This marble cake with buttercream frosting has 3 super moist cake layers with swirls of chocolate and vanilla cake batter. It's frosted with a not-too-sweet, classic vanilla American buttercream that's silky smooth! It's easy to prepare and an absolute showstopper.
This marble cake with vanilla buttercream is the best of both worlds! It has ribbons of moist chocolate and vanilla cake batter swirled together in every bite. Whether you're a chocolate lover, a vanilla enthusiast, or somewhere in between, this recipe is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
The cake is topped with a super creamy American buttercream that ties all the flavors together perfectly! It's perfect served at birthdays, anniversaries, or any special occasion.
For more cake recipes, try chocolate truffle cake, chocolate ganache cake, or this small vanilla cake.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Tender, fluffy cake- Ingredients like buttermilk, butter, oil, and yogurt make this layer cake super rich, moist, and tender.
- One cake batter-ย Instead of making two separate cake batters, this recipe uses one base batter that is split in half and then flavored with vanilla and chocolate (just like this marble cheesecake)!
- Super creamy vanilla buttercream- The frosting is made with only 4 ingredients, no heavy cream required! It's absolutely luscious and not too sweet.
Ingredient Notes
Here are some notes about the ingredients used. For quantities and full instructions, see the recipe card below.
Ingredients for the cake.
For the buttercream frosting.
- All purpose flour- Instead of cake flour, this recipe calls for regular all purpose flour to make up the cake's structure. I usually like cake flour for its lower protein content, but this type of cake doesn't need it!
- Granulated sugar- This ingredient sweetens the cake and helps retain moisture. You can also use caster sugar or cane sugar.
- Baking powder and baking soda- Both of these leaveners work together to make the cake layers rise and get fluffy in the oven. Check the expiration date on both before using to make sure they're still potent.
- Salt- Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor.
- Unsalted butter- Be sure the butter is room temperature so it's easy to mix. Take it out of the refrigerator 1-2 hours before baking. It should be cool to the touch and easy to indent with your finger.
- Oil- Cakes made with both butter and oil are extra rich and stay super moist! Use a neutral, flavorless oil. My 3 favorites are canola oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil.
- Large eggs- Large eggs bind the ingredients together and add richness. Make sure they're room temperature, pull out of the refrigerator 1-2 hours before baking.
- Egg white- An extra egg white makes the cake even more fluffy. Save the egg yolk to make a batch of milk chocolate chip cookies!
- Vanilla extract- Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor or an equal amount of vanilla bean paste to make vanilla bean buttercream.
- Greek yogurt- Yogurt makes the cake batter rich and creamy and also makes the cake bake up super tender. It can be full-fat or reduced-fat as long as it's plain and unsweetened. Make sure it's room temperature, pull out of the fridge with the butter and eggs.
- Buttermilk- The acid in this ingredient cuts the gluten strands, making this a super fluffy marble cake! Make sure it's room temperature too.
- Cocoa powder- You can use regular (also called natural) cocoa powder for the chocolate cake batter, but I prefer the deep flavor and color that dutch-processed cocoa powder has.
- Powdered sugar- This finely milled sugar sweetens the buttercream and mixes in easily. You don't have to sift it.
Substitutions and Variations
- Greek yogurt: The best substitute for the Greek yogurt is sour cream.
- Buttermilk: Substitute plain Kefir or double the amount of yogurt or sour cream. This will make the batter a bit thicker and richer however. You can also make homemade buttermilk by mixing ยฝ cup whole milk with 2 teaspoons of vinegar or lemon juice. Let curdle for 5-10 minutes and it's ready to use.
- You can ice the cake with a different kind of frosting like whipped chocolate buttercream frosting, cream cheese frosting, brown sugar buttercream, chocolate mascarpone frosting, or even a dark chocolate ganache.
Helpful Equipment and Tools
I always go for non-stick 6-inch round cake pans made of metal. They heat up the most evenly compared to glass or silicone options. Remember to grease the pans with baking spray or use parchment paper. I love using these pre-cut parchment rounds!
