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Home » Recipes » German Cake

German Marble Cake (Marmorkuchen)

Published: Oct 26, 2023 · Updated: Jan 20, 2025 by Carissa Erzen · This post may contain affiliate links · 3 Comments

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5 from 2 votes

The elaborate design of this German marble cake (called Marmorkuchen) is so easy with my foolproof recipe! Tons of butter and eggs create the most moist, soft Bundt cake you've ever sunk your teeth into. And the swirls of vanilla and chocolate cake create an elevated look with very little effort!

Two slices of German Marble Cake set on their sides next to the rest of the cake.

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The Best Marble Cake - German Marmorkuchen

Marmorkuchen translates to "marble cake" since yellow vanilla cake is swirled with dark brown chocolate cake to create a beautiful marble effect. It's a popular cake in Germany enjoyed for every occasion from birthday parties to afternoon coffee breaks.

Traditionally this cake can be made in a Gugelhupf or Kugelhopf pan, which looks similar to a Bundt pan, but has taller walls for a more dramatic effect. (I loveee the drama of this shape, like my Black Forest Bundt cake!) But don't worry, this cake also looks great in a Bundt pan or even a round cake pan.

Now, let's talk texture. This cake is suuuper soft and light on the first day that it's baked. But between us, it can become kind of dry and hard when it sits out after a day. If you end up in this situation, I like to spread jut a little butter on a leftover slice and pop it in the microwave for about 20 seconds to soften it.

This cake is also great alongside a warm mug of tea or coffee. In fact, when I was a kid growing up in Germany, my mom and I would visit a friend's house for "Kaffee und Kuchen" or "coffee and cake". My friend and I would play upstairs, while our moms would chat downstairs, enjoying a slice or two of German marble cake.

Three slices of Marmorkuchen on grey plates with forks.

Ingredients

  • Unsalted butter
  • Granulated sugar
  • Salt
  • Vanilla extract
  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • All purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder
  • Espresso powder
  • Powdered sugar
Glass dishes with flour, sugar, and other ingredients to bake a cake.

Let's Bake a German Marble Cake Together!

Below are the general steps to make this cake. For the full step-by-step directions and ingredient measurements, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Beaten butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.

1. Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and salt together until it’s creamy.

Eggs incorporated into beaten butter and sugar.

3. Add one egg at a time, beating for about 30 seconds after each addition.

Flour and baking powder whisked in a glass bowl.

5. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.

A metal Bundt pan greased with cooking spray.

7. Generously grease a Bundt pan with butter or cooking spray.

Chocolate cake batter in a mixing bowl with a rubber spatula.

9. Add the cocoa powder, espresso powder, and milk to the remaining one-third cake batter in the mixing bowl. Gently mix until it's evenly combined.

A baked upside-down German Marble Cake in a Bundt pan.

11. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Beaten vanilla with butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.

2. Add the vanilla extract and mix for about 30 seconds.

Milk added to the wet ingredients of cake batter in a mixing bowl.

4. Add the milk, and beat the mixture again for about 30 seconds.

German Marble Cake batter mixed in a metal mixing bowl.

6. Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture while mixing on a low speed.

Vanilla cake batter in a Bundt pan.

8. Pour two-thirds of the cake batter into the prepared baking pan.

Raw German Marble Cake batter in a metal Bundt pan, ready to go in the oven.

10. Pour the chocolate cake batter on top of the light-colored cake batter, and drag the blade of a knife through the mixture to swirl the two colors together.

A baked Bundt cake cooling on a cooling rack.

12. Turn the cake upside down to release it from the Bundt pan or loaf pan and let it cool completely on a cooling rack.

Baking Tips for Bundt Cakes

  • Thick Batter: The batter for this German marble cake is very sticky and thick. Use a rubber spatula or knife to help spread it into all the sides and edges of the Bundt pan.
  • Swirl with Restraint: When swirling the vanilla and chocolate cake together, use long, sweeping motions with your knife. Don't go overboard, since Marmorkuchen is usually solid yellow cake on to top half, revealing the hidden marble effect only as you slice into the cake.
  • Level the Cake: Use a serrated knife to trim off the crispy bottom of the cake, so it can lay flat and level on your plate or cake stand.
  • Topping: Use a sifter to dust the powdered sugar on top. This creates a beautiful effect that will wow anyone you share this cake with! If you don't sift the powdered sugar, it can look clumpy on top of the cake.
A slice of Marmorkuchen peeking out from behind the rest of the cake on a cake stand.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use ground coffee instead of espresso power?

I prefer to use instant espresso powder since it has a finer texture and its flavor is more potent. You can substitute ground coffee, but you'll need to add more since it's flavor is less intense. And be sure to sift it into your cake batter, to avoid a gritty texture.

Can I use baking soda instead of baking powder?

