need the perfect marble cake recipe?
A great Marble Cake Recipe, like this one, evokes sweet childhood memories to enjoy.
With the two colors of batter swirled together this makes for a beautiful presentation when you slice the cake. Kids just love it.
The classic pairing is chocolate and vanilla, but there are so many more possibilities...thousands really!
Like chocolate & orange, raspberry & ginger, blueberry & banana just to name a few.
Make sure you try the variations after the main recipe - they're amazing. You'll find yourself returning to it time and time again.
And don't forget a fabulous decorative bundt pan to bake your cake in.
ingredients
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yields one 10" round cake (3 layers) or 24 cupcakes
- 2 sticks butter (8 ounces)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla
- 4 eggs
- 2 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk
- 3 ounces semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Preheat oven to 350° F. Prepare a 10" round x 3" deep cake pan by spraying with non-stick cooking spray and lining bottom of each pan with a wax paper circle cut to fit.
here's what you do:
1.using an electric mixer beat butter and sugar at high speed until lighter in color and fluffy.
2.add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition
3.sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt on to a piece of parchment or wax paper.
4.mix the milk and vanilla together.
5.add the dry ingredients and wet ingredients alternately to the batter, ending with the dry ingredients.
6.divide the batter evenly into two bowls and mix the melted, choped chocolate into one.
7.alternately spoon vanilla then chocolate batter into the prepared pan, alternating the colors all around the pan.
8.use the handle of a spoon to gently draw swirls through the two colors of batter to get the marbelized effect, but not too much or you'll lose the effect completely.
9.bake for 35 minutes or so (check after 35 minutes and every 10 minutes after that), until a cake tester inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
10.cool the cake in the pan for about 15 minutes then turn out of the pan on to a wire rack to cool completely.
variations on a theme...
Warning: Once you try these variations, you may find yourself making any old excuse to bake!
Blueberry Banana
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A fabulous combination no-one can resist.
Substitutions in the vanilla batter:
- add 2/3 cup mashed banana (about 1 large banana)
- add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- add 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- add 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
- add 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
substitutions in the chocolate batter:
- omit the chocolate called for in the recipe
- add 3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- add 1/4 cup of blueberry preserves
fold the additions in by hand after the batter has been divided.
Blueberry Lemon
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A perfect reminder of Summer any time of the year.
Substitutions in the vanilla batter:
- add zest of 2-3 large lemons (2 tablespoons zest)
- add 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
substitutions in the chocolate batter:
- omit the chocolate called for in the recipe
- add 3/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- add 1/4 cup of blueberry preserves
fold the additions in by hand after the batter has been divided.
Chocolate Orange Treat
birthday cake - cake recipe - marble cake recipe
Chocolate and orange are a classic combination.
Substitutions in the vanilla batter:
- add 2 tablespoons of orange zest (1-2 large oranges)
- add 2 tablespoons of fresh orange juice
- add 1/4 teaspoon pure orange extract
- omit the vanilla called for in the recipe
No substitutions in the chocolate batter:
fold the additions in by hand after the batter has been divided.
Coconut Rough
birthday cake - cake recipe - marble cake recipe
this is named after a fabulous chocolate and coconut treat I grew up with in Australia.
Substitutions in the vanilla batter:
- replace the milk with coconut milk and add when the milk is called for
- add 1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut - fold in by hand at the end of the recipe
No substitutions in the chocolate batter:
fold the additions in by hand after the batter has been divided.
Lemon Raspberry Swirl
birthday cake - cake recipe - marble cake recipe
Lemon and raspberry is a fabulous combination and the ginger adds an unexpected boost to the lemon.
Substitutions in the vanilla batter:
- add 2 tablespoons of lemon zest (2-3 large lemons)
- add 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- add 2 tablespoons of fresh grated ginger or 1 tablespoon of ground ginger
- omit the vanilla called for in the recipe
Substitutions in the chocolate batter:
- omit the chocolate called for in the recipe
- add 3/4 cup of seedless raspberry preserves
fold the additions in by hand after the batter has been divided.
Perfect Lemon Vanilla Cake
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Lemon and vanilla are a simple match made in heaven. Perfect drizzled with lemon syrup and dusted with a little powdered sugar
No substitutions in the vanilla batter.
Substitutions in the chocolate batter:
- zest of 2-3 large lemons (2 tablespoons zest)
- 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
fold the additions in by hand after the batter has been divided.
White Chocolate Raspberry With A Zing
This is pure heaven!
Substitutions in the vanilla batter:
- add 3/4 cup seedless raspberry preserves
- add 2 tablespoons of fresh grated ginger or 1 tablespoon of ground ginger
Substitutions in the chocolate batter:
- add 3 ounces white chocolate, chopped (the best you can afford)
fold the additions in by hand after the batter has been divided.
perfect cake presentation the easy way
So you've got your perfect marble cake recipe, right? Now for the perfect presentation. Try one of these beautiful bundt pans for a stellar cake presentation the easy way!
Just bake, dust with powdered sugar and you're good to go. Easy!
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