This Whole Wheat Marble Cake Recipe is a delightful dessert that combines the rich flavors of a chocolate cake with the subtle taste of a vanilla cake in a beautifully swirled design and made with a 100% whole wheat flour (Atta). It pairs perfectly with a nice cup of tea or coffee! Using this recipe you can learn how to make soft and moist marble cake using whole wheat flour or regular Indian atta.
Table of Contents
What is a Marble Cake?
A marble cake is a delightful dessert that artfully blends two or more flavors in a single cake, creating a beautiful swirl pattern while preserving the distinct taste of each flavor. This marbled effect is most commonly achieved by combining dark and light cake flavors, such as chocolate and vanilla or chocolate and strawberry.
Known for its unique appearance, marble cake offers the pleasure of enjoying two delicious flavors in one bite. It combines rich tastes with a light and moist texture, making it a favorite among dessert lovers.
Marble cake is a classic treat enjoyed around the world, ideal for both special occasions and everyday indulgence. Its flavorful combination and attractive appearance make it a popular choice in both bakeries and home kitchens.
Why you will love this Recipe of Marble Cake?
- Soft and Moist
- Rich flavors of chocolate and lightness of vanilla
- Easy to prepare
- Great tea time snack
- Looks beautiful with the dark and light swirls
- Goes well as a base cake for a frosted and decorated birthday cake
Variations and Substitutions
- Whole Wheat Marble cake can also be prepared with oil, just substitute the butter with 1/2 cup oil . Best oil substitutes for making this cake are coconut oil and olive oil.
- To make the Marble cake more rich, substitute the cocoa powder with melted dark chocolate.
- Some variations of marble cake combinations other than the classic chocolate and vanilla are: red velvet and vanilla, blueberry and lemon, chocolate and pineapple or strawberry. Just use your imagination!
Good to know before you start
- The recipe asks to sieve the flour for 2-3 times, this is a crucial step as we are using whole wheat flour and sieving the flour several times makes it light.
- Use powdered sugar for best results as it is much faster and easier to work with.
- Always use butter that is soft to touch and is at room temperature. Make sure not to over whip the butter as it can cause the butter to split.
- To create the beautiful Marble pattern: swirl a knife or a wooden skewer through the batter to create small ‘S’ shapes, starting from one end of the pan till the other end. Do not over mix.
So lets start baking!!!
Tools Needed
- 1 baking mould : You can use either a round cake tin 9 inch or 13*9 inch bread loaf pan.
- 1 Hand mixer
- 3 Bowls
- 1 Spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
Ingredients
- Whole wheat flour or Atta: Use any good quality whole wheat flour that has been lightly sifted. You can also substitute it with all purpose flour.
- Butter : Use Butter that is soft and at room temperature. Any neutral oil like coconut or olive oil can also be used as a substitution for butter (Use 1/2 Cup Oil for every 100gms of butter)
- Baking powder
- Sugar : Finely ground sugar is used for this recipe.
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Cocoa powder
- Warm milk
- Salt
Method
- Preheat an oven at 180°C for 20 mins. And grease a cake pan with butter or line with parchment/butter paper and keep aside.
- In a clean and dry bowl mix together the wheat flour, baking powder, salt and sieve it 2 to 3 times(or once if you feel lazy).
- In a separate bowl take butter and sugar and beat until smooth (to know when done beating: color should change to off white).
- Add the vanilla essence and eggs 1 at a time while whisking.
- Then add the flour mixture and milk in small batches and fold together(cut and fold method).
- Take a clean bowl and pour half of the vanilla batter into it.
- To make the chocolate batter : Sieve the cocoa powder to remove any lumps. Then gently mix it into one part of the batter.
- Take the greased cake pan and pour in half of the vanilla batter and spread it evenly. Then add the chocolate batter, followed by the remaining vanilla cake batter. Now swirl a knife or skewer through the batter to create small ‘S’ shapes, starting from one end of the pan till the other end. Do not over mix. This will create the beautiful marble swirls.
- Place the cake pan in the preheated oven and bake for 40 mins at 180°C.
- Bake till a toothpick inserted at the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool completely and serve or transfer the cake into an air tight container and consume within 2-3 days.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Serving Options
When it comes to serving a marble cake, there are many delightful ways to make it even more appealing and tasty. Here are some great ideas:
- Whole or Sliced: You can serve the marble cake as it is, either whole or sliced. This lets everyone admire the beautiful marbled design.
- With Frosting: Spread a rich chocolate buttercream or a smooth vanilla buttercream on top or between the slices for an extra touch of sweetness and flavor.
- Accompanied by Fresh Fruit: Serve slices of marble cake with fresh berries or sliced fruits like strawberries or raspberries. The tartness of the fruit balances the sweetness of the cake.
