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Marble Cake
Marble cake features two buttery, rich layers of fluffy white and chocolate swirled cake topped with rich chocolate frosting.
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Marble cake is a swirled delight of moist chocolate and white cake that come together to create a fancy marbled effect. Topped with a rich chocolate frosting, this delicious homemade cake is perfect for serving at any party.
For more delectable layered cake options you’ll want to make German Chocolate Cake, Cherry Chip Cake, and Hummingbird Cake.
Marble Cake Ingredients
You will need:
White Cake
- 1 box white cake mix or yellow cake mix
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup milk or buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Cake
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup milk or buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup hot water or heated heavy cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 ounces German chocolate or semi-sweet baking bar melted and cooled
Substitutions and Additions
CAKE MIX: Any brand of chocolate cake mix and white cake mix works fine for this recipe. You can also substitute vanilla cake mix for white cake mix if you prefer.
How to Make Marble Cake
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray or use the wrappers from the butter to grease them thoroughly.
STEP TWO: In one mixing bowl, combine the white cake ingredients: cake mix, butter, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 1 minute and then on medium-high speed for two additional minutes. Set aside.
STEP THREE: In a second mixing bowl, combine the chocolate cake ingredients: chocolate cake mix, butter, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 1 minute and then on medium-high speed for two additional minutes.
STEP FOUR: Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, pile dollops of cake batter into the pans, rotating between the white and chocolate cake mixes. Fill the pans about ⅔ of the way full to prevent overflowing. You may not use all of the batter.
PRO TIP: I filled my pans quite full (¾ of the way full) to use up all the batter. I baked the cakes with a sheet pan on the shelf underneath in the oven to catch any spills. The cakes puffed over the rim. If you have deeper 9-inch cake pans, you can use those. I like the extra height on the cakes by filling the pans really full. You can just trim any overage with a bread knife before frosting.
STEP FIVE: Use a knife to cut through the batter and swirl the two colors. Do not over swirl, which can result in the colors blending.
PRO TIP: The marble effect comes from swirling the two cake colors into each other. There isn’t a specific pattern or movement; just let your knife flow all the way down to the bottom of the pan and swirl a few times in curved strokes throughout the batter.
STEP SIX: Bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out with just a few crumbs. The pans are going to be more full than with a single cake mix, so the cook time will likely be 5 to 10 minutes longer than indicated on the box of cake mix.
STEP SEVEN: Cool the cakes for 10 to 15 minutes and then remove the cakes from the pans and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.
PRO TIP: Freeze cake layers before frosting to make them firmer and easier to assemble and frost. Wrap with plastic wrap once cooled completely and then place in the freezer for 1 hour or up to 1 week. No need to defrost before assembling and frosting the cake.
STEP EIGHT: Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Chop the German chocolate baking bar into small pieces. Use a double boiler or 30-second increments in the microwave to melt the chocolate. Stir until fully melted and set aside to cool.
STEP NINE: Use a whisk to stir together the cocoa powder and hot water (or hot cream) until smooth and shiny.
STEP TEN: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, cooled German chocolate, cocoa powder mixture, and powdered sugar. Beat until fully combined and fluffy.
STEP ELEVEN: Level the tops of the cakes (and any lip from overfilled cake pans) with a serrated knife.
STEP TWELVE: Frost the bottom cake layer with about ½ cup of chocolate frosting.
STEP THIRTEEN: Stack the second cake layer on top of the first, top side down.
STEP FOURTEEN: Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
PRO TIP: The frosting can be chilled in the refrigerator if it is too soft or if you wish to prepare it in advance. Give it another quick beat with a hand or stand mixer before using it to frost the cake. The frosting is not shelf-stable – meaning that the cake should be kept chilled until serving and for storage.
How to Serve Marble Cake
Scrumptious layer cakes like this marble cake are not only delicious but beautiful to look at. This gorgeous marble cake is the perfect choice to serve for a birthday or other special occasion. Add whipped hot chocolate to drink for even more chocolatey goodness.
