This incredible marble cake is made with two moist layers of marble cake which are frosted with chocolate fudge frosting.
This marble layer cake combines the best of both worlds. It features two layers of moist cake with swirls of vanilla and chocolate batter, creating a beautiful marbled effect.
The cake layers are stacked on top of each other, giving the dessert height and elegance. To make it even more tempting, the entire cake is covered in a rich, smooth chocolate fudge frosting.
This frosting adds a deep chocolate flavor and complements the marbled cake perfectly.
The result is a visually stunning and tasty cake that's perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or any time you want to indulge in something special.
For more delicious chocolate cake recipes, check out my chocolate tres leches cake, chocolate mayonnaise cake, chocolate brooklyn blackout cake, chocolate caramel cake, and Matildas chocolate cake.
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Why this recipe works
- Vanilla and chocolate flavor- each slice of cake reveals a beautiful swirl of vanilla and chocolate cake. The vanilla adds a sweet, creamy taste, while the chocolate brings a rich, cocoa flavor to every bite.
- Chocolate fudge frosting- the cake features a rich chocolate fudge frosting, adding decadence to the cake. Its sweetness complements the marble layers perfectly without overwhelming them.
- Texture- the texture of the cake is soft and moist, neither too dense nor too light. The marbling effect not only looks pretty but also creates subtle variations in texture throughout. The chocolate fudge frosting adds a creamy and smooth finish to the cake.
- Freezer friendly- this cake freezes great and can be frozen for up to 2 months in an airtight freezer friendly container and is great for making ahead of time.
- Perfect for any occasion- this cake is perfect for birthdays, parties, holidays, events, or any other occasion!
Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Butter- use unsalted butter for this recipe. Only butter will work for this recipe, no margarine, and no coconut oil. Margarine has a weird taste and can ruin the flavor of this cake.
Eggs- you will need 3 large eggs for this recipe. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature.
Flour– we used all-purpose flour for this recipe. cake flour will work great as well.
Baking powder– baking powder allows the cake to rise. Make sure that your baking powder is not expired.
Granulated sugar– we like to use granulated sugar, the most common sugar used in baking. Caster sugar will work great as well.
Vanilla extract- Vanilla extract Is an essential ingredient for chocolate cake and adds extra flavor.
Milk– gives the cake extra moisture. Use whole milk for this recipe.
Vegetable oil – we used vegetable oil for this recipe. canola oil will work great for this recipe.
Vinegar- is the secret ingredient that makes this cake extra moist and tender. You will need two teaspoons of vinegar for this recipe.
Sour cream- use either sour cream or Greek yogurt. Both will work great.
Kosher salt- you will need about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
Dutch cocoa powder– I like to use Dutch-process cocoa powder for the cake because I like the deep and rich chocolate taste, but the natural cocoa powder will work great as well!
Dark chocolate- melt the dark chocolate in the microwave or on the stovetop.
For the frosting
Chocolate- use the best quality semisweet or dark chocolate bars for the best flavor. Using the best quality dark chocolate is very important in this frosting.
Butter- we used unsalted butter for the frosting but you can use salted butter and skip the salt.
Heavy cream- use full-fat heavy cream for this recipe. This can't be substituted.
Powder sugar- you will need powdered sugar for this recipe. You don’t have to buy powdered sugar, you can simply make it at home by blending granulated sugar in a blender or food processor.
Instructions
Preheat an oven to 180c (350f) and prepare 2 8-inch baking pans with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, add the soft butter, vanilla extract, kosher salt, and sugar. Mix with an electric hand mixer until creamy and smooth for about 3 minutes.
Add the eggs and the oil and mix until well combined.
Add the sour cream, and vinegar, and mix until creamy and smooth.
Add ½ of the flour and ½ of the milk, and baking powder and mix it until almost combined.
Add the rest of the flour and milk and mix until just combined and there are no lumps of flour visible.
