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Home » MUFFINS AND CAKES

Marble Loaf Cake

Published: Jan 16, 2021 by Meymi. This post may contain affiliate links.

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Front view of marble loaf cake with text overlay.
Stacked vanilla and chocolate marble cake slices.
Marble cake slices in a row with text overlay.
Three slices of marble cake with text overlay.
Collage of half of marble loaf cake and a slice of it.
Slices of marble cake loaf in a row with text overlay.

This delicious chocolate and vanilla marble loaf cake is soft and moist. You can make this recipe with simple ingredients in less than an hour from preparing to baking!

Front view of marble loaf cake.

Today I share my marble cake recipe that is so yummy and easy to make.  You don’t need a mixer to make this cake loaf just like my chocolate loaf cake, apple cake loaf and carrot cake loaf recipe.

First, you’ll mix a few ingredients in a bowl, and then pour some of the batter into another bowl, add the cocoa powder on top. Next, you’ll spoon two of the batter into a loaf pan and bake.  It is as simple as it sounds!

I love this marble loaf cake as it is but if you want it to be a more chocolatey dessert you can add a chocolate ganache on top. If you haven’t visited yet, I have a full post on how to make chocolate ganache.

Stacked marble cake loaf slices.

Ingredients you’ll need

Ingredients for marble cake loaf on a white surface.
  • All-purpose flour– gives structure
  • Baking powder– works as a leavener
  • Cocoa Powder-I use unsweetened cocoa powder.
  • Eggs-give structure and add moisture.
  • Sugar-I use granulated sugar
  • Butter-Melted butter gives moisture and enriches the flavor.
  • Milk-gives moisture
  • Vanilla– I use pure vanilla extract.
Slices of marble cake loaf in a row.

How to make a marble cake from scratch

First I melt the butter halfway in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Then I take it from the heat and stir until it is all melted.  This way the butter cools easily and it doesn’t cook the eggs when they are added.  I set aside the pan.

Halfway melted butter stirred with a fork till melted.

Next, I mix the flour and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside the bowl as well.

Flour and baking powder in a glass mixing bowl with a whisk.

Then I mix the eggs and sugar in a medium bowl and stir with a whisk for almost 30-40 seconds until just combined.

Eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl mixed with a whisk.

Later I add the milk, melted butter and vanilla extract and stir with a whisk.

Adding milk, melted butter and vanilla extract to the egg mixture.

Next, I add the flour mixture in 3 batches. First I stir with a whisk and then continue with a spoon as it makes this step easy.

Flour mixture over the egg mixture. Stirring the mixture with a spoon.

Then I divide the batter almost in half.  You can definitely divide in half but please be aware that in this case the slices will have more chocolate parts than vanilla.

You can do this in two different ways. Either dip 1 cup into the batter and place it into a medium bowl without leveling, or after you divide the batter in half, add extra 2 tablespoons from the batter and place it in the other bowl without leveling.

Do you love being precise? It makes 320 grams or so. The other bowl will be around 420 grams.

Before adding the cocoa powder, I give it a stir to avoid lumps and I add it to the bowl that is less in amount and mix with a spoon. The cocoa batter will be thick which is totally fine.

Cocoa powder added to the batter and after stirred with a spoon.

Next, I place the two bowls with spoons inside and my pan in front of me. And then I start to spoon each batter next to each other (alternating) into the pan.

Cocoa batter and vanilla batter with spoons and loaf pan covered with parchment paper.

As I mentioned before, the cocoa mixture will be thicker so if you need to use two spoons feel free to do so.

Spooning vanilla and chocolate batter intp the loaf pan.

And then when I go through the second layer, I put the opposite batters on top of the first layer. Vanilla batter will spread after you spoon it which is totally fine.

Finally I repeat the same step with the third layer and I take a knife and make a swirl.

Spooning second and third layer into the loaf and use a knife to make a swirl.

I bake for 40-42 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Few moist crumbs are fine. You can check your oven after 35 minutes as the baking time may change from oven to oven.

After I remove it from the oven, I let it cool for 20 minutes in the pan and once I removed it, I let it cool for around 20 minutes.

If you want to make a ganache, you can make it while the cake is baking and spread it on top when the cake is cooled. You can find the details in the recipe card below under notes.

Half of the loaf cake on a chopping board.

