• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

A Farmgirl's Kitchen® logo

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Farm Fresh
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Shop
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
    • Privacy Policy
  • Farm Fresh
  • Recipes
  • Contact
  • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Cakes » Marble Loaf Cake

    Published: Jun 21, 2023 by Jessica Robinson · This post may contain affiliate links

    Marble Loaf Cake

    370 shares
    • Facebook
    • Email
    Jump to Recipe
    Marble pound cake slices on small white plate.
    Slices of marble cake on small white plate.

    Marble loaf cake is perfectly moist, slightly dense and has swirls of vanilla and chocolate cake batter. This pound cake is a classic treat (just like mom used to make) sweet loaf cake in a marbled flavor of vanilla and chocolate.

    Baked in a cast iron loaf pan, this moist marble cake recipe is swirled with vanilla and chocolate. It’s so much better than Starbucks marble cake and even better the second day! Made completely from scratch using everyday ingredients and ready in about 1 hour.

    This recipe makes two loaves of marble loaf cakes. They’re freezer friendly, have soft crumbs, moist and the perfect easy dessert for any occasion.

    Two cast iron loaf pans with chocolate and vanilla cake batter scoops on wooden cutting board.

    Marble loaf cake is one of our most delicious cake recipes. It has incredible flavor, super moist crumbs and reminds me of my mom’s baking.

    Don’t have cast iron loaf pans? (order some!) But don’t worry a bit, you can also use regular loaf baking pans. Moist pound cake made in a loaf pan is one of the easiest cakes to bake. (Anyone can make this marble pound cake!)

    If you love easy to make desserts as much as I do, you must try this copycat Starbucks marble loaf! And make sure and try Southern Pound Cake, Lemon Bundt Cake, Starbucks Lemon Loaf, Red Velvet Marble Cake, Lemon Blueberry Cake and Coffee Cake.

    Chocolate and vanilla cake batter swirled in two cast iron loaf pans on wooden cutting board.

    It took a few years to develop the perfect copycat Starbucks marble loaf. But, I’ve finally done it! This marble cake is super moist and full of delicious vanilla and chocolate flavors!

    Have you tried my Starbucks Lemon Loaf? Oh my goodness, that’s a delicious cake recipe too!

    Why this recipe works

    • Made with simple ingredients – This pound cake recipe uses ingredients readily available at most grocery stores.
    • Prep ahead of time – Pound cake is one of the type of cake that’s better the second day!
    • Ease – Simple steps ensure the perfectly baked cake each and every time. Made in one bowl with either an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer.
    • Moist – Full-fat sour cream, along with pure vanilla extract and give this pound cake incredible flavor. A combination of butter along with vegetable shortening help this cake retain moisture.
    • Easy dessert – Loaf pound cake is the perfect easy dessert recipe for any occasion.

    What you’ll need

    • Butter – For optimum flavor, be sure and use a high-quality butter brand (such as Kerry Gold) and take it out the night before so it’s room temperature.
    • Shortening – This pound cake recipe uses a combination of butter and vegetable shortening. Shortening helps the cake stay more moist.
    • Sugar – Add gradually and beat until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
    • Unsweetened chocolate – Cut with knife and melt in a glass measuring cup in the microwave in 30 second increments and stir with a spoon until smooth. (Easily locate unsweetened chocolate bars in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.)
    • Eggs – With all of our baking recipes, we use large eggs. Be sure and bring eggs to room temperature for this cake recipe, as they will incorporate into the batter better.
    • All-purpose flour – We prefer a good-quality unbleached all-purpose flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur Flour. It really makes a difference in baking recipes. You can also use cake flour if desired.
    • Sour cream – Use full-fat sour cream. This helps the pound cake stay super moist and have a tangy flavor. (You can substitute full-fat buttermilk or Greek yogurt if you prefer.)
    • Baking powder and salt – Salt is always added to baking recipes to enhance flavor. Baking powder reacts with the sour cream or buttermilk to help the cake rise properly.
    Marble cake in two cast iron loaf pans on wooden cutting board.

    How to make Marble Loaf Cake

    • Preheat the oven – Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    • Mix dry ingredients – In a large mixing bowl, combine sifted flour, salt and baking powder.
    • Cream butter and shortening – In either a large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer on low speed.
    • Add sugar – Gradually add the sugar and beat until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
    • Add the eggs – Add the eggs one at a time, be they are at room temperature so they easily incorporate into the cake batter.
    • Add vanilla, sour cream and dry ingredients – Mix only until the batter is smooth and combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl occasionally.
    • Place into baking pan – Scoop cake batter into two prepared loaf pans, alternating vanilla and chocolate cake batter.
    • Swirl batter – Using a butter knife, swirl the cake batters together to create a marble pattern.
    • Bake – Bake at 350 degrees F. (Carefully rotate pans about half way through the baking process.)
    Close up of sliced marbled cake on small white plate.

