This marble pound cake is traditionally dense and exceptionally moist with the perfect balance of chocolate and vanilla flavors. It is a fun twist on classic pound cake with chocolate batter swirled in between.
Don’t get me wrong, I have used a frozen grocery store Sara Lee pound cake more times than I can count and they are so convenient and delicious! However, there is just something so special about making a homemade pound cake with a new twist on a classic dessert. This homemade marble pound cake recipe does not disappoint.
What is Marble Pound Cake and How is it Different?
Pound cakes date back to the eighteenth century. Traditionally made with equal parts of one pound butter, sugar, flour, and eggs.
Marble pound cake is different than traditional pound cake because it has both chocolate cake batter and vanilla cake batter. Traditional pound cake primarily relies on the butter for flavor. In this marble pound cake recipe, we divide the batter in half and create a chocolate batter and then a vanilla batter. Alternating the chocolate batter and vanilla batter in the pan and then swirling the cake batters together creates the perfect marbling effect in this marble loaf cake.
How to Use Marble Pound Cake
There is so much you can do with pound cake, and a marble pound cake loaf is even more versatile because it is a chocolate pound cake and vanilla pound cake in one!
One of my favorite things to do is slice a pound cake up into slices, then small cubes, and layering the cake pieces into a dessert trifle complete with layered pudding, whipped topping, and fresh berries in the summer time. Pound cake works great for dessert trifles because it is a thicker and denser cake that absorbs flavor well, plus holds it’s structure when layered with toppings. Regular cakes could be too soft or airy to be layered in a trifle.
Pound cake is baked in a loaf pan or Bundt pan. This marble pound cake is a loaf cake, so it calls for a 9×5 loaf pan, just like the loaf pan you make banana bread in. It will not yield enough batter for a Bundt pan. You could try this recipe however in a mini fluted tube pan or a mini bundt pan.
Jump to:
Ingredients for Marble Pound Cake
The ingredients for this pound cake recipe are simple and likely something you already have on hand if you like to bake. I would consider these ingredients basic staple baking ingredients to always have on hand.
- unsalted butter
- granulated white sugar
- eggs
- all purpose flour
- dutch-process cocoa powder
- baking powder
- milk
- vanilla extract
- salt
How to Make Marble Pound Cake
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, then whisk together and set aside.
The most important step of making a pound cake is ensuring a tight crumb that is dense and moist. In order to do this, we start by creaming together the room temperature softened butter, sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. I recommend creaming together with an electric stand or hand mixer fitted with a beater attachment for 5 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of your bowl ensuring all the butter is incorporated. Add in one egg at a time and mix until all are combined into a uniform mixture.
Add in the dry ingredient mixture in two separate parts. Mix for 30 to 45 seconds. Scrape down the bowl, add in two tablespoons of milk, and mix again for another 30 seconds.
Once the batter is combined, transfer half of the mixture to a separate bowl, add in the cocoa powder, and 1 tablespoon warm water, mix until thoroughly combined to form your chocolate mixture.
Spoon drops of each batter into a 9×5 greased and parchment paper lined loaf pan. Alternate between the vanilla batter and the chocolate batter.
Once all of the batter is in the pan, take a long skewer or butter knife and swirl the batter creating a marbled effect. Tap the pan on a hard surface to release air bubbles and smooth the top. The batter will be thick.
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit on the middle rack for 50 minutes. Depending on your oven, the time could vary. I would begin checking around 40 minutes. You will know your loaf is done when the top is baked through and a toothpick comes out clean with no wet batter, a few crumbs is okay.
Tip: If the top of the loaf darkens to quickly, you can tent/cover it with a loose piece of aluminum foil. I usually do not need to do this as long as I bake on a middle rack in the middle of the oven. Once loaf is baked through, leave in the pan to cool completely before removing.
Variations of Marble Pound Cake
Different types of cocoa such as black cocoa would give you a deeper rich dark chocolate – like in Oreos. I have not tried alternatives but I imagine this pound cake would be great with other variations such as matcha or freeze dried fruit powders like strawberry.
Equipment for Marble Pound Cake
You do not need any special equipment to make a marble pound cake, except for a 9×5 loaf pan. You’ll also need the following:
- Electric stand mixer or electric hand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment
- Spatula, measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowls
- 9×5 loaf pan lined with parchment paper and greased with nonstick baking spray
- Long skewer or butter knife to swirl the batter
- Oven
How to Store Marble Pound Cake
Store baked marble pound cake on the counter wrapped airtight in plastic wrap or an airtight container for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator up to a week. This pound cake freezes and thaws well and can be kept in the freezer for up to 3 months. Marble pound cake is best served sliced alone at room temperature or cut into cubes layered in a chilled trifle dessert.
If you made this recipe, BE SURE TO tag me on Instagram @bakingguilty AND please leave a comment OR star rating below! We so greatly appreciate it and hope you love this recipe!
Marble Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (room temp.)
- 1 ½ cups granulated white sugar
- 4 large eggs (room temp.)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup dutch-process cocoa powder (for the chocolate batter)
- 1 tablespoon warm water (for the chocolate batter)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the room temperature butter, sugar, and vanilla for 5 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Scrape the bowl down and add in one egg at a time, mixing in between each one. Eggs will combine more easily when they are at room temperature.
- In a seperate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add into the wet ingredients in two parts. Mix until combined but do not overmix. Scrape the bowl down in between, add the two tablespoons of milk in and mix for another 30 seconds to combine.
- Once batter is combined, place half of the batter in a seperate bowl and add in the cocoa powder and one tablespoon warmed water. Mix until chocolate batter forms.
- Spoon in chocolate and vanilla batters in the prepared loaf pan alternating between each one. When all the batter is in the pan, use a long skewer or butter knife to swirl the batters together creating a marbled effect. Tap the pan on a hard surface a couple of times to rid the air bubbles and smooth the top. The batter will be thick.
- Bake on a middle rack for 45 – 55 minutes. Start checking your loaf around 40 minutes. If the top of the loaf darkens too quickly, you can tent the pan with aluminum foil (I usually do not need to do this when baking on a middle rack in a convection oven). Start checking on the cake at 40 minutes. The cake is done when the top of the loaf is golden brown and baked through. A toothpick should come out of the center clean or with a few crumbs. If wet batter comes out, then the loaf needs to bake longer. Once the cake is done, let it cool in the pan completely before removing. Cake is best served sliced at room temperature or diced up into a chilled layered trifle dessert.
Video
Be sure to check us out on all social platforms to stay up to date on our newest content and delicious recipes! Follow on Instagram, Follow on Pinterest, Like on Facebook, Follow on TikTok, Follow on YouTube. We love connecting and are so appreciative of your support and friendship!