- With Whipped Cream: A dollop of whipped cream on the side or on top of the cake adds a light and airy texture that pairs well with the moist cake.
- Paired with Ice Cream: Marble cake tastes fantastic with a scoop of vanilla or chocolate ice cream, making for a delicious dessert combination.
- Coffee or Tea: Enjoying the cake with a hot beverage, like coffee or tea, can enhance the experience, making it a perfect treat for gatherings.
These serving options not only make the marble cake more enjoyable but also enhance its visual appeal, making it a wonderful choice for any occasion!
How to store a marble cake?
To store your marble cake, place it in an airtight container. It’s best to keep it at room temperature, where it will stay fresh for 2-3 days, as long as the environment isn’t too humid. You can also refrigerate the cake in an airtight container, where it will last for about 5-7 days. However, be aware that the refrigerator can dry out the cake, even when stored in a container.
The cake tastes best when consumed warm as it is made with whole wheat flour and it might tend to lose its texture when cold. So before you consume just pop the cake into a microwave for a minute.
Why is my cake not soft and moist?
Some of the common reasons that can cause cakes becoming dense and dry are : over-mixing, over-baking, quality of ingredients and using more flour than mentioned in the recipe.
I recommend using a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients, especially flour, to prevent over-measuring, which is a common mistake. Once you start mixing the dry and wet ingredients, be careful to stir until just combined, and avoid using a mixer.
When it’s time to bake your marble cake, check for doneness by inserting a toothpick. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Since many ovens can run hot, it’s a good idea to start checking your cake a few minutes before the recommended baking time.
What are good frosting options for a marble cake?
When it comes to frosting a marble cake, there are many tasty options that go well with its chocolate and vanilla flavors. Here are some popular choices:
- Vanilla Buttercream: This smooth and creamy frosting is a classic. It adds a sweet touch to the marbled cake without being too sweet, making the flavors shine.
- Chocolate Buttercream: If you love chocolate, this rich frosting made with real chocolate is a great choice. It pairs nicely with the chocolate swirls in the cake and makes it even more indulgent.
- Marble Buttercream: Can’t choose between chocolate and vanilla? Marble buttercream is the perfect solution! By swirling both frostings together, you get a pretty and tasty topping that matches the cake’s marbled look.
- Chocolate Ganache: This shiny chocolate sauce can be used as a topping or filling. It adds a fancy touch and goes perfectly with both the vanilla and chocolate parts of the cake.
These frosting options not only boost the flavor of a marble cake but also make it look great, making it a wonderful choice for any occasion!
Recipe Card
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*I have recently updated this recipe. Just made some small changes as the recipe evolved in my kitchen in the past few years. Hope you enjoy it!
Whole Wheat Marble Cake
EQUIPMENTS
- 1 cake tin 9 inch round or 13*9 inch bread pan
- 1 Hand mixer
- 3 Bowls
- 1 Spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cup whole wheat flour
- 225 gms unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup sugar powdered or fine
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp vanilla essence
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 6 tbsp whole milk
- 1/4 tsp salt
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat an oven at 180°C for 20 mins. And grease a cake pan with butter or line with parchment/butter paper and keep aside.
- In a clean and dry bowl mix together the wheat flour, baking powder, salt and sieve it 2 to 3 times(or once if you feel lazy).
- In a separate bowl take butter and sugar and beat until smooth (to know when done beating: color should change to off white).
- Add the vanilla essence and eggs 1 at a time while whisking.
- Then add the flour mixture and milk in small batches and fold together(cut and fold method).
- Take a clean bowl and pour half of the vanilla batter into it.
- To make the chocolate batter : Sieve the cocoa powder to remove any lumps. Then gently mix it into one part of the batter.
- Take the greased cake pan and pour in half of the vanilla batter and spread it evenly. Then add the chocolate batter, followed by the remaining vanilla cake batter. Now swirl a knife or skewer through the batter to create small ‘S’ shapes, starting from one end of the pan till the other end. Do not over mix. This will create the beautiful marble swirls.
- Place the cake pan in the preheated oven and bake for 40 mins at 180°C.
- Bake till a toothpick inserted at the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Cool completely and serve or transfer the cake into an air tight container and consume within 2-3 days.
Notes
- Always use butter that is soft to touch and is at room temperature. Make sure not to over whip the butter as it can cause the butter to split.
- To store your marble cake, place it in an airtight container. It’s best to keep it at room temperature, where it will stay fresh for 2-3 days, as long as the environment isn’t too humid. You can also refrigerate the cake in an airtight container, where it will last for about 5-7 days.
4 comments
You’ve forgotten to add the egg whites in your method.
Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
My family loved this!
Thanks, Glad to know! 🙂