It doesn’t get much better than this soft and moist Marble Bundt Cake recipe with Chocolate Ganache. This is the perfect cake when you can’t decide if you want chocolate or vanilla! Pairs great with a hot cup of coffee and vanilla ice cream.
Love cake as much as I do? Then you need to try my Carrot Cake recipe and my Chocolate Birthday Cake Recipe!
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Homemade Marble Bundt Cake
I’ve never been much of a marble cake fan. That is, until this recipe. I typically find them to be pretty dry and the chocolate portion to be a bit lacking. This marble cake, however, does not disappoint! It’s super soft, moist and buttery. Sour cream, extra butter and whole milk are added to make this cake super rich.
Marble cakes aren’t as difficult to make as they look. It’s simply a white cake batter divided with chocolate added to half then marbled together with a butter knife.
I played around with this recipe a lot. I decided to substitute the cocoa powder for semi-sweet chocolate and add more butter for a softer cake. The result was the perfect cake recipe!
Don’t Forget the Chocolate Ganache!
The chocolate ganache is optional, but highly recommended. This cake is awesome by itself or with a dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa powder, but this velvety smooth and rich chocolate ganache takes it to the next level and highlights the chocolate cake in the center without overshadowing the outer vanilla cake.
For this marble cake recipe, I used the same chocolate ganache I used on my Flourless Chocolate Cake and Cosmic Brownies. The ganache is super easy to whip up. Just chocolate and heavy cream melted and poured on top. Spread the ganache on top of the cake. Place the cake back in the fridge to set, and enjoy!
Key Ingredients
- Cake Flour: I like Bob’s Red Mill Super-Fine Cake Flour because it never fails, but use whichever you prefer.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: To help the marble bundt cake rise.
- Salt: Every cake (and sweet dessert, really) benefits from a little bit of salt to balance out the sweetness.
- Sour Cream and Whole Milk: This makes the cake super moist with a fine crumb. Works similar to buttermilk in some chocolate cake recipes.
- Sugar: Like most cakes, you’ll need to use white granulated instead of brown so it doesn’t weigh down the cake batter.
- Eggs: You’ll need two large eggs and one yolk for this recipe, all at room temperature.
- Vanilla: As always, opt for pure vanilla extract over imitation.
- Butter: You’ll need unsalted for this recipe to best control the amount of sodium in the cake, and make sure it’s softened to room temperature.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: I prefer using these in my chocolate cake batter because they’re not overly sweet, but dark chocolate would also work.
- Chocolate Ganache: All you need is more semi-sweet chocolate chips and some heavy cream to make the best (and easiest) homemade chocolate ganache.
How To Make Marble Bundt Cake
You’ll find more detailed instructions on how to make this homemade marble cake in the recipe card below, but in short you essentially make vanilla cake batter and then separate it to make the chocolate cake batter by adding melted semi-sweet chocolate chips.
It’s crucial to not overmix your batter while assembling the ingredients. This ensures that the cake turns out airy, moist, and with a fine crumb.
To achieve the marbled effect when assembling the two cake batters in your bundt pan, simply spoon the vanilla cake batter into the prepared pan, then spoon the chocolate cake batter on top. Using a butter knife, swirl the two batters together in an S formation until incorporated. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes, checking with a dry toothpick at the 30-minute mark. Allow it to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes before flipping and dislodging from the bundt pan.
Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar or cocoa powder, or with my favorite chocolate ganache.
How To Make Homemade Chocolate Ganache
- Microwave chocolate chips and heavy cream in a medium microwave-safe bowl in 15 second intervals until fully melted.
- Allow the ganache to cool for about 2-3 minutes, and then pour and spread on top of the cake.
- Place iced cake back into the fridge to allow the ganache to set.
Tips
- It’s very important to bring all of your refrigerated ingredients to room temperature. This produces a light and airy cake.
- Do not over mix the batter. I like to fold the last bit of flour by hand with a rubber spatula.
