Marble Pound Cake Recipe
Buttery and rich marble pound cake is a soft, moist cake with a dense crumb! It’s irresistible with beautiful swirls of both vanilla and chocolate and easy to make in a loaf pan.
This chocolate glazed marble cake is another favorite that also allows you to enjoy two cakes in one!
This swirled marble pound cake recipe has hints of both vanilla and chocolate and is buttery with decadent chocolate. It is a step above traditional pound cake and everyone will still be talking about it even as the last crumb disappears off their plate!
This marble cake is easy to make, too, in a loaf pan! The same trusted pan that is used to make delicious banana bread and any of these best quick bread recipes.
You will love this sweet homemade loaf that is an impressive dessert without a lot of effort. The chocolate part is fudgy, the vanilla part buttery and when combined it is not only eye-catching but each bite has you anticipating the next!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Marble Pound Cake Recipe
- Rich flavor: Buttery vanilla and decadent chocolate come together in one beautiful marble cake!
- Easy to make: Only 15 minutes to prep and fuss free with a simple glaze.
- Moist: Everything you love in a pound cake, moist, rich and with a tight crumb.
- Gorgeous: The beauty of this cake is in the contrasting colors!
What is a Marble Cake?
Simply put, a marble cake takes two separate cake batters, a chocolate cake batter and vanilla cake batter, and marbles them together into one beautiful cake!
It creates a stunning swirled effect that is very elegant and is the best of both worlds. Everyone loves this marble loaf cake and when you slice it, no two pieces look exactly alike because of the beautiful marbled effect.
Ingredients Needed for Marble Pound Cake
It’s important to stress that the quality of ingredients will really make this marbled pound cake outstanding!
- All purpose flour: All around best for baking, do not substitute for other flours.
- Baking powder and salt: Baking powder helps the loaf cake rise and salt gives it taste.
- Eggs: You will need 2 large eggs and 1 large yolk all at room temperature for this recipe.
- Granulated sugar: This type of sugar dissolves easily into the cake batter for a smooth texture.
- Butter: Unsalted butter softened to room temperature is best for creaming with the sugar.
- Vanilla extract: Pure vanilla extract, no imitation flavors here, please.
- Milk: 2% milk will provide the best rich taste although you can use milk of choice even dairy free if needed.
- Dark chocolate: A good quality dark chocolate bar chopped will make the chocolate flavor in this marble loaf cake decadent.
- Chocolate glaze: For your ganache you will need semi-sweet chocolate, heavy cream and butter.
How to Make Marble Pound Cake
This marbled cake loaf is easier to make than you think! Just follow these simple steps.
Dry ingredients: In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder until no lumps remain and then set aside.
Melt dark chocolate: Melt your chopped dark chocolate in a bowl over a bain-marie or double boiler stirring occasionally until smooth then cool until ready to use.
Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl use a hand mixer or electric mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and the eggs plus yolk, one at a time and beat after each to combine.
Finish making pound cake batter: Add your dry ingredients and milk alternately to your cream pound cake mixture and mix just until combined.
Layer and swirl: Pour ⅔ of the vanilla batter in your prepared loaf pan and then combine the remaining batter with the melted chocolate mixture. Spoon the chocolate pound cake batter on top of the vanilla batter and swirl lightly with a knife.
Bake and glaze: Bake for approximately 1 hour at 350 degrees F. Let the loaf cake cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer it onto a cooling rack to finish cooling completely before drizzling with the chocolate glaze. Enjoy!
Tips for the Best Marble Cake
- Room temperature ingredients: Bring your refrigerated ingredients to room temperature as cold ingredients don’t combine as well to create a smooth cake batter!
- Measure flour properly: The spoon and level method is great so you don’t end up with too much flour, but a kitchen scale is even better for accuracy.
- Unsalted butter: This recipe uses salted butter, if all you have is salted increase the salt to ¼ teaspoon.
- Creaming method: Using a hand mixer or electric mixer is important when mixing your butter and sugar. The light and fluffy result from creaming will give your glazed pound cake a light and moist texture.