    How to keep a Marble Loaf Cake moist

    Loaf pound cake is one of our favorite dessert recipes for cookouts, barbecues, potlucks and for easy holiday desserts.

    • My secret ingredient to keeping pound cake moist and super fresh is dough conditioner. Professional bakers, such as my mom add this to all of their baking recipes. Add 1 teaspoon of dough conditioner to 1 cup of flour.
    • Cream together butter and shortening at low speed. Vegetable shortening is a key ingredients to helping cake recipes stay moist.
    • Don’t over mix cake batter. Overmixing cake batter can cause cakes to be tough.
    • Add room temperature eggs one at a time and only until combined.
    • Use full-fat sour cream and fresh ingredients.
    • Don’t overbake the pound cake! Check if your cake is done with a toothpick when inserted comes out mostly clean, with only a few moist crumbs.

    Dough conditioner can be added to baked goods, including cakes and bread recipes to keep them moist, fresh and last longer. Be sure and try adding it to Pound Cake, Lemon Bundt Cake, Coffee Cake, Sourdough Bread and White Bread.

    To keep loaves of bread, banana bread, quick breads and pound cakes fresh, once cooled I always use a Poly bread bag with a twist tie. Here is the one I love! This makes storing bread and cakes super convenient and helps keep them very fresh.

    Four slices of marble loaf cake on small white plate with wooden handle knife.

    Recipe FAQs

    What does marble cake taste like?

    Marble cake is a mixture of vanilla and chocolate cake. In many cases, mostly vanilla with streaks of chocolate swirled. Marbled coffee cakes are often swirled with cake batter that has been mixed with cinnamon and spices.

    Should you sift flour when making a pound cake?

    Be sure and sift flour before adding to the cake batter. It’s especially important when using a Bundt, fluted cake pan or loaf pound cake. This helps reduce the likelihood of lumps in cake batter.

    How do you make a marble effect cake?

    To create a marble effect with a cake, scoop the cake batter, alternating between vanilla and chocolate into prepared baking pans. Use a butter knife, swirl the batters together to create a marble pattern.

    Slices of marble pound cake on small white plate.

    More Baking Recipes

    • Banana Bread
    • Buttermilk Biscuits
    • Lemon Loaf Cake
    • Lemon Bundt Cake
    • New York Cheesecake
    • Raspberry Bars
    • Southern Pound Cake

    Did you make one of my recipes? Please take a moment to leave a star rating. Also, if you are on Pinterest, please feel free to leave a comment there! Follow A Farmgirl’s Kitchen on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST and YouTube and subscribe my mailing list for ALL the latest recipes!

    Slices of pound cake with chocolate swirls.
    Print Rate this Recipe

    Marble Loaf Cake

    Prep Time20 minutes mins
    Cook Time55 minutes mins
    Total Time1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
    Marble loaf cake is perfectly moist, slightly dense and has swirls of vanilla and chocolate cake batter.
    Course: Desserts
    Cuisine: American, Southern
    Servings: 16 people
    Calories: 400kcal
    Author: Jessica Robinson

    Equipment

    • Lodge Cast Iron Loaf Pan
    • Loaf Pan Paper Liners

    Ingredients

    Marble Loaf Cake

    • 2 cups granulated sugar
    • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose or cake flour sifted
    • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened
    • ½ cup vegetable shortening
    • 1 cup full-fat sour cream
    • 5 large eggs room temperature
    • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • 2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate

    Instructions

    Marble Loaf Cake

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
    • Use a sifter or metal strainer to sift the flour into a medium size bowl. Add baking powder and salt, set aside.
    • Use either a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, cream together softened butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla. cream together butter and vegetable shortening. With the stand mixer on low to medium add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
    • Add the eggs, one at a time and mix only until combined. Mix on low to medium speed.
    • Add the sour cream and dry ingredients. Mix only until the batter is smooth and combined. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and the sides of the bowl occasionally.
    • Place ⅓ of the batter into a separate bowl.
    • Melt the unsweetened baking chocolate and let cool slightly. Stir the chocolate into the reserved ⅓ of the batter.
    • Place paper liners in 9×5-inch cast iron loaf pans or metal loaf pans. Scoop the batter evenly into the pans, alternating between the chocolate and vanilla into two prepared baking pans.
    • Using a butter knife, swirl the cake batters together to create a marble pattern. (If you sprayed your baking pans with cooking spray and didn't line them with paper liners – Do not touch the sides or bottoms of the pans!)
    • Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 55-60 minutes or until when a toothpick inserted comes out mostly clean, with only a few moist crumbs the cake is done.
    • About half way through the baking process, VERY carefully rotate your baking pan 180 degrees. This will help the cake bake evenly. Be very careful not to bump the cake or it will fall!
    • Gently run a butter knife around the edge of the cakes to pull them from the pans if needed. This will help them easily come out of the baking pans.
    • Let the cakes cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Remove from baking pans and let cool completely on a baking rack.
    • Slice and enjoy. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving if desired.