Divide the mixture in half, add the melted chocolate, and sift the cocoa powder into one-half of the cake mixture and mix until just combined. Don't overmix.
Divide the vanilla cake batter between two 8-inch baking pans. Using a ¼ cup measure, drop scoops of chocolate cake batter over the vanilla batter, distributing it evenly between the pans.
Use a toothpick or a butter knife to make swirls in the batter creating a marbled effect. Don’t overdo it so you don’t get a mixed batter.
Bake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes (depending on your oven) or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting so the frosting won't melt off the cake.
Make the frosting
Into a saucepan, add the butter, heavy cream, and dark chocolate, and sift the cocoa powder powdered sugar, and kosher salt.
Heat all the ingredients over medium heat mixing constantly until the mixture is smooth and melted.
Strain the mixture into a large bowl or baking pan to speed up the cooling process.
Cover the top with plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap is directly touching the top of the frosting. This will prevent skin from forming.
Let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, and then transfer it to the fridge to cool for another 1-2 hours. (depending on the thickness you are looking for)
Remove the frosting from the fridge and give it a mix with a spoon or a spatula.
Assembly
Pipe a small dollop of the frosting on the surface that you will frost on. Lay the first cake layer over the frosting dot.
Top the first cake layer with about ⅓ of the frosting and spread an even layer using a spatula.
Top it with the second cake layer. Frost the cake with the remaining frosting and make a wave pattern using an offset spatula.
Expert Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly. you don’t want to place cold batter into the oven.
- Use cake strips! Cake strips give you even and perfectly baked cake layers. Click here for the Amazon link.
- Don't over swirl. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the batters together. Limit yourself to a few figure-eight motions to avoid over-mixing, which can muddy the distinct colors.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don't cook this frosting on very high heat so the chocolate won't burn. If you are using very high heat, the texture of this frosting will become grainy and not smooth.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your loaf cake will release easily from the pan.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to frost this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be firmer and won’t crumble up, and prevent the frosting from melting.
Faq's
Marble cake is made by combining two different cake batters, usually vanilla and chocolate flavors.
Before baking, both cake batters are swirled together, creating a pretty pattern that looks like marble. This gives the cake its unique look and name.
To create a marble effect in the cake: Prepare two different colored batters, Pour light batter into the pan, add dollops of dark batter on top, and gently swirl batters with a knife or skewer, avoiding overmixing.
Overbaking is a common reason, as it removes too much moisture from the batter. Using incorrect measurements, particularly too much flour or too little liquid, can also lead to dryness.
Additionally, overmixing the batter can develop excess gluten, resulting in a tough, dry texture.
Storing
This cake will last up to 4 in the fridge. Cover the cake with plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out.
Freezing
To freeze individual slices, wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, then cover with aluminum foil. Place the wrapped slices in a freezer-safe container or bag.
For a whole cake, first put it in the freezer uncovered for about an hour to firm up the frosting. Then, wrap the entire cake in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil.
Make sure there are no air pockets to prevent freezer burn. Whether you're freezing slices or a whole cake, label it with the date and type of cake.
When stored properly, your chocolate layer cake can stay fresh in the freezer for up to three months. To thaw, simply move the cake or slices to the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Make it ahead of time
You can make this cake ahead by freezing the cake layers ahead of time.
Wrap each cake layer with a few layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours or in the fridge overnight.
When you are ready to frost and assemble the cake, make the frosting, and assemble the cake as written in the instructions!
Substitutions
Dairy-free- to make this cake dairy-free, replace the milk with almond milk and replace the butter in the frosting with vegan butter. Also, replace the heavy cream with coconut cream.
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
Variations
Zest- lots of people like the orange and chocolate combinations. If you do, add 1 tablespoon of orange zest to this cake to add a zesty orange flavor.
Frosting- instead of using the chocolate fudge frosting, you can use your favorite chocolate frosting like dark chocolate frosting, chocolate whipped cream frosting, stabilized chocolate whipped cream frosting, chocolate cream cheese frosting, etc.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl set
- Saucepan
- Rubber spatula
- 8-inch cake pans.