Both are leavening agents to help the cake rise, but they aren't interchangeable.
Baking soda is made solely of sodium bicarbonate, and requires an acidic ingredient to activate it. Baking powder is a mixture of baking soda and an acidic ingredient, so it doesn't need something else to activate it.
Since there is no acidic ingredient like molasses, honey, or brown sugar in this recipe, baking powder is essential, and baking soda isn't a good substitute.

Why is there so much butter in this cake?

This cake uses 2½ sticks of butter to achieves its tender, moist, and light texture. Softened butter coats the flour to prevent the formation of too much gluten, so the cake stays soft and light.
Also when softened butter is beaten with granulated sugar, it creates air pockets, which expand as the cake bakes in the oven and helps it rise, creating a lighter texture.
Finally, the butter adds an essential rich flavor to this relatively simple cake batter.

A half-eaten slice of German Marble Cake on a grey plate next to a red linen.

German Marble Cake (Marmorkuchen)

Carissa Erzen
The elaborate design of this impressive German marble cake (called Marmorkuchen) is so easy with my foolproof recipe! Tons of butter and sugar create the most moist, soft Bundt cake ever!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Recipe Rate Recipe Save Saved Recipe!
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 50 minutes mins
Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine German
Servings 16 slices
Calories 294 kcal

Ingredients
  

Cake Base

  • 20 Tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature (2 ½ sticks)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 5 large eggs
  • 3 Tablespoons milk
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder

Chocolate Cake

  • ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon espresso powder (optional, to enhance the chocolate flavor)
  • 3 Tablespoons milk

Topping

  • ¼ cup powdered sugar (optional, for decorating)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Generously grease a Bundt pan or large round cake pan with butter.
  • In a large mixing bowl with an electric hand whisk, or in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and salt together on a medium speed, until it’s pale, smooth, and creamy after 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Add the vanilla and mix for about 30 seconds.
  • Add one egg at a time, beating for about 30 seconds after each addition. Beat until each egg is mixed in, and scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, before adding the next egg. (It’s okay if it looks split or curdled at this step. It’ll come together once everything else is mixed in.)
  • Add the milk and beat again for 30 seconds. Set aside.
  • In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
  • Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture while mixing on a low speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl so there are no pockets of dry flour. (The batter will look pretty thick at this point, which is normal.)
  • Pour two-thirds of the cake batter into the prepared baking pan.
  • To make the chocolate cake, add the cocoa powder, espresso powder, and milk to the remaining one-third cake batter in the mixing bowl. Mix until it’s fully combined, scraping the sides of the bowl.
  • Pour the chocolate cake batter on top of the light-colored cake batter, and drag the blade of a knife through the mixture to swirl the two colors together. This will create the marbled effect with the two colored cake batters. Be careful not to swirl the batter too much, or you’ll lose the contrast between the light and dark batters.
  • Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Let the cake cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Then turn the cake upside down to release it from the Bundt pan. Let the cake continue to cool completely on the cooling rack.
    Optional: Use a sifter to dust the cake with powdered sugar. Enjoy!!

Notes

  • The cake batter is very sticky and thick. Use a rubber spatula or knife to help spread it into all the sides and edges of the Bundt pan.
  • When swirling the vanilla and chocolate cake together, use long, gently sweeping motions with your knife. Don't go overboard, since Marmorkuchen is usually light on to top half, revealing the hidden marble effect only as you slice into the cake.
  • Use a serrated knife to trim off the crispy bottom of the cake, so it can stand flat and level on your plate or cake stand. 
  • Use a sifter to dust the powdered sugar on top. This creates a beautiful effect that will wow anyone you share this cake with! If you don't sift the powdered sugar, it will look really clumpy on top of the cake.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 sliceCalories: 294kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 5gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 140mgPotassium: 80mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 521IUCalcium: 68mgIron: 2mg
Keyword German marble cake, marble bundt cake, Marmorkuchen
Did you make this recipe?Leave a comment below and tag @humbly-homemade on social!

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About Carissa Erzen

Growing up in Germany, I fell head-over-heels in love with ALL the German baked goods, from Lebkuchen to pretzels. Now I'm the founder, recipe developer, and food photographer behind Humbly Homemade, where I test and share German sweets lovingly created from scratch. So pull up a chair, and stay a while!

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Comments

  1. Leonard Caponegro

    February 03, 2025 at 6:08 pm

    5 stars
    This cake was delicious. The only change I would make is testing the doneness sooner than at 45 minutes because the cake was a tad dry. Next time I will test the doneness at 40 minutes. Otherwise I wouldn't change a thing. So reminds me of my Omi, and spending summers with her in northern Germany. I can't wait to try the other recipes. Dankeschoen.

    Reply
    • Carissa Erzen

      February 04, 2025 at 7:18 am

      Hi Leonard, I'm so happy to hear that this marble cake reminded you of memories with your Omi in Germany. I believe that's the power of food! And thank you for your note on the baking time, the cake pan size plays a big roll so I will look into adjusting the time in the recipe card to account for different sized pans & different baking times. Thank you!

      Reply
5 from 2 votes (1 rating without comment)

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