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Home » Blog » Recipes

Scratch Marble Layer Cake

Published: Feb 20, 2020 · Updated: Jan 1, 2021 by Kara · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads

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This scratch marble layer cake is actually moist and it makes the perfect birthday cake. This recipe uses simple ingredients and it doesn’t skimp on the chocolate like some marble cakes do. When you can’t make up your mind whether you want chocolate or vanilla cake…have both!

pin image with large slices of marble cake
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Hey there! Before you scroll, there’s lot’s of important stuff in the post!…including the FAQ section, which may answer any questions you might have about this recipe. Enjoy!

Almost every single year, my son would ask for a marble cake for his birthday. I think it was really because he couldn’t decide if he wanted chocolate or vanilla, so he just figured he’d get the best of both worlds.

That’s kind of what I think about marble cake. Depending on how much you marble it, you can get mostly vanilla in one bite, or mostly chocolate.

This one has a bit more chocolate batter in it than the average marble cake and that’s because I find that in other marble cakes, you just don’t get much chocolate flavor.

If you prefer less chocolate, you can always lower the amount of batter you add the chocolate to…that will be just fine. You can also just not marble it as much.

large slice of scratch marble cake

Let’s look at some of the ingredients in this marble:

All purpose flour: You’ll just use regular ol’ all purpose flour in this cake, so there’s no need to go out and get cake flour.

Unsalted butter: Just make sure you’re using unsalted and not salted butter.

Sour cream: If you’ve been around my blog for any length of time, you’ll know I love sour cream in cakes. It just gives them a great texture and adds moisture.

Cocoa Powder: You’re only going to use a small amount here, so the type probably doesn’t matter. I used Natural Unsweetened Hershey’s Cocoa Powder.

Double Chocolate Buttercream: You’re going to want to cover this cake in a delicious layer of buttercream and I’ve got ya covered with that one. I really like this cake with my Double Chocolate Buttercream.

slice of moist cake on a white plate with a fork

Mixing method for this cake:

The mixing method for this cake is the regular creaming method. I wanted a lighter crumb and I wanted this cake to be a bit fluffier, so I went with the creaming method instead of the reverse creaming method.

So, essentially you’ll be whipping up the sugar and butter together really well (for a couple minutes) and incorporating as much air as you can. Then you’ll add in the eggs one at a time, then you’ll alternately add in the dry and liquid ingreients.

Now, since there is more mixing involved in this mixing method, you’ll want to make sure only to mix until the ingredients are combined. Try really hard not to over-mix or you’ll get a dense cake.

cake slices in a glass dish

Tips & FAQs for the scratch marble cake:

Make sure to use room temperature butter.

Don’t microwave it though…that heats it unevenly and it can even melt parts of it. Just cut your butter into chunks and set it out onto the counter for about an hour or so.

Try to set your eggs out ahead of time as well.

If you can get your eggs to come closer to room temperature, they will mix in better.

I don’t have sour cream, can I substitute this or leave it out?

You definitely don’t want to leave it out, but you can use yogurt in place of it if you need to. Use the full fat yogurt though and not the light kind.

Use full fat sour cream if you can get it.

Reduced fat sour cream isn’t going to work as well.

Can I lower the amount of sugar?

Be careful adjusting ingredients in cake recipes because it could throw off the ratios. Sugar doesn’t only add sweetness, but it also helps add moisture to the cake. You could perhaps lower it by ¼ to ⅓, but I would not try lowering more than by that amount, or it could affect the texture and moisture of the cake.

Make sure that you whip the butter and sugar very well for a couple minutes.

You want to incorporate as much air as possible in this step and you want the mixture to be nice and fluffy.

Once you start adding in the other ingredients, be careful not to over-mix.

Mix only until the ingredients are combined well. Don’t mix the cake batter for several minutes, that’s too long. You’ll only mix that long when you’re beating the butter and sugar only. Mixing scratch cake batter too long will cause the cake to either not rise properly, or have a weird texture to it.

Why do I have to add in the eggs one at a time and alternately add in the flour and liquid mixture?

This helps all the ingredients to emulsify (blend) better. It helps the batter to not curdle on you.

When you add the chocolate batter to the vanilla, make sure not to overmix, or you could lose the marble effect.

If you want only a small amount of chocolate swirl, just make sure to mix it less. For more chocolate swirl, mix it more.

close up of marble cake slice

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. 

Supplies used for this cake:

  • White mixing bowl set
  • Whisks
  • Rubber spatulas
  • Hand mixer
  • 8″ round cake pans
  • Cooling racks
  • Medium icing spatula

Ok now let’s get to the recipe! Don’t forget to check out the video as well!

**By the way, this recipe was developed and tested using volume measurements (cups etc.). I do this because most people are used to measuring, instead of weighing. You may use the metric converter button to see the weight (gram) measurements. Those numbers are estimates on weight. Your results may vary a bit if you use the weight measurements.

slice of marble cake on a white plate

Scratch Marble Layer Cake

This scratch marble layer cake is actually moist and it makes the perfect birthday cake. This recipe uses simple ingredients and it doesn't skimp on the chocolate like some marble cakes do. When you can't make up your mind whether you want chocolate or vanilla cake…have both!
4.80 from 5 votes
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: marble cake
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 458kcal
Author: Kara @I Scream for Buttercream

Ingredients

  • 2 ⅔ cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter – room temp (2 sticks)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs – room temp
  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil (or canola oil)
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • ½ cup milk (use whole milk if you can get it)
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or vanilla bean paste if you can get it)
  • ⅓ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
  • 3-4 tablespoon milk (use whole milk if you can get it)
US Customary – Metric
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Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
  • Grease and flour two, 8 inch round cake pans and set aside.
  • In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk well and set aside.
  • In another bowl, add the oil, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk well and set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter and the sugar and mix on medium and then on medium high for several minutes until light and fluffy.
  • Add in the eggs one at a time and mix on medium just until combined after each. Only mix until the egg is just incorporated. Try not to over mix. It’s best if your eggs are room temperature, but if they’re cold, your batter may look a little curdled at this point.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again on medium, just until everything is incorporated.
  • Alternately add in the flour mixture and the liquid mixture. Starting and ending with the flour mixture. (Add in ⅓ of the flour mixture and mix on medium just until combined. Add in ½ the liquid mixture, mixing only until combined. Add in another ⅓ of the flour mixture, mixing only until combined. Add in the last of the liquid mixture, mixing only until combined, then the last of the flour mixture and mix until combined.)
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again only for 5-7 seconds or so. You only want to mix until well combined. Mixing for several minutes is too long for a scratch cake. The batter will be thick.
  • Add about 1 to 1 ½ cups of the batter into a small mixing bowl. (If you want less chocolate swirl, use 1 cup, if you want more chocolate swirl use 1 ½ cups)
  • To that batter, add the cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon oil and the 3 tablespoons of milk and mix well with a spoon or rubber spatula. If the batter is very stiff, mix in another tablespoon of milk.
  • Add the chocolate batter back into the vanilla batter by tablespoonfuls. Then swirl the batter in the bowl with a spoon or rubber spatula. Just marble the batter, don’t mix it completely.
  • Spread into two prepared 8″ round cake pans. (The batter will be thick.)
  • Bake at 325 degrees for approximately 40-45 minutes. Insert a toothpick somewhere in the middle and a few moist crumbs should stick to the toothpick.
  • Cool on a wire rack, in the pans, for about 10 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto the rack and allow them to cool completely before freezing the layers, or covering in buttercream.

Video

Notes

This cake does not need to be kept in the refrigerator, unless you’ve added perishable filling or frosting. This cake is wonderful iced with double chocolate buttercream.
Nutritional values are an estimate and are for the cake only and does not include the icing or filling.
Make sure to check out the TIPS & FAQs for this recipe in the blog post as it may answer questions you may have about substitutions.
*This recipe card may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition

Calories: 458kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 93mg | Sodium: 229mg | Potassium: 182mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 674IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 76mg | Iron: 2mg
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How to Share

I’d love for you to share this recipe link or tag it, but please do not share screenshots or copy/paste the recipe to social media as the content and photographs are copyright protected and we (bloggers) work really hard on our content. Sharing the link, tagging us on socials and pinning it is super appreciated though!

OTHER POSTS YOU MIGHT LIKE:

  • Double Chocolate Buttercream
  • Vanilla Bean Buttercream
  • Vanilla Bean Cake
  • Chocolate Butter Cake

Don’t Forget to Pin it for Later!

large close up pin graphic of marble cake

multiple slices of cake in a glass dish pin graphic
« The Biggest Cake Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make
How to Bake a Cake from Scratch (a step-by-step guide) »
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Filed Under: Cakes, Recipes Tagged With: birthday cakes, cakes for kids, layer cakes, vanilla

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. jabeve

    February 28, 2020 at 10:58 am

    Can your from scratch Marble cake be madeve in a 9×13 pan? Thanks

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      February 28, 2020 at 6:41 pm

      I have not tried this recipe in a 13×9 inch pan, but it should be just fine. I would bake it at the same temperature for about the same time, although you may want to start checking it at about 30 minutes.

