This German marble cake is a classic recipe and so easy! It’s a super moist and fluffy coffee cake, marbled with vanilla and chocolate and baked in a loaf pan like a pound cake. Every bite is extra sweet and soft thanks to a sneaky ingredient: vanilla pudding mix!

I’ll never say no to a no-fuss cake baked in a loaf pan. For more easy dessert ideas, try my lemon yogurt cake and this soft berry streusel coffee cake.

 

Have you ever sliced into a cake and gone, “Wow!” (cue the Owen Wilson voice)? That was pretty much my reaction the first time I cut into this amazing German marble cake. Firstly, I couldn’t get over how soft yet dense the crumb is, like the texture of a pound cake or muffin. Secondly, it had the most gorgeous, perfect chocolate swirl throughout the cake. I couldn’t keep a dessert THIS good to myself, so I’ll show you how to recreate it.

Why I Love This Marble Cake Recipe

• Soft and fluffy. The texture of this German marble cake is unreal. Moist, tender, and fluffy, every bite is just the right amount of sweet and soft. It’s a German-style coffee cake, so the crumb is more dense than your average vanilla or chocolate cake.
• Easy to make. The batter is simple to make and the cake is quick to assemble. Don’t let that gorgeous chocolate swirl intimidate you, either, because marbling a cake is very easy! If you’ve never done it before, I share my failproof swirl technique below.
• Never choose between vanilla and chocolate. Marble cake solves the dilemma. Swirling two batters together? Genius.

Marble Cake Ingredients

If you didn’t guess from the name, this cake is a German recipe (over there, they call it Marmorkuchen). The idea of marbling two cake batters together actually originated in Germany– thank you, Wikipedia– but I’ve given my marble cake a bit of a modern spin with vanilla pudding. 

The rest of the ingredients are very straightforward, pretty much your baking basics. I’ve included some notes on what you’ll need. Scroll to the recipe card for a printable list with amounts.

• Cake Flour – Cakes made with cake flour have a softer, lighter crumb than cakes made with all-purpose flour (think strawberry shortcake cake). If needed, though, all-purpose flour will work in this recipe.
• Vanilla Pudding Mix – You’ll need one 3.4-ounce package of instant or regular vanilla pudding powder. If you don’t have vanilla pudding mix in your pantry, just replace the pudding with an equal amount of cake flour.
• Baking Powder – Not to be confused with baking soda, another common leavening agent.
• Butter – Unsalted and brought to room temperature.
• Sugar and Eggs – Regular granulated sugar works best. Like the butter, take the eggs out of the fridge so they’re at room temperature, too.
• Almond Extract – You can also use vanilla extract, or rum extract for a different flavor.
• Milk – This can be whole milk, 2% milk, or 1%.
• Cocoa Powder – I use unsweetened natural cocoa powder to flavor the chocolate portion of the cake.

How to Make a German Marble Cake

Before we dive into a big bowl of marble cake batter, you’ll need to gather said bowls (just three of them), along with a loaf pan. A handheld electric mixer works perfectly for this recipe, but if you have a stand mixer go ahead and use it. You’ll also need a sifter and whisk. Let’s get started:

1. Combine the dry ingredients. First, you’ll sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. This includes the vanilla pudding mix in powder form. Skip the cocoa powder, as this comes later.
2. Mix the cake batter. In a larger bowl, beat the butter and sugar with the eggs and extract. Alternate mixing in the dry ingredients and milk, then give the batter a good whip until it’s smooth.
3. Make the chocolate batter. Pour about half the batter into a separate bowl. You’ll whisk cocoa powder into hot water and then stir the mixture into this portion of the batter.
4. Assemble. Now, you’ll pour the light and dark cake batters into a well-greased loaf pan and marble them. If you need tips on a marbling technique, I have you covered below!
5. Bake. Bake the marble cake at 350ºF for 45-55 minutes. Afterward, let the cake cool for 15 minutes in the pan, but take it out before it cools completely. 

How to Marble a Cake

Marbling a cake is super easy. All you need to do is alternate adding the chocolate and vanilla cake batter to your greased loaf pan. Then, grab a toothpick and gently swirl the batters together. I like to do this in a side-to-side motion as pictured, but you can use a figure eight, or pretty much any pattern. Just be careful not to overmix! If you don’t have toothpicks, a knife works, too.

Can I Make This In Another Pan?

Yes, it’s possible to make this Marmorkuchen in a bundt pan or an 8” square pan. In both cases, you’ll need to double the recipe ingredients to fill the larger pans. (Pro tip: Use the “2X” and “3X” toggle buttons in the recipe card below the post to scale the recipe up.)

A quick note on baking pans: your cake will bake differently depending on the material and size of your pan. I use an 8” metal loaf pan, but 9” works also. Keep in mind that if you’re using a larger pan and more cake batter, you may need to increase the baking time. Lastly, cakes tend to bake faster in darker metal pans, while lighter metal or silicone pans may need a few extra minutes of baking time.

Serving Suggestions

A slice of German marble cake is perfect with coffee or tea in the afternoon or as an after-dinner treat. I love it with an eiskaffee (German iced coffee) in the warmer months, or a simple cortado. For dessert, enjoy this cake topped with a scoop of homemade ice cream, even better if it’s tiramisu ice cream. Don’t forget sprinkles if it’s a celebration!

How to Store Cake

This German marble cake is fine to store at room temperature for 3-4 days, or you can keep it in the fridge for a longer shelf life. Make sure to let the cake cool completely and then wrap it in plastic wrap or foil, or store it airtight to seal in the moisture.

You can also freeze this marble cake either whole or in slices for up to 3 months. Defrost the cake in the fridge before serving. Enjoy!

More Easy Cake Recipes

• Black Magic Chocolate Cake
• Kahlua Chocolate Cake
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake