Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Cake
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With this chocolate and vanilla marble cake, you get the best of both worlds! This soft and fluffy cake has marbled chocolate and vanilla and is covered in the best chocolate frosting. Plus, this cake uses just one cake batter, which makes it super easy.
Are you team fudgy chocolate cake or team soft vanilla cake? With this vanilla chocolate cake, you don’t have to choose! Using my tried and true vanilla cake batter, I then add some unsweetened cocoa powder and mix the two cake batters together.
This chocolate and vanilla cake is going to be your new go-to birthday cake. No more fighting about vanilla versus chocolate since you get both!
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Cake
- It’s a simple layer cake that’s made from one cake batter; no need to make a second one!
- This soft and fluffy cake is covered in the best chocolate buttercream.
- Because of the marbling, every slice is unique!
- This vanilla chocolate cake uses both oil and butter, keeping it super soft and moist.
Ingredients Needed
- Butter: Feel free to use regular butter or vegan butter if you’re dairy-free.
- Oil: You’ll want to use a neutral oil, like sunflower oil or vegetable oil.
- Milk: You can use vegan milk or regular whole milk.
- Cocoa Powder: We’ll add a little bit of unsweetened cocoa powder to make the chocolate batter.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°Fahrenheit and spray two 8-inch round cake pans with cooking spray. Line the bottoms of both pans with parchment paper.
Step 2: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a bowl with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and oil together. Add the vanilla and eggs.
Step 3: Mix in the granulated sugar.
Step 4: Add the salt, baking powder, flour, and cornstarch to a medium bowl and whisk.
Step 5: Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the milk. Mix until combined.
Step 6: Add ½ of the vanilla cake batter to a separate bowl. Mix in the cocoa powder and hot water, and mix to make the chocolate batter.
Step 7: Alternate adding the vanilla cake batter and chocolate cake batter to each pan. Use a knife to swirl the batter to make it look marbled.
Step 8: Bake in the preheated oven for 24-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Step 9: Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool on a wire cooling rack.
Step 10: In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a handheld mixer, beat the butter and cocoa powder until smooth.
Step 11: Add the vanilla, then add the icing sugar ¼ cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency. If you find the frosting too thick, add a tablespoon of milk at a time to thin it out. If it’s too thin, add ¼ cup of icing sugar at a time until it’s thicker.
Step 12: Once the cake layers have cooled completely, frost and enjoy!
How to Marble Your Cake
Did you know there are several ways you can marble a cake? The method I’ve used can also be called a zebra cake! I did this by starting with a spoonful of batter in the middle of each cake pan. I then placed a spoonful of the other batter on top. Keep alternating until you’re done! Finally, gently swirl the two batters together (I recommend checking out the image above for reference!)
There are other ways you can marble your cake if you don’t want the zebra pattern. Another way is to alternate spoonfuls of the cake batter into the cake pans, then drag a knife or wooden skewer through the two batters, creating a marble pattern.
Expert Tips
- I always recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh out your flour! It’s so easy to add too much flour if you use measuring cups, which will make your cake dry. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, then make sure you use the scoop and level method to weigh out your flour!
- Don’t skip out on lining the bottoms of your cake pans with parchment paper! Otherwise, the cake layers will stick to the pans.
- You can use 9-inch round cake pans, just note that the cake layers will be thinner, and they’ll need less time in the oven.
- Feel free to swap out the chocolate frosting for my favorite fudgy ganache frosting!
- I do a fairly thin layer of frosting on this cake because I don’t want the chocolate to overpower it, but feel free to add more frosting!
Storage Instructions
Store the cake at room temperature for 3-4 days.
To freeze the cake layers, wrap them tightly in parchment paper and then aluminium foil. Freeze in Ziploc bags for up to 3 months, letting them thaw at room temperature.
Store any leftover buttercream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let thaw at room temperature and then whip with a mixer before using.
More Cake Recipes You’ll Love
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Cake
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- ½ cup (105 g) butter, softened, (regular or dairy free)
- ½ cup (108 ml) oil (canola oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, or sunflower oil)
- 3 eggs
- 1½ Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup (250 g) granulated sugar
- 2⅓ cup (292 g) all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup (25 g) cornstarch
- 2½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cup (375 ml) milk of choice, (regular or dairy free)
Extra Ingredients for Chocolate Cake Batter
- ⅓ cup (28 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup hot water
Chocolate Buttercream
- 1½ cup (315 g) butter, softened, (regular or dairy free)
- 1¼ cup (108 g) cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¾-3 cups (330 g) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
- 1-3 Tablespoons milk of choice as needed for consistency, (dairy free or regular)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare two 8 inch round cake pans. Spray the inside with cooking spray, then cut out pieces of parchment paper so that they fit in the bottom of each pan (do not skip this step!). Set the pans aside.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and oil together until combined. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract.
- Mix in the granulated sugar.
- Add in flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder to a separate bowl and whisk together.
- Alternate slowly adding in the milk and the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
- Add ½ the cake batter to a separate bowl, then mix the cocoa powder and water into the batter to make the chocolate cake batter.
- Alternate adding vanilla cake batter and chocolate cake batter to each cake pan, then use a knife to swirl the batter to make the marbled appearance (see photos in post above for reference).
- Bake for 24-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then remove them from the pan (by running a butter knife or offset spatula around the edges and then flipping the cake upside down onto a cooling rack). While the cakes cool, make the buttercream.
Chocolate Buttercream
- In the bowl of a standing mixer or handheld mixer, beat butter and cocoa powder until smooth.
- Add in the vanilla extract, then add the icing sugar, ¼ cup at a time until desired consistency is reached. If the buttercream is too thick, add in milk 1 tablespoon at a time to thin it out to the consistency you want. If it's too thin, add in more confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar) ¼ cup at a time.
- Once the cakes have cooled completely, frost and enjoy!
Equipment
Notes
The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
I just made this for a party and it was DELICIOUS! I don’t usually make recipes with no reviews but I love all of your cookie and bar recipes so I had no doubts. Huge hit!
So happy to hear this! Thank you for leaving a review!