Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Cake
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.
Equipment
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- ½ cup butter, softened (regular or dairy free)
- ½ cup oil (canola oil, vegetable oil, grapeseed oil, or sunflower oil)
- 3 eggs
- 1½ Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cup milk of choice (regular or dairy free)
Extra Ingredients for Chocolate Cake Batter
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup hot water
Chocolate Buttercream
- 1½ cup butter, softened (regular or dairy free)
- 1¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¾-3 cups 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!
Notes
Please Note: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh your dry ingredients. Metric measurements are found above under the "Metric" tab.
Parchment Lining: I highly recommend lining your cake pans with parchment paper. It's an easy way to avoid the cake breaking when you try to remove it from the pan. To do this, trace then cut a circle in the shape of your cake pan out of the parchment paper and place it inside the pans.
Measuring Flour: Either measure your flour using a kitchen scale or use the proper scoop and level method.
Cake Pan Size: This recipe can also be made with two 9 inch round cake pans. Shorten the baking time by a few minutes.
Storage and Freezing Instructions:
The cake can be stored covered at room temperature for 3-4 days.
You can also freeze the cake layers if you want to make this cake ahead of time. Let them cool completely, then tightly wrap each individual cake layer in parchment paper, then aluminium foil. Freeze in ziploc bags for up to 3 months, then let them thaw at room temperature.
You can store leftover buttercream in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw it in the fridge then re-whip it using a handheld or standing mixer before frosting the cakes.
Nutrition
Calories: 490kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 8g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 460mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 1284IU | Calcium: 96mg | Iron: 3mg