I hope you enjoy this easy recipe for marble cake!

Sliced marble cake in a loaf pan.

Frequently asked questions

How to store marble loaf cake

You can keep the completely cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days and in the fridge for up to 7 days.

How to freeze

You can wrap totally cooled cake loaf with a plastic film and then cover it with aluminum foil.  Instead of aluminum foil, you can place the cake in a freezer bag and take all the air inside. You can freeze for up to 3 months.

Slices of marble loaf cake.

OTHER CHOCOLATE RECIPES YOU MAY ENJOY!

  • Chocolate Ganache Tart
  • Easy Chocolate Chip Cookie Cake
  • Chocolate Cookies with Cocoa Powder
  • Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

I love hearing from you!  If you try this recipe or my other recipes please leave a comment and give a star rating!

Front view of marble loaf cake.

Marble Loaf Cake

This delicious chocolate and vanilla marble loaf cake is soft and moist. It is so easy to make!
5 from 10 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Cooling Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Calories: 260kcal
Author: Meymi

Ingredients

  • 210 g ( 1 and ½ cup) all-purpose flour, dip and sweep
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt, optional
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 155 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
  • 135 g (½ cup + 1 and ½ tablespoons) unsalted butter*, melted
  • 1 and ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 120 g (½ cup) milk, room temperature
  • 16 g (2 and ½ tablespoons) unsweetened cocoa powder**
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Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F(177°C).  Grease 8 ½ * 4 ½ inch (21,5*10,5cm) loaf pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, about 2 inches(5 cm) of overhang on each side.  If you like, you can grease and flour the dish instead of parchment paper. 
  • Place the flour, baking powder and salt if using in a medium bowl, set aside.
  • Put the eggs and sugar in a medium bowl and stir with a whisk for almost 30-40 seconds until just combined.
  • Add in the milk, melted butter and vanilla extract, stir with a whisk.
  • Add the flour mixture in 3 batches. You can stir with a whisk and then continue with a spoon as it makes this step easy.
  • Divide the batter almost in half: either dip 1 cup into the batter and place it into a medium bowl without leveling, or after you divide the batter in half, add extra 2 tablespoons from the batter and place it into the other bowl without leveling. Approximately one batter will be around 320 grams, the other batter will be 420 grams. If you like you can divide the batter in half but be aware that you'll see more chocolate parts once sliced.
  • Give a stir to the cocoa powder to avoid lumps and add into the bowl that is less in batter, stir with a spoon.
  • Spoon each batter, alternating both horizontally and vertically, into the pan. There'll be two rows. If you start with chocolate batter, then continue with vanilla and then chocolate again. The chocolate batter will be thick so you can use two spoons if you prefer. When you come to the next layer, put the opposite batters on top of the first layer and do the same for the third layer. Using a knife, make a swirl from the beginning to the end of the pan.
  • Bake for 40-42 minutes until or until a toothpick comes out clean. There can be few moist crumbs which are fine. You should check your oven after 35 minutes as the baking time may change from oven to oven.
  • Let the cake cool for 20 minutes in the pan and 20 minutes on a wire rack before slicing.

Notes

*I melt the butter halfway in a small saucepan over medium heat and take it from the heat, stir until it is all melted.   This way the butter cools easily and doesn’t cook the eggs when they are added. 
**I dip my spoon into cocoa powder and level it.  I accept 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder 6 to 6.5 grams.  I wanted to write my method here as in some places I see 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder as 7.5 grams.
How to store: You can keep the completely cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days and in the fridge for up to 7 days.
How to freeze: You can wrap totally cooled cake loaf with a plastic film and then cover it with aluminum foil.  Instead of aluminum foil, you can place the cake in a freezer bag and take all the air inside. You can freeze for up to 3 months.
Chocolate Ganache: If you want to turn this cake into a more chocolaty dessert, you can cover the top with chocolate ganache.  You can make your ganache while the cake is in the oven. You can use 1:1 ratio by weight. For 115 grams (4 oz) of semi-sweet chocolate, you can use 115 grams (½ cup) of heavy cream.  Simply you should pour the scalded (before the boiling stage) heavy cream over the chopped chocolate and stir until combined well. Let it cool at room temperature first and then you can keep it in the fridge.  You can check my how to make chocolate ganache post if you want to learn more about ganache.
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 260kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 138mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 418IU | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg
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