Marble Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 1/4 cups (285g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 3/4 cups (350g) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (25g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup (60ml) hot water
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan or two 9-inch round cake pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, oil, and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the buttermilk and vanilla extract, mixing until just combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- In a small bowl, mix the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth. Take about 1 1/2 cups of the vanilla batter and mix it with the cocoa mixture to create the chocolate batter.
- Pour half of the vanilla batter into the prepared baking pan(s). Add dollops of the chocolate batter on top. Pour the remaining vanilla batter over the chocolate. Use a knife or a skewer to gently swirl the batters together to create a marbled effect.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If using two 9-inch pans, the baking time may be reduced to 25-30 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.
Optional Frosting
If you’d like to frost your marble cake, a classic choice is a simple chocolate or vanilla buttercream.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups (480g) powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- In a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until creamy, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating on low until incorporated.
- Add the heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat on high for 3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
- Once the cake is completely cool, frost it with the buttercream using an offset spatula or a knife.
Enjoy your homemade marble cake!