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Marble Cake with Chocolate Buttercream Frosting Recipe

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4.5 from 100 reviews

A classic and visually stunning Marble Cake featuring moist vanilla and chocolate swirled layers, topped with a rich and creamy chocolate buttercream frosting. Perfect for celebrations or any occasion that calls for a delicious and elegant dessert.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups (325g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup (20g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp black cocoa powder (optional)
  • 4 cups (520g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 cup (80g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (for frosting)

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups (360mL) milk, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, room temperature (for batter)
  • 1/3 cup (80mL) vegetable oil or any neutral flavored oil
  • 1 1/2 cups (340g) unsalted butter, room temperature (for frosting)
  • 1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp pure vanilla extract (divided)
  • 5 tablespoons whole milk, room temperature (for cocoa mixture in batter)
  • 3–4 tbsp milk (for frosting, amount can be adjusted)

Instructions

  1. Prepare pans: Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter two 8″ or 9″ round cake pans, line bottoms with parchment paper, dust the sides with flour and tap out excess. Set aside.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Curdle milk: In a large measuring cup, combine milk and white vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes until thickened and slightly curdled.
  4. Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, combine unsalted butter, vegetable oil, and granulated sugar. Beat with an electric mixer or stir by hand until lump-free and slightly grainy in texture.
  5. Add eggs and vanilla: Whisk in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract with the last egg.
  6. Alternate dry and wet: Add the dry ingredients and curdled milk alternately to the batter. Begin with about 1/3 of dry ingredients, then half the milk, another 1/3 dry, remaining milk, and finish with the last 1/3 dry mixture. Mix until just combined.
  7. Prepare chocolate batter: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the unsweetened cocoa powder, black cocoa powder (if using), and 5 tablespoons milk until smooth.
  8. Combine batters: Pour about half of the vanilla batter into the cocoa mixture and fold gently until fully combined and streak-free.
  9. Form marble pattern: Using a large cookie scoop or spoon, drop alternating dollops of vanilla and chocolate batter into each prepared pan, creating a checkerboard-like pattern.
  10. Create marble effect: Run a skewer or butter knife through the batter vertically and horizontally to lightly swirl and blend the batters, forming the characteristic marble pattern.
  11. Bake: Place pans in the center of the preheated oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes if using 8″ pans or 25-30 minutes for 9″ pans. Insert a skewer into the center; it should come out clean with only a few moist crumbs.
  12. Cool cakes: Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto wire racks. Allow to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
  13. Make chocolate buttercream: In a large bowl, beat together the unsalted butter and powdered sugar on low speed until sugar is dissolved.
  14. Add cocoa and flavor: Mix in sifted cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, 3 tablespoons milk, and vanilla extract. Beat on low until combined, then increase speed to high and whip for about 1 minute until smooth and fluffy.
  15. Adjust consistency: If frosting is too thick, add extra milk one tablespoon at a time until desired spreading consistency is reached.
  16. Assemble and frost: Place one cooled cake layer on a turntable or cake stand. Spread frosting evenly on top. Place the second cake layer on top and use the remaining frosting to cover the entire outside of the cake.

Notes

  • Allow all ingredients, especially eggs and milk, to be at room temperature for better batter mixing and cake rise.
  • Optional black cocoa powder intensifies the chocolate flavor and darkens the batter; if unavailable, use only unsweetened cocoa powder.
  • Be careful not to overmix the batter once dry ingredients are added to keep the cake tender.
  • Use a skewer or toothpick to check the cake’s doneness; a few moist crumbs are preferred over a wet batter.
  • Frost the cake only after it has completely cooled to avoid melting the buttercream.
  • The frosting consistency can be adjusted with milk to suit spreading or piping needs.
  • This recipe yields two 8″ or 9″ cake layers that can be used for stacking or layering.

Keywords: marble cake, chocolate vanilla cake, buttercream frosting, layered cake, classic cake recipe

Find it online: https://nayabaker.com/marble-cake-with-chocolate-buttercream-frosting-recipe/