For making the marble cake batter and frosting, you can use either a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer with a large mixing bowl.
For decorating, I recommend an offset spatula and bench scraper for a smooth finish.
If you bake a lot of cakes, I recommend getting a cake decorating turntable. It's a cake stand that spins and makes decorating way easier.
Step by Step Instructions
Before you start, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius). Grease 3 6-inch cake pans or line them with parchment paper and set aside.
Step 1: First, add 2 cups of all purpose flour (reserve ยผ cup), the granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer or hand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the dry ingredients on low speed until evenly combined.
Step 2: Add the softened butter to the mixing bowl and beat on low for 3-5 minutes until it resembles wet sand. This is the reverse creaming method which will make the cake extra tender!
Step 3: Next, add the oil, eggs, egg white, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until a thick batter forms.
Step 4: Add the Greek yogurt and stream in the buttermilk. Then mix on low until well combined, scraping the sides of the bowl and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Step 5: Scoop half of the cake batter into a separate medium bowl. Mix in the remaining ยผ cup of flour with a rubber or silicone spatula until well combined. This is the vanilla batter.
Step 6: Mix the cocoa powder into the cake batter left in the large bowl on medium speed. This is the chocolate batter!
Step 7: Place globs of both batters into the cake pans, alternating between vanilla and chocolate, filling each pan about halfway. I used a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop for this. Then use a toothpick or butter knife to swirl the batters together, creating a marbled effect. Make sure to get close to the edge of the pan!
Step 8: Place the cake pans in the oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Take out of the oven and let the cakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes before turning over on a wire rack to cool completely.
Making the Buttercream
Step 9: Add room temperature butter and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed for 15 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl after about 7 minutes.
Step 10: Once the butter is smooth and light in color, add in the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time mixing on low speed, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Then mix in the vanilla extract for 2 minutes on medium-low.
Assembling the Cake
Step 11: To assemble, fit a piping bag with a large piping tip and fill with frosting (not all of it). Place one cake layer on a cake board or cake stand and spread about ยฝ cup frosting on it. Repeat with the second layer.
Step 12: Place the last cake layer with the bottom (or flat side) up so the top is perfectly flat. Then spread a thin layer of buttercream on top of the cake and all over the sides of the cake (this is the crumb coat that locks in loose crumbs). Try to make this layer as smooth as possible by gently running a bench scraper along the sides.
Set the cake in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or until the frosting is dry to the touch.
Step 13: Spread the rest of the buttercream on top of the cake and use an offset spatula to work its way down the sides. Use a bench scraper to smooth out the edges and the offset spatula to clean up the top. Add swirls of leftover buttercream on top of the cake or pipe a border. Slice and enjoy!
Expert Baking Tips
- Carefully measure the flour. For the best results, I recommend measuring the flour in grams with a kitchen scale. It's easy to overmeasure if you use a measuring cup! If your cake comes out dry, you probably used too much flour.
- Gently swirl the batter. To get a marble effect, gently swirl the chocolate and vanilla batters together. If you overmix them, the marble pattern won't be visible.
- Check for doneness. Your cake is done when a toothpick inserted the center comes out with moist crumbs attached. If it comes out with no crumbs, the cake's overbaked! You can also test by gently pressing down on top of the cake with your finger. If the cake springs back into place, it's done.
- Let cool before frosting. If your cake layers aren't completely cool, the vanilla buttercream will melt and slide off. I recommend cooling the cakes for about 2 hours at room temperature before you frost.
- Get creative decorating! I piped swirls on top of the cake with a Wilton 1M tip, but you can use a variety of different tips to pipe rosettes or stars all over, like the Ateco 849 and Wilton 199! You can also add mini chocolate chips, fresh berries, or chocolate shavings on top.
Storage and Freezing
Store your homemade marble cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. I recommend a cake carrier if you want to store the whole, unsliced cake. If you've already cut it, cover the cut section with extra vanilla buttercream to keep it from getting dry.