- This cake cooks quicker if you are making it in a larger bundt pan. I like to check the cake after 35 minutes.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating Instructions
- Store cake at room temperature in a sealed cake stand or airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze cooled cake by the slice or whole wrapped in plastic wrap and in a freezer-safe plastic bag or container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat frozen cake by allowing it to come to room temperature on the counter or microwaving it for 30 seconds or more at a time until warmed through. You can also toast it in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes or so, but be careful not to dry out. Enjoy room temperature cake as is.
More Cake Recipes To Try
- Salted Caramel Chocolate Cake
- Amazing Carrot Cake
- Easy Everyday Chocolate Cake
- Hot Fudge Pudding Cake
- Chocolate Lava Cake
- Chocolate Pound Cake
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
Marble Bundt Cake with Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Super-Fine Cake Flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 ounces 3/4 cup semi sweet chocolate, melted and cooled
Chocolate Ganache
- 1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Butter and flour a 10-cup bundt pan.
- In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Whisk together sour cream and milk in a liquid measuring cup. Set aside.
- Add butter and sugar to a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat until fluffy and lighter in color and almost white, 3-4 minutes.
- Add in the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, making sure they are fully incorporated before adding another one.
- Add in vanilla.
- On low speed add in 1/3 of the dry ingredients and 1/3 of the milk mixture. Continue with adding another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture and ending with the last third of flour mixture. Mix until just combined and a smooth batter forms. Do not over-mix. I like to do the last bit by hand with a rubber spatula.
- Remove 1½ cups of the batter from the bowl and set aside.
- Add the cooled chocolate to the removed batter and mix until incorporated. Do not over-mix.
- Spoon vanilla cake into the prepared pan.
- Spoon the chocolate cake on top, avoiding the sides if you can.
- Using a butter knife, swirl the 2 batters together in an S shape motion.
- Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes then invert on to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve plain or dust with cocoa powder, powered sugar or (my favorite) chocolate ganache.
- Store cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Chocolate Ganache
- Add chocolate chips and heavy cream to a medium microwave safe bowl. Heat in 15 second intervals until fully melted.
- Allow the ganache to cool for about 2-3 minutes. Pour and spread ontop of the cake.
- Place back into the fridge to allow the ganache to set.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Did you make this?
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Manali
Ooo I love marble cakes because I get to eat both – chocolate and vanilla! This looks so moist and delicious! Pinned!
Dominique
Great recipe! Is it a cup of sour cream? Thanks!
Kelley
Hi Dominique,
You need 1/2 of sour cream for this recipe.
Thanks!
Kelley
Kim
Is it half of the sour cream container or 1/2 cup?
Kelley
Hi Kim,
Sorry about that it is 1/2 cup. I have updated the recipe.
Thanks!
Kelley
Michelle
Hi Kelley
I just made this cake and it eventually went into the oven as a chocolate cake.
There are a few essential steps missing from this recipe. Where does the egg yolk go? You say to add 1/3 of the dry mix and 1/3 of the milk mixture but then there are no directions on what to do with the rest of the dry and wet ingredients? I went through the steps placed in the oven before I realized I still had flour and milk mix left on the shelf, so had to remove and mix in the rest of milk and flour ingredients, hope it all works out ok.
Kelley
Hi Michelle,
I am so sorry for the confusion. The egg yolk should go in the same time the other eggs go in. As for the rest of the dry and milk ingredients continue with adding another one-third of the flour mixture, followed by the remaining milk mixture and ending with the last third of flour mixture. Mix until just combined and a smooth batter forms. (We just want to slowly incorporate them that is why I said 1/3 at a time).
Again so sorry about the confusion. I will update the recipe so it is easier to follow.
Thanks!
Kelley
Yvette
This looks and sounds so delicious!
Questions:
1. You write that you added extra butter. Is that incorporated into the recipe as written here?
2. You also wrote you substituted cocoa for the semi-sweet chips for the chocolate cake batter. How much cocoa did you use?
Thanks! I can’t wait to bake and taste!
Kelley Simmons
Hi Yvette,
1. I added more butter than other bundt cake recipes that is what I meant by that so no need to add more butter. 2. I like using melted chocolate like in the recipe. If you would like to use cocoa you can use 1/4 cup cocoa powder in place of the chocolate chips. I hope this helps!
Thanks & Enjoy!
Kelley