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!
This website uses affiliate links which may earn commission for purchases made at no additional cost to you.
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.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Eggs
- Milk
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Unsweetened cocoa powder
- Espresso powder
- Powdered sugar
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.
1. Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and salt together until it’s creamy.
3. Add one egg at a time, beating for about 30 seconds after each addition.
5. In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
7. Generously grease a Bundt pan with butter or cooking spray.
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.
11. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
2. Add the vanilla extract and mix for about 30 seconds.
4. Add the milk, and beat the mixture again for about 30 seconds.
6. Gradually add the flour mixture to the egg mixture while mixing on a low speed.
8. Pour two-thirds of the cake batter into the prepared baking pan.
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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
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.
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.
German Marble Cake (Marmorkuchen)
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.
Leonard Caponegro
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.
Carissa Erzen
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!