Freezing
To freeze the whole cake, chill in the refrigerator until firm. Then wrap the entire thing in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months and let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before digging in.
To freeze cake slices, tightly wrap each one in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. When you're ready to enjoy, unwrap a slice and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for 1-2 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Definitely! I recommend baking the cake layers, letting them cool for about 2 hours, and then freezing them tightly wrapped in plastic wrap. You can frost the cakes frozen or thaw them out the night before serving. I recommend making the buttercream right before serving since its texture can change in the freezer.
You can make this recipe in 2 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans. The cake layers will be a bit thinner than the photos if you use larger pans! The recipe will also work in 2 9-inch square pans (will take less time to bake) or a 9x13-inch sheet pan (add 5-10 extra minutes to the bake time).
Yes, you can use dairy free buttermilk and yogurt to make the cake and non-dairy butter sticks for the vanillaย frosting.
Yes, this recipe should make about 24 cupcakes. Bake them for 15-20 minutes, let cool completely, and then frost them with the vanilla buttercream.
More Cake Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Marble Cake with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
Equipment
- 1 Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
Need Metric or US Customary Measurements?
Use the buttons below to toggle between grams and cups!
Ingredients
Marble Cake
- 270 grams all purpose flour divided (240g + 30g or 2 cups + ยผ cup)
- 280 grams granulated sugar
- 1 ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
- ยฝ teaspoon baking soda
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 114 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 114 grams neutral oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 egg white room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 140 grams plain Greek yogurt room temperature
- 100 grams buttermilk room temperature
- 30 grams dutch processed cocoa powder
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 345 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- 360 grams powdered sugar
- 1 ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF/180ยฐC. Line 3 6-inch cake pans with parchment paper and set aside.
- Add 2 cups flour (reserve ยผ cup), the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer or hand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until combined.270 grams all purpose flour, 280 grams granulated sugar, 1 ยฝ teaspoon baking powder, ยฝ teaspoon baking soda, ยฝ teaspoon salt
- Beat in the softened butter on low for 3-5 minutes until it looks like wet sand.114 grams unsalted butter
- Add oil, eggs, egg white, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until a thick batter forms.114 grams neutral oil, 2 large eggs, 1 egg white, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Next, add the Greek yogurt and stream in the buttermilk. Mix on low until well combined, scraping the sides of the bowl and bottom of the bowlย as needed.140 grams plain Greek yogurt, 100 grams buttermilk
- Scoop half of the cake batter into a separate medium bowl. Mix in the remaining ยผ cup of flour with a rubber or silicone spatula until well combined and set aside.
- Mix the cocoa powder into the cake batter left in the large bowl on medium speed.30 grams dutch processed cocoa powder
- Scoop globs of both batters into the cake pans, alternating between vanilla and chocolate, filling each pan about halfway. Move a toothpick or butter knife back and forth to swirl the batters together, creating a marble effect.
- Bake the cakes for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool in their pans for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- Add room temperature butter and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer or hand mixer. Beat on medium-high speed for 15 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl halfway through.ย345 grams unsalted butter, ยฝ teaspoon salt
- Once the butter is light and smooth, gradually mix in the powdered sugar on low speed, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Then mix in the vanilla extract on medium-low.360 grams powdered sugar, 1 ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
Assembly
- Fit a piping bag with a large piping tip and fill with frosting (not all of it). Place one cake layer on a cake board and spread ยฝ cup frosting on it. Repeat with the second layer.
- Place the last cake layer with the bottom up so the top is flat. Then spread a thin layer of buttercream (or crumb coat) on top of the cake and all over the sides of the cake. Smooth out the frosting with a bench scraper and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Spread the rest of the buttercream on top of the cake and use an offset spatula to work it down the sides. Smooth out the edges and clean up the top.
- Pipe swirls of leftover buttercream on top of the cake. Slice and enjoy!
Kim
Would you mind elaborating on step 5?