- Chocolate: Using dark chocolate vs. cocoa powder gives the chocolate part of the marble loaf cake the most decadent chocolate taste.
How to Store Marble Pound Cake
Place your leftover glazed pound cake in an airtight container and store at room temperature for 3-4 days or in the refrigerator up to a week.
This marble loaf cake can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Just wrap tightly to prevent freezer burn then store in a freezer safe bag, thaw and enjoy!
FAQs
How can I quickly bring my eggs to room temperature?
Room temperature ingredients are key to ensure your ingredients mix properly when making this marble loaf cake recipe. If you forgot to take your eggs out of the fridge, quickly bring them to room temperature by submerging them in lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes.
Do I have to make the cake loaf batters separately?
Yes and no. You will make one cake batter but then separate the batter into two bowls so you can then flavor one of the bowls with your melted chocolate. It’s fun and easy!
How do I swirl the cake batters together?
It really is quite easy and there are two methods! You can either place the vanilla batter in the loaf pan and then layer the chocolate batter on top and then swirl them together with a knife or you can use a checkerboard pattern and then swirl the marbled loaf cake together.
Regardless of which method you use to swirl the batters it’s best to use a knife and create a S or U pattern in the cake batter. This results in an elegant two toned look!
Can marble pound cake be frozen?
Yes! It’s a great way to enjoy a fresh slice of cake whenever you please. Freeze whole or by the slice by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap after it has cooled completely. Store in a freezer safe container for up to three months. Thaw and enjoy!
More Cake Recipes to Try
- Lemon Pound Cake
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bundt Cake
- Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes
- Simple Chocolate Water Cake
Marble Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups All purpose flour
- 1 pinch Salt*
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- 2 large Eggs (room temperature)
- 1 large Yolk (room temperature)
- 1 ⅓ cups Granulated sugar
- 1 cup Butter – room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ½ cup 2% Milk – room temperature
- 5 ounces Dark chocolate – chopped
*If you use unsalted butter then use 1/4 teaspoon salt.
For the Chocolate Glaze
- 2 ¾ ounces Semi sweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup Cream – whole, heavy or whipping cream (with at least 30% fat)
- 2 tablespoons Butter
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 F (180C) and grease and flour a 9 inch loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder and set aside.
- Melt 5 ounces of chopped dark chocolate in a bowl over a bain-marie stirring occasionally until smooth. Let the chocolate cool a bit.
- In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and the eggs plus yolk, one at a time and beat. Add the flour and milk mixtures alternately. Mix just until combined.
- Pour ⅔ of the batter in the loaf pan and pour the rest into the melted chocolate mixture. Stir well. Spoon the chocolate on top of the plain batter and swirl lightly with a knife.
- Bake for approximately 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer it onto a cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Drizzle the chocolate glaze on top or dust with some powdered sugar before serving. Enjoy!
For the Chocolate Glaze
- In a small pot heat the butter and cream until hot, but not boiling. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate chips. Stir until smooth. Let it cool to lukewarm and until it has thickened.
can these br done in a round pan?
I haven’t tried making it in a round pan, but it should work out fine. Let me know how it turns out! it’s a great cake!
Chocolate for both cake & glaze chocolate bar or chips ? Please advise..
Hi Maria, You can use either for the cake, but I personally used a chocolate bar for the cake and then chocolate chips for the glaze. They melt quickly in the hot cream and butter mix. Hope that helps! Happy Baking! 😀
Hi Rosemary,
Can I use dark cocoa powder instead of the bar chocolate? If so, how much cocoa powder should I use?
thanks, Donna
Hi Donna, You could try and add 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder and extra 2 tablespoons of milk. Sift the cocoa powder with the batter meant for the chocolate. We haven’t tested it, but you could try it. Let us know how it goes! Happy Baking! 🙂
Cocoa Powder to Chocolate Conversion
Substitute for semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (1 oz.): 1 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder plus 2 tsp. sugar and 2 tsp. shortening is equivalent to 1 ounce of semisweet chocolate OR 3 Tbsp.