from becoming too salty.
- Temperature is key– Do not pour ganache over the cake until it has fully cooled down or else it will melt all over the cake and make a sticky mess.
- Loaf pan vs. Round pan- The classic look obviously comes from a loaf pan but a round pan can also be used, which can even be used to make a layer cake.
- Preparing the pan- Generously, grease the pan with softened butter, using a pastry brush. Sprinkle pan with flour and toss it around until the entire pan is covered in a thin layer of grease and flour. Invert the pan over a sink and dump the excess flour. This prevents the cake from sticking to the pan and it allows it to be removed easily.
Recipe FAQs
The best way to do that is to start off by alternating chocolate and vanilla batter in the cake pan. Then, use a skewer to swirl the two batters together into a beautiful design. Make sure your skewer is reaching all the way through the batter but not scraping the bottom of the pan. Don't "over-swirl" your cake because it will look muddy and messy and the swirls won't be as clear and prominent.
No. You want to wait until the cake completely cools so that the ganache will stick to it and not make a runny mess.
I know this is not something we have on hand all the time, but no worries. Make a great buttermilk substitute at home by mixing together 1 cup whole milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes, mix, and then use in this recipe.
Storage
- Make ahead- This is an easy option to make beforehand. Just place in a sealed container in the fridge or freezer until ready to use. Thaw if freezing.
- Room temperature- With the ganache, I don't recommend leaving out for more than 2-3 hours.
- Refrigerate- Place in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze- I like to store the ganache and cake separately in airtight containers for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge, warm up ganache in microwave and our over the top, then enjoy.
More classic cake recipes
- Best Vanilla Cake Recipe (From Scratch)
- Chocolate Bundt Cake (From Scratch)
- Easy Angel Food Cake (From Scratch)
- Easy Black Forest Cake (With Cake Mix)
- Chocolate Depression Cake (Wacky Cake)
Recipe
Best Marble Cake (With Chocolate Swirl)
Video
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Ingredients
Cake
- ½ cup Butter Unsalted, Room temperature
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 3 Eggs Large, Room temperature
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups Cake flour
- 1.5 teaspoon Baking powder
- ⅔ cup Buttermilk
- ¼ cup Cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoon Water Hot
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 cup Chocolate chips Semisweet
- ½ cup Heavy cream
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. This takes about 5 minutes.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
- Add the dry flour mixture into the wet mixture, alternating with buttermilk and mix until just combined.
- Remove ⅓ of the batter into a separate bowl. Keep aside.
- In another small bowl, add cocoa powder and water and mix until smooth.
- Pour this chocolate mixture to the bowl of reserved batter and mix until smooth.
- To assemble this cake, pour half the vanilla cake batter in a greased and floured loaf pan (Dimensions: 9x5).
- Drop spoonfuls of the chocolate batter on top. Don't spread it.
- Then, pour the remaining vanilla batter on top of the chocolate layer.
- Drop spoonfuls of the remaining chocolate batter on top.
- Use a skewer or knife to swirl the two batters together.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean. Rotate the pan halfway through for more even baking.
- Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes. Then, remove it from the pan and place it on a cooling rack and let it cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the ganache icing: Add chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 20 second increments and mixing often until icing is silky smooth.
- Drizzle this on top of the cooled cake. Enjoy!
Notes
- Don't drizzle ganache on a warm cake. It will melt off the sides of the cake and make a mess. Let cake cool completely before pouring ganache.
- Make a homemade buttermilk substitute by mixing together 1 cup whole milk with 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Mix and then use in this recipe.
- Please note that you have to use cake flour in this recipe for best texture. I have linked to that in the recipe card above so you can make it at home if you don't have it on hand.
- Try other extracts such as almond for a different flavor profile. For chocolate orange combination, I recommend mixing in some orange zest in the chocolate cake batter.
- Don't over-bake cake because that will make it dry and crumbly. Cake is ready when an inserted toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Use room temperature ingredients so that they blend together smoothly and evenly.
- You must grease and flour your pan or use parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking to the pan.
- Read additional tips and variations above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
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