Moist Marble Bundt Cake
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Looking for an easy marbled cake? Indulge in the elegant simplicity of this Moist Marble Bundt Cake Recipe! Where classic flavors of vanilla and chocolate swirl together in a visually stunning pattern.
Perfect for any gathering, this single layer cake not only tastes delightful but also makes a visually impressive centerpiece on your dessert table.
Marble Bundt Cake Recipe
The moist marble bundt cake starts with a simple vanilla batter, to which cocoa powder is added to half the batch to create the chocolate cake batter.
The two batters are then artfully swirled directly in the bundt pan, ensuring each slice is uniquely marbled. This large bundt cake comfortably serves 12-16 guests, making it an ideal centerpiece for any celebration.
Finished with a three-ingredient chocolate icing that drapes elegantly over the grooves of the bundt cake, this dessert is not only delicious but also a feast for the eyes!
What is a bundt cake?
A Bundt cake is a cake that is baked in a Bundt pan, shaping it into a distinctive ringed shape. This type of cake is popular for its dense, moist texture and the ability to incorporate a variety of flavors and ingredients.
How to Make marble bundt cake
A full and detailed recipe card is at the bottom of this post.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Beat Sugar, Oil, and Eggs: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together for 1 minute.
Add Milk and Vanilla: Pour in the milk and vanilla extract. Continue beating for an additional 20 seconds.
Combine with Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat until just incorporated and smooth; be careful not to over-mix. The batter will be relatively thin.
Create Chocolate Batter: Transfer half of the cake batter into another bowl. Sift the cocoa powder over this batter and fold until well mixed with no cocoa lumps remaining.
Layer and Swirl Batter: Pour a layer of vanilla batter into the prepared bundt pan. Alternately add scoops of chocolate and vanilla batter on top, continuing until all batter is used. Gently swirl through the batter with a butter knife or skewer a few times to create a marbled effect.
Bake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Icing: In a mixing bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
Mix: Pour in milk and using a hand whisk, whisk until completely smooth and thick.
Apply Icing: Pour over cooled cake and gently spread out with a rubber spatula, offset spatula, or the back of a spoon. It will drizzle down the sides a little.
Expert Tips
- Measure your baking ingredients accurately: Check out my helpful guide on how to measure basic ingredients.
- Room Temperature Cake Ingredients: Ensure your eggs and milk are both at room temperature before starting your cake to achieve a smooth, even batter.
- Testing Doneness: Check the cake with a toothpick; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. This ensures a moist cake.
- Cooling: Allow the bundt cake to cool completely before icing to prevent the icing from melting.
How do you create a marble cake effect?
Create a marble effect in a cake by adding dollops of contrasting vanilla and chocolate batters in the bundt cake pan. Use a butter knife or a skewer to swirl the two batters together gently. The key is to swirl minimally so the colors don’t completely blend together, maintaining a distinct marbled pattern.
Why is my marble cake so dry?
A marble cake can turn out dry if it’s overbaked, or if there’s an insufficient amount of fat or moisture sources (like oil, butter or milk) in the batter. Ensure you accurately measure your baking ingredients and prevent overbaking. The marble bundt cake is ready when a skewer comes out clean or even better, with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Can I make this loaf with other berries?
Absolutely! Raspberries, blackberries, chopped strawberries, or mixed berries can also be used in place of blueberries.
How to store bundt cake?
Store: In an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing & Thawing: Freeze the loaf without the icing by wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for several hours before serving.
If you enjoy this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️ star rating and a comment review below. I love to hear what you think and it’s much appreciated. Thank you! Your email address will not be published. Sam x
Moist Marble Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Bundt Cake
- 2 1/2 cups (375g/13.2 oz.) all-purpose flour, scoop & leveled
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk, at room temperature
- 3 Tbsp unsweetened natural cocoa powder
Chocolate Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 Tbsp whole milk
Instructions
Bundt Cake
- Preheat Oven & Grease Tin: Preheat the oven to 356ºF (180ºC) fan-forced. Grease a 10-cup bundt pan with butter and dust lightly with flour using a tea ball strainer or mini sieve for an even coating.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Beat Sugar, Oil, and Eggs: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the sugar, oil, and eggs together for 1 minute.
- Add Milk and Vanilla: Pour in the milk and vanilla extract. Continue beating for an additional 20 seconds.
- Combine with Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Beat until just incorporated and smooth; be careful not to over-mix. The batter will be relatively thin.
- Create Chocolate Batter: Transfer half of the cake batter into another bowl. Sift the cocoa powder over this batter and fold until well mixed with no cocoa lumps remaining.
- Layer and Swirl Batter: Pour a layer of vanilla batter into the prepared bundt pan. Alternately add scoops of chocolate and vanilla batter on top, continuing until all batter is used. Gently swirl through the batter with a butter knife or skewer a few times to create a marbled effect.
- Bake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Icing
- Sift Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
- Mix: Pour in milk and using a hand whisk, whisk until completely smooth and thick.
- Apply Icing: Pour over cooled cake and gently spread out with a rubber spatula, offset spatula, or the back of a spoon. It will drizzle down the sides a little.
Notes
- Store: Once cooled, place in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. Avoid refrigeration to prevent drying out.
- Freezing: Don’t freeze the cake with icing; it alters the texture and flavor. Wrap the cake in plastic, then in foil. Label with the freeze date and keep for up to 3 months.
- Thawing: For best results, thaw the wrapped cake in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for several hours. Once thawed, you can apply the chocolate icing.
Nutrition
First published in 2017, this recipe was updated in April 2024 to include new expert recommendations, storage guidelines, recipe card additions and more.
I made this cake for my husband’s birthday but I made a few substitutions because I have allergies beyond being gf. My husband said it is one of the best cakes he’s eaten in awhile.. I would truly recommend this cake.
Any thoughts on attempting this beauty with flax or chia “eggs”?
Hi Cindy, I’ve actually never attempted this particular cake using either flax or chia egg, only regular eggs. This recipe calls for 4 eggs, which is quite a few and I cannot guarantee that this cake will bake the same way. The eggs help a lot with the texture and consistency of this cake. How about an egg replacer? Otherwise I can only suggest trying it out with either a flax egg or a chia egg. Sorry I cannot be of more help. x
Holy delicious. This looks SO good, and it’s so darn gorgeous too! So perfect for the holidays!
Thanks so much Karly! Yes! The bundt is the perfect holiday cake, I agree!! Especially with a good marble 😉 xx
The cake looks SO good! I tried the recipe and its just so easy. I felt the cake was a little chewy, Can you please tell me what I could’ve done wrong? Also, the batter was quite liquidy, is is supposed to be like that? I used regular flour.
Thank you so much!! Yes, the batter is definitely more thin in consistency compared to other cakes. The only thing I can think of that would have made your cake chewy, would have to be the mixing time of the batter because you used regular flour. Beating it for too long develops the gluten in the flour which results in a tougher and chewier cake. I would suggest beating your batter for less time, approx. 30-40 seconds or until your ingredients are just well combined. Hope this helps and you can enjoy this delicious cake again! x