Marble Cake Recipe (Better Than Starbucks!)
Craving that rich, buttery Marble Cake from Starbucks? This homemade marble cake is even better! Swirled with chocolate and vanilla, this marble cake recipe delivers a moist, tender loaf that’s perfect with coffee or tea. Whether you're baking for brunch, a potluck, or a cozy weekend treat, this moist marble cake recipe is simple, stunning, and guaranteed to impress. Learn how to create those beautiful marbled swirls with our step-by-step guide and bake the best marble cake recipe right in your kitchen!
Equipment
- Electric mixer – For smooth batter and fluffy texture.
- Loaf pan (9x5-inch) – Perfect size for a dense, bakery-style loaf.
- Mixing bowls – To separate and swirl batters.
- Cooling rack – Let the cake cool completely before slicing.
Ingredients
- baking spray
- 1 ⅔ cups 333 g granulated sugar
- ¾ cup 170 g salted butter - room temperature (1 ½ sticks)
- 4 large eggs - room temperature
- 1 tablespoon 15 ml pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup 153 g full-fat sour cream - room temperature
- 2 cups 250 g cake flour - measured by weight using a kitchen scale or with the spoon and level method
- ½ teaspoon 2 g baking soda
- ⅓ cup 29 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup 59 ml boiling water
Instructions
- Make the base batter – Start by creaming butter and sugar, then beat in eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and cake flour.
- Divide the batter – Split the batter in two. Mix cocoa powder and boiling water into one portion to create the chocolate batter.
- Layer in the loaf pan – Alternate spoonfuls of vanilla and chocolate batter into your greased loaf pan.
- Swirl – Use a butter knife to gently swirl the batters together for a marbled effect.
- Bake – Pop into the oven and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients help the batter mix more evenly.
- Don’t overmix the batter once you add flour—this keeps the cake soft.
- Let it cool completely before slicing for clean, neat cuts.
- Store tightly wrapped at room temp for up to 3 days—or refrigerate for longer freshness.