    Recipe Notes

    Locate bars of unsweetened chocolate in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.
    Oven temperatures vary, so always be sure and keep on eye on cakes while they bake.
    We also recommend an oven thermometer to monitor the temperature.
    Baking in a cast iron loaf pans helps distribute the heat more evenly and the cakes will rise better.
    We prefer unbleached all-purpose flour for this pound cake recipe. However you can also use cake flour. Be sure and sift flour before adding to the mixer.
    Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl occasionally. This will ensure you mix the cake batter properly.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 90mg | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 518IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @AFarmgirlsKitchen or tag #afarmgirlskitchen!

    Disclosure: As an Affiliate Marketer, I earn from qualifying purchases. If you click a product affiliate link on A Farmgirl’s Kitchen and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you!  I own every cooking product I recommend and love how they perform.

    « Lemon Loaf Cake
    Lemon Crinkle Cookie Recipe »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Yes, I would like to receive emails from A Farmgirl's Kitchen. Sign me up!


    By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact

    Primary Sidebar

    Meet Jessica

    Hi I’m Jessica!

    I am a home cook who creates wholesome family meals, homemade pies, baked goods and preserves foods using easy to find ingredients. All of my recipes use simple and readily available ingredients. Read more →

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Cast Iron Cooking and Baking

    Slices of pound cake with chocolate swirls.

    Marble Loaf Cake

    Two slices of lemon loaf cake on small white plate.

    Lemon Loaf Cake

    Slice of cake on small white plate with fresh berries.

    Best Pound Cake Recipe

    Meatballs in white bowl with spaghetti and pasta sauce.

    Grandma’s Italian Meatball Recipe

    Biscuits in cast iron skillet, one in half on small white plate topped with raspberry jam.

    Best Homemade Biscuits

    Caramel Apple Pie

    Home Canning

    Dill pickle spears in clear glass jar with clasp lid and rubber orange seal on small wooden cutting board.

    Refrigerator Dill Pickles

    Raspberry Peach Jam

    Mason jars of marinara sauce on wooden cutting board, tomato quarters, fresh herbs, whole garlic cloves.

    Marinara Sauce Recipe

    Pickled Peppers

    Pint Mason jars of homemade pickles on red metal outdoor table.

    Bread and Butter Pickles

    raspberry rhubarb jam on spoon on top of glass jar with loose berries and rhubarb on wooden cutting board

    Raspberry Rhubarb Jam

    Homemade Pie Recipes

    Cobbler with lattice pie crust in white baking dish, apples around.

    Apple Cobbler

    Cherry cobbler with lattice crust, fresh cherries around, wooden spoon.

    Cherry Cobbler

    Cherry pie with crumb topping in dual handle white pie pan.

    Cherry Crumb Pie

    Peach crumb pie with peaches in background.

    Peach Crumb Pie

    Blueberry cobbler with lattice pie crust, fresh blueberries around.

    Blueberry Cobbler

    Crumb apple pie on wooden cutting board, red and green apples around.

    Apple Crumb Pie

    Chili & Soups

    Red Dutch oven with Boeuf Bourguignon

    Classic Boeuf Bourguignon

    bowl of Italian sausage soup, topped with shredded yellow cheddar cheese and slices of French baguette to side of bowl

    Sausage and Vegetable Soup

    pulled pork on a soft roll topped with coleslaw

    Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

    The Best Mac and Cheese Recipe is super creamy and topped with Applewood Bacon Pulled Pork. This dish uses two different kinds of cheeses in a homemade cheese sauce for the ultimate comfort food! #bestmacandcheese #recipes #recipe #kidfriendly #macandcheese #macaroni

    Homemade Mac and Cheese

    loaded baked potato soup with crumbled bacon pieces, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and thin slices of green onions in a white glass bowl with large spoon to the right of the bowl

    Homemade Potato Soup

    Beef stew with carrots, potatoes, celery in small white bowl, spoon on right.

    Braised Brisket Stew

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Contact

    Follow Us On

    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Policies

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Copyright 2022 - A Farmgirl's Kitchen ®