This German marble cake is made from swirled chocolate and vanilla cake batter, with plenty of butter and eggs to make it soft and moist. Baked in a Bundt pan or Gugelhupf, this dessert is fitting for both special occasions and weekday baking.
Featured Review
"This cake was delicious. So reminds me of my Omi, and spending summers with her in northern Germany. I can't wait to try the other recipes. Dankeschoen." -Leonard
My Favorite Marble Cake is Marmorkuchen
This German marble cake gets its name from the dramatic swirls of vanilla and chocolate batter that create that gorgeous marbled cross-section. Growing up in Germany, this was often the go-to cake brought to birthday parties. But honestly, in true Kaffee und Kuchen style, you can slice it up for any occasion that calls for something homemade and impressive-looking.
What makes mine worth making is the 2½ sticks of butter. Yep, you read that right. After testing the batter a few ways, that amount of butter is what takes this from a dry, crumbly cake to something soft and tender all the way through. One honest heads-up though is that this cake is at its best on day one. After that it can go a little dry, so if you have leftovers, I like to spread a thin layer of butter on a slice and microwave it for 20 seconds to warm & soften it, almost as good as freshly baked.
I often bake Marmorkuchen in a Gugelhupf pan (similar to a Bundt pan but with taller walls), because the dramatic shape is half the appeal. But if you don't have one, a standard Bundt pan works just as great.
If you love the tall, dramatic look of this marble cake, my Black Forest Bundt cake has the same nostalgic feel with layers of chocolate, cherries, and cream. And for another German birthday party staple, my Maulwurfkuchen is a completely different vibe with crumbled chocolate cake crumbs, fresh bananas, and an obscene amount of whipped cream, but just as crowd-pleasing.
Let's Bake German Marble Cake Together!
My Pro Tips for Bundt Cakes
- Thick Batter: The batter for this German marble cake is very sticky and thick. I use a rubber spatula to help spread it into all the sides and edges of the pan.
- Swirl with Restraint: When swirling the vanilla and chocolate cake together, I found that long, sweeping motions with a knife work best. 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: Once it's baked, I like to use a serrated knife to trim off the crispy bottom of the cake (which is technically the top while it's in the pan) so it lays flat.
German Marble Cake | Marmorkuchen
developed & tested by:
Equipment
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, at room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons milk, at room temperature
- 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, at room temperature
Topping
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (for decorating)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C). 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 40-50 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. Dust the cake with powdered sugar.
Notes
- This cake batter is very sticky and thick, so use a rubber spatula or knife to spread it into all the sides and edges of the pan.
- When swirling, a few long, deliberate strokes with a knife is all you need. Overdo it and you lose the surprise marble reveal when you slice in (which is the best part!)
- Store cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature. Reheat leftover slices slathered with a little butter in the microwave for 20-30 seconds to soften them.
Nutrition
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Jennifer says
Good recipe - but def check at 40 minutes. Even then was dry but could be my oven. Did the espresso powder. Not a fan of the lack of moisture but again, probably is the intent. Made an icing for it and even then, dry. I'm almost thinking a simple syrup option to let a spiced rum soak in.
Carissa Erzen says
Hi Jennifer, thank you so much for your comment! Yes, this cake is definitely on the drier side. I love it with whipped cream to soak into it, and icing on top sounds delicious as well!
Leonard Caponegro says
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 says
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!