This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Learn how to make a moist, delicious marble cake the easy way! Chocolate and yellow cake batters are swirled together for a beautiful dessert that looks super fancy but requires very little effort.
This Marble Cake recipe is one of my all time favorite cakes. It’s a tie race with my Easy Chocolate Snack Cake and Pound Cake Recipe. With a few simple swaps, the doctored up cake mix is so moist it doesn’t even need frosting. The swaps make the cake a little more dense, a lot richer, and more flavorful. Plus there are only 6 ingredients!
Then, instead of having to make two separate cake batters, you just scoop out some of the yellow cake batter and add chocolate. Swirl the chocolate into the yellow in the bundt pan and you’ve got a gorgeous marble cake with hardly any effort.
Marble Cake Ingredients
My marble cake recipe is so easy, and you only need 6 simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand. Nothing about this cake is complicated!
- 1 box of yellow cake mix – my personal favorite brand is Betty Crocker, but you can use any brand you like. A white cake mix would also work, I just happen to prefer the buttery taste of yellow cake.
- 4 eggs – this is one more than the box usually calls for.
- 1 cup milk – in place of the water. If your cake mix calls for less water, reduce the milk to match.
- â…” cup butter melted – instead of oil, I use butter any time I make a boxed cake mix. It make the cake richer and more moist.
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder – This is added to only about a third of the cake batter.
- Powdered sugar – for dusting on top of the cake (optional).
How To Make Marble Cake
Make the yellow cake batter. Use the swaps listed in the ingredients and beat the batter with an electric mixer for 2 minutes.
Mix in the cocoa. Scoop about a third of the yellow cake batter into a bowl and stir in the cocoa powder.
Layer and swirl the batters together. Pour half of the remaining yellow cake batter into a greased 10-inch bundt pan. To get the marbled effect, use a small spoon to drop scoops of the chocolate batter on top, then pour the rest of the yellow batter on top. Gently give it a few swirls with a knife. Don’t swirl too much or the batters will become muddled and you’ll lose that beautiful marbled effect.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool. Let the cake cool in the bundt pan for 10-15 minutes. Place a wire baking rack on top of the pan, then hold the rack and pan together and slowly turn it over so the cake falls onto the rack. Cool completely, then dust with powdered sugar (optional) before slicing and serving.
Expert Tips and FAQs
- If you want to bake the cake from scratch, feel free to use your favorite recipe.
- Instead of powdered sugar, you can add a glaze or a chocolate ganache on top.
- How to store leftover cake: Keep the cake tightly wrapped on a platter, or in an airtight container. It should stay fresh and moist for about 3 days. Do not refrigerate or it will dry out.
- How to freeze leftover cake: Wrap the whole cake or individual slices tightly with 2 layers of plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 6 months.
The yellow and chocolate cake batters are swirled together, but not completely mixed, giving the cake a marbled effect.
You can! Just follow the directions in the recipe, and instead of pouring the batter into a bundt pan, fill cupcake cups about halfway with yellow cake batter. Drop teaspoons of chocolate batter on top and swirl a few times with a toothpick. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.
A sheet cake is just as easy as a bundt cake. Grease a 13×9-inch baking pan and follow the same directions as the bundt cake. Bake at 350 degrees for 28-32 minutes. Frost with your favorite chocolate frosting.
More Cake Recipes You’ll Love
- Cinnamon Roll Cake
- Easy Banana Cake
- Fresh Strawberry Cake Recipe
- Fluffy Vanilla Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting
- Funfetti Sheet Cake
- Chocolate Pudding Cake
Easy Marble Cake
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix 15-16 ounces
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- â…” cup butter melted
- 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- Powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- In a large bowl and with an electric mixer, beat cake mix, eggs, milk and butter for 2 minutes at medium speed, scraping the sides and bottom a couple of times so everything is incorporated.
- Scoop out about ¾ cup of the batter into another bowl. Stir in the cocoa powder.
- Grease a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. Pour in half about â…” of the yellow cake batter. Drop spoonfuls of the chocolate mixture evenly on top of the yellow. Pour the remaining yellow cake batter evenly on top. Take a knife and make a few swirls into the batter. *Note – take care not to scrape the metal pan with the knife or it will scratch.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Transfer to a serving platter and dust with powdered sugar, then slice and serve.
Notes
- How to store leftover cake: Keep the cake tightly wrapped on a platter, or in an airtight container. It should stay fresh and moist for about 3 days. Do not refrigerate or it will dry out.
- How to freeze leftover cake: Wrap the whole cake or individual slices tightly with 2 layers of plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag or container. Freeze for up to 6 months.
Can I use chocolate syrup in place of cocoa power?
No, that wouldn’t be an equal substitute. Chocolate syrup has a lot of sugar and would add additional liquid. Is there a reason you don’t want to add the powder?