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Cover this layer cake with plastic wrap or in an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
IN THE FREEZER: This easy marble cake recipe will also freeze for up to 3 months.
Marble cake is not only incredibly pretty to look at, but friends and family will love the swirled cake flavors inside. With two buttery, rich layers of fluffy white and chocolate swirled cake topped with rich chocolate frosting, this will be an afternoon delight for your taste buds. The two flavors are swirled together to form a lovely marbled effect for this moist cake.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I store this cake at room temperature?
This easy recipe is best kept in the fridge since the frosting needs to be kept chilled.
Could I turn this cake into a single-layer rectangular cake?
You could make a marbled cake in a 9×13 pan if you wish. Just use however much cake batter fills the pan ⅔ full and set aside any remaining batter.
Can I freeze this cake?
This homemade chocolate marble cake will freeze for up to three months as long as it is wrapped well.
MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE
Marble Cake
Marble cake features two buttery, rich layers of fluffy white and chocolate swirled cake topped with rich chocolate frosting.
Ingredients
White Cake
- 1 box white cake mix or yellow cake mix
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup milk or buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Cake
- 1 box chocolate cake mix
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- 3 large eggs
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 cup milk or buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup hot water or heated heavy cream
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 ounces German chocolate or semi-sweet baking bar melted and cooled
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spray two 9-inch round cake pans with non-stick cooking spray or use the wrappers from the butter to grease them thoroughly.
- In one mixing bowl, combine the white cake ingredients: cake mix, butter, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 1 minute and then on medium-high speed for two additional minutes. Set aside.
- In a second mixing bowl, combine the chocolate cake ingredients: chocolate cake mix, butter, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low speed for 1 minute and then on medium-high speed for two additional minutes.
- Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, pile dollops of cake batter into the pans, rotating between the white and chocolate cake mixes. Fill the pans about ⅔ of the way full to prevent overflowing. You may not use all of the batter.
- Use a knife to cut through the batter and swirl the two colors. Do not over swirl, which can result in the colors blending.
- Bake for about 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the cakes comes out with just a few crumbs. The pans are going to be more full than with a single cake mix, so the cook time will likely be 5 to 10 minutes longer than indicated on the box of cake mix.
- Cool the cakes for 10 to 15 minutes and then remove the cakes from the pans and let them cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Meanwhile, prepare the frosting. Chop the German chocolate baking bar into small pieces. Use a double boiler or 30-second increments in the microwave to melt the chocolate. Stir until fully melted and set aside to cool.
- Use a whisk to stir together the cocoa powder and hot water (or hot cream) until smooth and shiny.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, cooled German chocolate, cocoa powder mixture, and powdered sugar. Beat until fully combined and fluffy.
- Level the tops of the cakes (and any lip from overfilled cake pans) with a serrated knife.
- Frost the bottom cake layer with about ½ cup of chocolate frosting.
- Stack the second cake layer on top of the first, top side down.
- Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting.
Notes
PRO TIP: I filled my pans quite full (¾ of the way full) to use up all the batter. I baked the cakes with a sheet pan on the shelf underneath in the oven to catch any spills. The cakes puffed over the rim. If you have deeper 9-inch cake pans, you can use those. I like the extra height on the cakes by filling the pans really full. You can just trim any overage with a bread knife before frosting.
PRO TIP: The marble effect comes from swirling the two cake colors into each other. There isn’t a specific pattern or movement; just let your knife flow all the way down to the bottom of the pan and swirl a few times in curved strokes throughout the batter.
PRO TIP: Freeze cake layers before frosting to make them firmer and easier to assemble and frost. Wrap with plastic wrap once cooled completely and then place in the freezer for 1 hour or up to 1 week. No need to defrost before assembling and frosting the cake.
PRO TIP: The frosting can be chilled in the refrigerator if it is too soft or if you wish to prepare it in advance. Give it another quick beat with a hand or stand mixer before using it to frost the cake. The frosting is not shelf-stable – meaning that the cake should be kept chilled until serving and for storage.
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