      Reply
  2. jabeve

    February 28, 2020 at 8:16 pm

    Thank you….Will try it soon and report back to you.

    Reply
  3. Soncerae

    May 07, 2020 at 2:43 pm

    5 stars
    This cake taste AMAZING and it’s so moist. I will never buy a marble cake mix every again. An it was so easy to make. The whole family loved it and your recipe for the double chocolate buttercream frosting. It just sent it over the top.

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      May 09, 2020 at 7:33 pm

      Oh this made my day! I’m so happy it turned out for you and that you loved it. 🙂 Thank you for the wonderful review!

      Reply
  4. Tee

    July 30, 2020 at 9:03 pm

    Do you know how many cups of batter this recipe will yield? I need to make a 12” round cake

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      July 31, 2020 at 8:30 pm

      Hi, I don’t really measure how many cups are in batter. To figure out how much batter I’ll need, I normally just go by how many recipe batches I’ll need to make. So, for a 12 inch round cake, you can probably use one recipe for each 12″ round cake layer. You might have a bit left over though. You could probably do a recipe and a half for 2, 12″ round cakes. (This is if you’re using 2″ deep pans. If you’re using 3″ deep pans, then you’ll need more batter.)

      Reply
      • Tee

        December 05, 2020 at 8:17 am

        Hello, I’m urgently trying to make marble cupcakes with your wonderful recipe. Can you please help with how I may need to alter the recipe for 12 cupcakes?

        Reply
        • Kara Jane

          December 05, 2020 at 9:31 am

          The full recipe will make about 24 cupcakes, so if you need to make only 12, then you’ll need to make only half of the recipe.

          Reply
          • Tee

            December 07, 2020 at 7:15 pm

            Thank you!!

            Reply
  5. Esther

    May 24, 2021 at 9:48 pm

    Thank you Kara Jane , for your marble cake recipe I’m going to bake later for my family .?♥️♥️♥️

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      May 25, 2021 at 7:09 pm

      You’re so welcome! I hope you love it! 🙂

      Reply
  6. Esther

    May 26, 2021 at 1:32 am

    Hi Kara Jane , I don’t have sour cream but have Greek yogurt I can use the same amount as sour cream. Please let me know thank you ?♥️♥️♥️

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      May 26, 2021 at 10:39 am

      Yes you can use Greek yogurt instead and in the same amount.

      Reply
      • Esther

        May 29, 2021 at 8:48 pm

        5 stars
        Thank you Kara Jane, I bake the cake it’s turned up very beautiful and tasty. Thank you so much.God bless ?♥️♥️♥️

        Reply
        • Kara Jane

          May 30, 2021 at 3:05 pm

          Oh that’s wonderful! So glad you liked it!

          Reply
  7. Kimberly

    July 29, 2021 at 7:52 am

    Hi, I have been trying to find a recipe for a dairy free marble cake since my nieces are allergic. Your cake looks amazing and moist! Do you know if it would turn out well with dairy-free substitutions? Thanks!
    Kimberly

    Reply
    • Kara Jane

      July 29, 2021 at 7:05 pm

      I’m not very experienced at baking dairy-free, but it would be worth a shot! Replace the butter with dairy-free butter or margarine, replace the sour cream with dairy-free sour cream or yogurt, the milk with a dairy-free alternative (I’d go with something that has a good amount of fat in it like coconut). If you need to also replace the eggs…that’s when it would get a little tricky, but if eggs are okay, I’d just try the subs above and see how it turns out. Let me know if you try it…I’m curious!

      Reply

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Hey there, I’m Kara!

Hi, I'm so glad you're here! Cake shows up at our most important and happiest moments in life, like birthdays, weddings, baby showers and holidays. It's also for those everyday moments...it makes them even better. Put simply, cake just makes us happy! I love trying out new cake flavor combinations and decorating ideas. Have a look around and I bet you can find a cake recipe or tutorial for any of life's big moments and those everyday moments too. Click here if you want to learn more about me!

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