Marble Cake Recipe: A Classic Delight
This recipe will guide you through creating a moist and delicious marble cake, perfect for any occasion. The beautiful swirling pattern adds a touch of elegance, making it a showstopper dessert. This recipe focuses on achieving the perfect balance of flavors and texture, while providing tips for maximizing your baking success.
Ingredients You'll Need:
This recipe yields a 9x13 inch marble cake. Adjust quantities proportionally for different sized pans.
For the Cake:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (170ml) buttermilk
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Chocolate Swirl:
- ½ cup (60g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup (120ml) boiling water
Step-by-Step Instructions:
Preparing the Batter:
- Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan. This ensures easy release and prevents sticking.
- Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Thorough mixing prevents lumps and ensures even baking.
- Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Combine wet and dry ingredients gradually, mixing until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a tough cake.
- Chocolate Swirl: In a small bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and boiling water until smooth. This creates a rich chocolate mixture that will swirl beautifully into the batter.
Creating the Marble Effect:
- Divide the Batter: Divide the batter in half. Add the chocolate mixture to one half and stir until evenly combined.
- Swirling Technique: Pour half of the vanilla batter into the prepared pan. Spoon dollops of the chocolate batter over the vanilla batter. Use a knife or toothpick to gently swirl the batters together, creating a marble effect. Avoid over-mixing at this stage, to maintain the distinct swirls.
Baking and Cooling:
- Bake: Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Baking times can vary slightly depending on your oven.
- Cooling: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents the cake from breaking and allows it to cool evenly.
Tips for Success:
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients ensures even mixing and a lighter texture.
- Don't Overmix: Overmixing develops gluten, resulting in a tough cake. Mix until just combined.
- Check for Doneness: Use a wooden skewer or toothpick to check for doneness. If it comes out with wet batter, bake for a few more minutes.
- Frosting Options: This cake is delicious on its own, but you can enhance it with your favorite frosting, such as cream cheese frosting or chocolate ganache.
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