Description
A moist and tender marble cake swirled with vanilla and chocolate flavors, made extra rich with sour cream. Perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients
Let me share all the ingredients you need to make this delicious marble cake. The recipe works best when you use high-quality ingredients at room temperature.
For the vanilla batter:
- Butter: 1½ cups (339g) unsalted butter, softened
- Sugar: 1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- Eggs: 5 large eggs at room temperature
- Vanilla Extract: 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- Sour Cream: 1¼ cups full-fat
- Flour: 2½ cups sifted cake flour
- Leavening Agents: 1½ teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Salt: ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Milk: ¼ cup whole milk
For the chocolate mixture:
- Chocolate: 3 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- Cocoa Powder: 3 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
- Additional Butter: 4 teaspoons unsalted butter
- Corn Syrup: 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- Water: 3 tablespoons
- Baking Soda: ¼ teaspoon
You can dust the cake with powdered sugar to give it an elegant finish. The cake’s taste depends a lot on the chocolate quality, so I suggest using premium brands like Lindt. Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature before you start – this helps them mix well and creates the best texture.
Instructions
This moist marble cake recipe needs exact steps to turn out perfectly every time. Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) before you start.
- Beat the softened butter until it gets fluffy. Add sugar and beat for 10 minutes until it becomes light and airy.
- Drop in eggs one at a time and mix each one really well. Add sour cream and vanilla extract until everything combines nicely.
- Mix in the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with milk. Mix just enough to combine – don’t overmix.
- Take out 1½ cups of vanilla batter to make the chocolate part. Mix melted chocolate or cocoa powder into this reserved batter.
- Layer the batters in your prepared pan:
- Put down a thin vanilla layer first
- Add spoonfuls of chocolate and vanilla batters
- Shake the pan gently to even out the surface
- Make the marble pattern with a knife. Draw horizontal zigzags first, then vertical lines. Don’t mix too much – you want clear swirls.
The cake needs 65-75 minutes to bake. A toothpick should come out clean when done. Let it cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Cover the top loosely with foil if it browns too fast.
Your marble loaf cake should cool completely on a wire rack before you slice it. The inside temperature should hit 200°F (93°C) when it’s done right. Dust it with powdered sugar or add your favorite topping once it cools.
Notes
The right storage methods make a remarkable difference in this moist marble cake recipe’s quality. Proper wrapping and resting time boost both texture and flavor. The cake needs three days of rest to achieve that perfect melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Best storage options include:
- Room temperature: Store in airtight container up to 3 days
- Freezer: Wrap in double layer plastic wrap plus foil, keeps up to 3 months
- Thawing: Allow 1-2 hours at room temperature
Making your own cake flour will substantially improve the texture. You can replace one cup of all-purpose flour by taking out two tablespoons and adding two tablespoons of cornstarch. Sifting this mixture four times is a vital step to mix everything properly.
The recipe works well with several ingredient swaps. Full-fat Greek yogurt makes a great substitute for sour cream. Whole milk gives better results than its lower-fat alternatives. Adding espresso powder makes the chocolate flavor more intense without any coffee taste.
The cake might brown too fast while staying uncooked inside. Simply cover it with aluminum foil until a tester comes out clean. More cocoa powder leads to stronger chocolate flavor. Room temperature ingredients blend better and create an improved texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes