Marble Cake

Name: Marble Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 125 min
Ingredients: 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; 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; 4 ounces German chocolate or semi-sweet baking bar, (melted and cooled); ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder; ½ cup hot water, (or heated heavy cream); 1 cup salted butter, (softened); 2 cups powdered sugar

This delicious homemade marble cake features two layers of moist chocolate and white cake swirled together to create a fancy marbled effect before being topped with a rich chocolate frosting.

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Table of Contents

Marble Cake Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Marble Cake Recipe
How to Serve
Storing This Chocolate Marble Cake
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes You’ll Love
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Cakes are always a treat, but this marble cake is the creme de la creme. With two buttery, rich layers of fluffy white and chocolate swirled cake topped with decadent chocolate frosting, this will be an afternoon delight for your taste buds.

close up shot of Marble Cake with a slice missing

Marble Cake Ingredients

Marble Cake raw ingredients that are labeled

You’ll need:

For The White Cake:

1 (15.25-ounce) box of white or yellow cake mix
½ cup of salted butter, softened
3 large eggs
¼ cup of sour cream
1 cup of milk or buttermilk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

For The Chocolate Cake:

1 (15.25-ounce) box of chocolate cake mix
½ cup of salted butter, softened
3 large eggs
¼ cup of sour cream
1 cup of milk or buttermilk
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

For The Frosting:

4-ounce German chocolate or semi-sweet baking bar, melted and cooled
½ cup of hot water or heated heavy cream
½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup of salted butter, softened
2 cups of powdered sugar

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 This Marble Cake Recipe

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 large bowl, combine the white or yellow cake batter 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.

white cake mix, butter, eggs, sour cream buttermilk and vanilla extract being blended together in a bowl

STEP THREE: In a separate bowl, combine the chocolate cake batter 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.

chocolate cake mix, butter, eggs, sour cream, buttermilk, and vanilla extract combined in a different bowl

STEP FOUR: Using an ice cream scoop or large spoon, pile dollops of cake batter into the pans, rotating between the white and chocolate batter.

Fill the pans about ⅔ of the way full to prevent overflowing. You may not use all of the batter, depending on your pan.

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.

batter scooped into 2 pans, rotating between the white and chocolate cake mix

STEP FIVE: Use a butter 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.

two batters being swirled together with a knife

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 fuller than with a single cake mix, so the bake 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 wire 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 chopped chocolate. Stir until fully melted and set aside to cool.

chocolate chopped into small pieces and melt in a microwave

STEP NINE: Use a whisk to stir together the cocoa powder and hot water (or hot cream) until smooth and shiny.

cocoa powder and hot water or cream being whisked together in a bowl

STEP TEN: In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the softened butter, cooled melted chocolate, cocoa powder mixture, and powdered sugar.

Beat until the butter mixture is fully combined and fluffy.

butter, melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar being combined in a bowl

STEP ELEVEN: Level the tops of the cakes (and any lip from overfilled cake pans) with a serrated knife.

top of the cakes leveled with a serrated knife

STEP TWELVE: Using an offset spatula, 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.

second cake placed on top of the frosted cake

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

This gorgeous marble cake is the perfect choice to serve for a birthday or other special occasion. It is incredibly pretty to look at, and your guests will love the swirled cake flavors inside.

Add a whipped hot chocolate to drink for even more chocolatey goodness.

For two more delectable cake options, our black magic cake and strawberry cake are both scrumptious layer cakes that are not only delicious but beautiful to look at.

MORE CAKE RECIPES

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Storing This Chocolate Marble Cake

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 is one of my favorite confections with the combination of chocolate and white cake. The two flavors are swirled together to form a lovely marbled effect for this moist marble cake. This decadent and beautiful creation is perfect for serving at any party.

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

5 from 5 votes

This delicious homemade marble cake features two layers of moist chocolate and white cake swirled together to create a fancy marbled effect before being topped with a rich chocolate frosting.

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 40

Total Time 2 5

Servings

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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

4 ounces German chocolate or semi-sweet baking bar, melted and cooled
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup hot water, or heated heavy cream
1 cup salted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar

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

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.
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.
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.
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.

Nutrition

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Marble Cake

Marble Cake Ingredients

Substitutions And Additions

How To Make This Marble Cake Recipe

How to Serve