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- Strainer basket
- Offset spatula- for frosting the cake
More cake recipes
Butter Cake- This classic moist and tender butter cake is quick and simple to make, bursting with buttery flavor, and is perfect for snacking.
Lemon Poppy Seed Cake- This lemon poppy seed cake is made with a tender lemon and poppyseed cake that is topped with lemon mascarpone cream and lemon curd.
Fraisier Cake- Fraisier cake is a French strawberry cake that is made with a genoise sponge, strawberry syrup, filled with diplomat cream, and fresh strawberries.
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If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe
Marble Cake w/ Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 ½ cups Granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoon Butter room temp, unsalted
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ⅓ cup Vegetable oil
- 3 Eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoon Vinegar
- ¼ cup Sour cream
- 2 ⅓ cups Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- ¾ cup Milk
- 4 oz Dark chocolate 60% melted
- 2 tablespoon Cocoa powder
For the frosting
- 9.5 oz Butter unsalted
- 12 oz Dark chocolate
- ⅓ cup Cocoa powder
- 1 cup Heavy cream
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 180c (350f) and prepare 2 8-inch baking pans with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the soft butter, vanilla extract, kosher salt, and sugar. Mix with an electric hand mixer until creamy and smooth for about 3 minutes.
- Add the eggs and the oil and mix until well combined.
- Add the sour cream, and vinegar, and mix until creamy and smooth.
- Add ½ of the flour and ½ of the milk, and baking powder and mix it until almost combined.
- Add the rest of the flour and milk and mix until just combined and there are no lumps of flour visible.
- Divide the mixture in half, add the melted chocolate, and sift the cocoa powder into one-half of the cake mixture and mix until just combined. Don't overmix.
- Divide the vanilla cake batter between two 8-inch baking pans. Using a ¼ cup measure, drop scoops of chocolate cake batter over the vanilla batter, distributing it evenly between the pans.
- Use a toothpick or a butter knife to make swirls in the batter creating a marbled effect. Don’t overdo it so you don’t get a mixed batter.
- Bake in a 180c (350f) preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes (depending on your oven) or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting so the frosting won't melt off the cake.
Make the frosting
- Into a saucepan, add the butter, heavy cream, and dark chocolate, and sift the cocoa powder powdered sugar, and kosher salt.
- Heat all the ingredients over medium heat mixing constantly until the mixture is smooth and melted.
- Strain the mixture into a large bowl or baking pan to speed up the cooling process.
- Cover the top with plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap is directly touching the top of the frosting. This will prevent skin from forming.
- Let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, and then transfer it to the fridge to cool for another 1-2 hours. (depending on the thickness you are looking for)
- Remove the frosting from the fridge and give it a mix with a spoon or a spatula.
Assembly
- Pipe a small dollop of the frosting on the surface that you will frost on. Lay the first cake layer over the frosting dot.
- Top the first cake layer with about ⅓ of the frosting and spread an even layer using a spatula.
- Top it with the second cake layer. Frost the cake with the remaining frosting and make a wave pattern using an offset spatula.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly. you don’t want to place cold batter into the oven.
- Use cake strips! Cake strips give you even and perfectly baked cake layers. Click here for the Amazon link.
- Don't over swirl. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the batters together. Limit yourself to a few figure-eight motions to avoid over-mixing, which can muddy the distinct colors.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs and butter. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don't cook this frosting on very high heat so the chocolate won't burn. If you are using very high heat, the texture of this frosting will become grainy and not smooth.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your loaf cake will release easily from the pan.
- Be patient! I know it’s extremely tempting to frost this cake as it is pulled out of the oven, but let the cake cool for at least 1 hour so it will be firmer and won’t crumble up, and prevent the frosting from melting.
Mary says
It's as tasty as it looks!