Eggless Chocolate and Vanilla Marble Cake
A soft eggless chocolate and vanilla marble layer cake with beautiful swirls of two classic flavors, finished with creamy chocolate buttercream. Includes a dairy-free option.
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients
Marble Cake Ingredients
- 280 ml Milk* see notes for options
- 26 ml Lemon Juice or white vinegar
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 280 g Cane Sugar* or castor sugar
- 110 g Butter* melted
- 265 g All Purpose Flour
- 19 g Cornstarch
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ¼ tsp Salt
Chocolate Paste Ingredients
- 25 g Natural Cocoa Powder
- 60 ml Hot Water
Chocolate Frosting Ingredients
- 300 g Butter* see notes for options
- 270 g Powdered Sugar sifted or use icing sugar
- 80 g Cacao Powder sifted
- 60 ml Whipping Cream at room temp; see notes for options
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Pinch of Salt
Instructions
Marble Cake Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine the milk and lemon juice or white vinegar. Let it sit for 10–15 minutes until slightly curdled. This helps create a tender cake crumb.
- Add the cane sugar and vanilla extract to the milk mixture and whisk to combine.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined.
- Add the melted butter and mix until the batter is smooth, taking care not to overmix.
- Make the Chocolate Batter - In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder and hot water together until smooth, with no lumps remaining to from a paste. Transfer about one-third of the vanilla batter to a separate bowl and stir in the cocoa paste until evenly combined.
- Divide the vanilla batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Spoon portions of the chocolate batter over the vanilla batter. Use a skewer or knife to gently swirl the two batters together a few times. Avoid over-swirling, as this can blend the colors instead of creating a distinct marble pattern.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the cakes cool in their pans before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting Instructions
- Use a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment or a handheld electric whisk.
- Whip the softened butter until it is light and fluffy on medium speed with an electric whisk. Add sifted powdered sugar in 2 parts.
- Mix on medium speed until it is light-smooth for 4-5 minutes. Add sifted cocoa powder and mix until combined. Pour cream, vanilla, salt and mix until fluffy and smooth.
Cake Assembly Instructions
- Trim a thin layer of both cakes to level them with a serrated knife to ensure they stack evenly.
- Place a small amount of frosting on the center of your cake stand or serving plate.Place one layer of the cake on the prepared cake stands or plate.
- Using an offset spatula or butter knife, spread a generous layer of frosting (at least 5-6 scoops) evenly over the top of the first cake layer. Smooth it out to ensure an even surface.
- Carefully place the second cake layer on top of the frosted first layer. Align it as evenly as possible.
- Apply a crumb coat by spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake. This layer seals in any crumbs and creates a smooth surface for the final coat. Chill the cake in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
- Apply the final layer of frosting, smooth it out with the offset spatula.
- For a clean finish, you can use a bench scraper to smooth the sides. If desired, use a piping bag to pipe rosettes or borders, to the top and sides of the cake.
- Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 30 minutes to allow the frosting to set and make slicing easier.
- Before serving, allow the cake to come to room temperature for 10-15 minutes to enhance the flavors. Enjoy your beautifully marbled vanilla and chocolate cake!
Notes
- Cup vs weighing scale: The US customary cup measurement serves as a rough estimate, as it can have uncertainties, so for precise results, it's recommended to weigh your ingredients using a digital scale in grams
- Before you start to make any recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the process will go smoothly and easily.
- For teaspoon (tsp) and tablespoon (tbsp) measurements, please use measuring spoons and not the type of spoons you eat with for accuracy.
- Milk: You can use any dairy-free unsweetened milk (like almond, soy, oat) or dairy-based whole milk.
- Butter: Dairy-free butter sticks or any butter of your choice.
- Lemon Juice: You can substitute with Apple Cider Vinegar / White Vinegar and vice-versa.
- Whipping Cream: Use Dairy-free unsweetened whipping cream for a vegan version or any full-fat whipping cream of your choice.
- Sugar: Cane sugar can be substituted with granulated sugar or castor sugar. Ensure the sugar is vegan-friendly (some sugars are processed with bone char) or use organic cane sugar.