The age-old debate: vanilla cake or chocolate cake? It’s always been a tough one to answer, but with this Marble Bundt Cake, there’s no need to worry yourself with making decisions. You can have both!

This bundt cake recipe is for a swirled vanilla and chocolate cake covered in a shiny chocolate drip. The cake is made with sour cream for extra moistness, making its taste second to none!
If you love trying out new bundt cake recipes because you love how low-fuss they are, then you have to try out my other recipes! Like this Blackberry Lemon Bundt Cake or this Chocolate Nut Cake.
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Ingredients
To make this delicious chocolate and vanilla cake, you will need the simple ingredients listed below. Remember to use fresh, room-temperature ingredients when baking.
- Unsalted butter
- Caster sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Cake flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Sour cream
- Cocoa powder
- Milk chocolate
- Evaporated milk
Unsalted butter – Use room-temperature butter for this recipe, and opt for unsalted for the best results.
Caster sugar – This recipe uses superfine sugar for a finer cake texture.
Cake flour - Use cake flour for this recipe; you can also use all-purpose flour. This recipe can also be made using self-raising flour; omit the baking powder if using this type of flour.
Sour cream - Sour cream adds a rich flavor to this butter cake, giving it a moist crumb. Greek yogurt can be used as an alternative if necessary.
Milk chocolate – This cake drip is made with milk chocolate. I love using Cadbury Dairy Milk chocolate as I love the taste. Select a high-quality, great-tasting chocolate bar that is unfilled for this recipe. You can also use chocolate chips. If you would prefer a less sweet chocolate drip, dark chocolate can also be used.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Follow the simple steps below to make this classic marble bundt cake recipe. First, make the cake, and then the chocolate drip.
Instructions for cake
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and prepare a bundt cake tin by greasing it with butter and dusting it with flour.
STEP 2: Add the softened butter and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until creamed, about 3 minutes.
STEP 3: With the mixer running at medium speed, add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between each addition. Add the vanilla and beat again.
STEP 4: Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
STEP 5: Add the dry ingredients and sour cream to the cake batter by alternating between the two. Starting with the flour mixture and ending with the sour cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again. Divide the cake batter in half and transfer half of the batter to a separate bowl.
STEP 6. Mix together the cocoa powder and hot water, and stir until the cocoa powder has dissolved. Add this cocoa mixture to one of the bowls of batter and use a whisk to combine. You now have one bowl of plain batter and one bowl of chocolate cake batter.
STEP 7: Use two ice cream scoops or two dessert spoons to spoon the different batters into the prepared Bundt cake tin. Do this by alternating between the two so that you have dollops of vanilla and chocolate batter filling the tin to create a marbled effect.
STEP 8: Bake the cake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes or until it is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in its tin for 20 minutes before turning it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, transfer it onto a cake plate.
Instructions for drip
STEP 1: Add the chopped chocolate and evaporated milk to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted.
STEP 2: Drizzle the melted chocolate sauce over the cooled marble cake. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Hint: Prepare the bundt cake pan properly by using a pastry brush to get the butter into all the grooves of the pan. This way, you won't struggle to release the cake after baking.
Variations
I love this cake recipe just as it is, but you can make some tweaks to it if you’d like. For a stronger chocolate flavour, choose to use dark chocolate instead of milk chocolate for the drip. You can also add chocolate chips to the vanilla cake batter for an extra chocolate surprise, especially if you're making this cake for a serious chocolate lover.
Whenever I think of a classic marble cake, I think of a swirly yellow and brown batter baked in a beautiful ring mould. However, you can bake this cake in two round tins. Stack and ice them like a traditional layer cake using my ultimate Chocolate Frosting recipe.
Equipment
For this buttery, moist cake, you will need one round bundt cake pan, a large mixing bowl, an ice cream scoop, a cooling rack, and an electric mixer. Either a stand or a hand mixer will work.
For the best results, I recommend using an accurate kitchen scale when baking rather than relying on cup measurements.
Storage
Butter cakes are always best fresh from the oven! But if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days.
To freeze this cake, cut it into slices, wrap each slice in plastic wrap, and store in the freezer for up to 2 months. Defrost at room temperature before consuming.
Top Tips
Follow these top tips to ensure your marble cake comes out perfectly.
- Bake the cake in the middle rack of the oven.
- Allow the cake to cool slightly before removing it from its tin.
- Ensure your eggs, sour cream, and butter are at room temperature before baking.
- Use an oven thermometer to test the actual temperature of your oven and adjust it accordingly before placing the cakes in.
FAQ
The eggs I use weigh 56 grams. If you aren’t sure if you have the same eggs, weigh the eggs you have and adjust accordingly.
I always recommend using a kitchen scale rather than cups when baking. This way, you can ensure you’ve measured properly and that your baked goodies come out perfectly.
Yes, you can just remember that the baking time may need to be adjusted. Smaller, deeper cakes need more time in the oven, while larger, shallower cakes need less time.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with [this recipe]:
This marbled bundt cake is beautiful to look at and even better to eat, but the best part about this recipe is how simple it is to make. The batter is prepared in one go for both the vanilla and chocolate swirls, making it easier to follow this recipe.
Whether you decide to make this recipe as a birthday cake or for an afternoon treat, you won't be disappointed! Swirls of soft buttery vanilla cake and chocolate cake topped with a shiny milk chocolate glaze. This marble cake is truly the easiest way to satisfy your indecisiveness.
I hope you give this cake a try, and if you do, please leave a comment and a star review below. I would love to hear from you.
Remember to sign up for the newsletter and follow along @with_love_kitty to ensure you never miss a recipe.
Happy Baking
With Love,
Kitty
📖 Recipe
Marble Bundt Cake
Equipment
- 1x Bundt cake pan
Ingredients
- 260 g caster sugar
- 260 g unsalted butter
- 5 eggs extra-large
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 345 g cake flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 250 g sour cream
- 20 g cocoa powder
- 100 ml hot water
Chocolate Glaze
- 180 ml evaporated milk
- 200 g milk chocolate
Instructions
Marble Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and prepare a bundt cake tin by greasing it with butter and dusting it with flour.
- Add the softened butter and sugar to a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat at medium-high speed until creamed, about 3 minutes.
- With the mixer running at medium speed, add the eggs to the creamed butter and sugar mixture one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula between each addition. Add the vanilla and beat again.
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into a large bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients and sour cream to the cake batter by alternating between the two. Starting with the flour mixture and ending with the sour cream. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again. Divide the cake batter in half and transfer half of the batter to a separate bowl.
- Mix together the cocoa powder and hot water, and stir until the cocoa powder has dissolved. Add this cocoa mixture to one of the bowls of batter and use a whisk to combine. You now have one bowl of plain batter and one bowl of chocolate cake batter.
- Use two ice cream scoops or two dessert spoons to spoon the different batters into the prepared Bundt cake tin. Do this by alternating between the two so that you have dollops of vanilla and chocolate batter filling the tin to create a marbled effect.
- Bake the cake in a preheated oven for 45 minutes or until it is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in its tin for 20 minutes before turning it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, transfer it onto a cake plate.
Chocolate Drip
- Add the chopped chocolate and evaporated milk to a small saucepan set over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted.
- Drizzle the melted chocolate sauce over the cooled marble cake. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Julia says
I loved the texture of this cake, so delicious!