Easy Italian Marble Cake
Italian Marble Cake is an easy and delicious soft cake, with the perfect hint of chocolate. Serve it with a dusting of powdered sugar like the Italians or with a simple chocolate glaze. Make it for breakfast, snack or even dessert.
Italian cakes are usually quite easy to make, I know most Italian women make a cake without even measuring, and every time it turns out!
The first time my mother-in-law made a simple Ciambella she told me she was making Pizza. Well needless to say I was excited about that and then out comes a cake! In fact it is actually called Pizza Sbatutta Romana / Beaten Roman Pizza or in this case cake.
In the Region of Lazio and in many other southern regions in Italy, the term “pizza” does not only represent the famous Neopolitan Pizza but also to indicate sweet sponge cakes.
Recipe Ingredients
- Pastry / Cake Flour –
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- Eggs – Room temperature, remove from the fridge about 60 minutes before using.
- Sugar – granulated sugar, fine or caster sugar is good to use because it mixes better.
- Vegetable Oil – I usually use corn or sunflower oil.
- Vanilla
- Milk – I like to use either 2% or whole milk
- Cocoa -Dutch-processed because it has a darker color and less acidity. Be sure to sift the cocoa, it will remove any lumps.
How to Make Cake Flour
For every cup of all purpose flour, remove two tablespoons and replace with two tablespoons of corn starch. Be sure to sift the flour and cornstarch together a couple of times, this way it is sure to be properly combined and lump free. Cake flour in cakes will give you a very tender texture and fine crumb, it will also help the cake to rise.
How to make the Marble Cake
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl beat on medium speed the eggs and sugar for approximately 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Slowly add the vegetable oil and vanilla, beating to combine. Then add the flour mixture a little at a time, beating between additions. Add the milk and beat to combine. Pour two-thirds of the cake batter into the prepared pan.
Add the cocoa powder to the remaining batter and stir or beat until well combined. Spoon the cocoa batter on top of the plain batter and swirl lightly with the tip of a knife.
Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a couple of crumbs attached. Let the cake cool completely and dust it with powdered sugar or drizzle with the chocolate glaze if desired before serving.
How to make a chocolate glaze
Made with just 3 ingredients, Heat butter and cream until butter is melted, mix together, add the chips and stir until smooth, add a little extra cream if too thick (make sure cream is warm or the chocolate will seize), set aside 2 minutes to cool. I like to pour a bit of the glaze over each slice. That way I don’t have to refrigerate the cake.
What makes a cake fall?
- There are a lot a reasons a cake may fall, but the most common ones are, your oven temperature is off, you can always check it with an oven thermometer to check this. You open the oven door too early.
- Your baking powder or soda has expired and is no long active.
- The pan size might not be the correct size, sometimes using a bundt pan will help.
FAQs
Store the cooled baked cake at room temperate either wrapped in plastic or in a covered cake container. It will keep for up to 3 days at room temperature. You can also store the cake in the fridge, just be sure to make it airtight or it will dry out, it will keep for up to 5 days, bring it to room temperature before serving.
Once the cake is completely cooled, double wrap it with either foil or plastic wrap and then place in a freezer safe bag. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the cake thaw overnight on the counter before serving.
More Easy Cake Recipes you may Enjoy!
- Old Fashioned Gingerbread Cake
- Orange Olive Oil Cake
- Cinnamon Walnut Coffee Cake
- Simple Easy Cinnamon Cake
I hope you enjoy this Italian Marble Cake no matter how or when you serve it. Enjoy!
Italian Marble Cake
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
- 2 cups + 2 tablespoons cake/pastry flour (276 grams)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1⅓ cups granulated sugar (266 grams)
- 1 cup vegetable oil ( I use sunflower or corn oil) (200 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup milk (room temperature, I use 2%) (235 grams)
- 1½ tablespoons dutch processed cocoa (sifted)
CHOCOLATE GLAZE (optional)
- 8 ounces chocolate (dark or milk chocolate, good quality chopped)
- ¼ cup cream whole, whipping, heavy or half and half (80 grams)
- 2 tablespoons butter (softened)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Grease and flour a 9 inch (23 cm) bundt pan.
MARBLE CAKE
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a large bowl beat on medium speed (#3) the eggs and sugar for approximately 5 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Slowly add the vegetable oil and vanilla, beating to combine. Then add the flour mixture a little at a time, beating between additions. Add the milk and beat to combine. Pour two-thirds of the cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Add the cocoa powder to the remaining one-third of the batter and stir or beat until well combined. Spoon the cocoa batter on top of the plain batter and swirl lightly with the tip of a knife or a wooden skewer.
- Bake for approximately 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a couple of crumbs attached. Let the cake cool completely and dust it with powdered sugar or drizzle with the chocolate glaze if desired before serving.
CHOCOLATE GLAZE
- Heat butter and cream until butter is melted, mix together, remove from heat, add the chopped chocolate and stir continuously until smooth, add a little extra cream if too thick (make sure cream is warm), set aside 2-5 minutes to cool before using.
Rosemary, Thank you for another great recipe. I made the marble cake to bring to family gathering along with your chocolate peanut butter cookies. (One of my favorite cookies). It was a big hit. Cake was very light and delicious. I used half skim milk and half buttermilk and just dusted with powdered sugar. It was great! Thanks again, Doreen
Hi Dorren, thanks so much, so glad it was enjoyed. I love peanut butter cookies too! Take care and have a great week.
where is the mascarpone cheese in the recipe?
Hi Sandy, I remade the recipe and removed the mascarpone. So there is none in this recipe.
Seems like your recipe for mascarpone marble cake is missing an essential ingredient…the mascarpone…. I subbed mascarpone for the milk. It’s in the oven now, we shall see…
Hi Sandra, I unlinked that, because I am working on it. How did it turn out with the milk?
I’ve tried this recipe twice and it fell flat both times. Is it possible that the 1 cup milk should be 1/2 cup instead? Or do I need to leave the cake longer in the oven perhaps? I replaced the baking powder the second time in case it was suspect.
I’m a big fan of your raspberry mascarpone cake.
Hi Ziba, I just remade this cake today to be sure it’s ok and it was fine for me, didn’t fall (I will be posting new photos soon), The only thing different I did was I substituted a whole egg for a yolk only to moisten it up a bit, but that wouldn’t make it not fall. So I think it could be that your oven temperature is off, you can check it with a thermometer for the oven. Let me know.
hi rosemary, i love all italian recipes . so i hope to keep in touch with you…have a very happy Easter and GOD BLESS
Hi Maddy, thanks so much, and Happy Easter to you too. Take care.
Does the recipe use salted or unsalted butter?
Hi Susan, I only use salted butter (no unsalted butter in Italy), but if you use unsalted just add a 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the reason. I try to remember to note that now, but the older recipes I didn’t. 🙂
Awesome Cake. I had some mascarpone in my fridge begging to be used and came across this recipe. I made a plain vanilla cake and used honey instead of sugar and reduced the quantity of milk used. Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe.
Hi Ruth, thanks so glad you enjoyed it. Have a great weekend.
I made this today but wasn’t wowed by it. I don’t know what I did wrong, maybe I over beat it but it came out very dense and not much flavor. Love all your other recipes and will keep trying.
Hi Clara, sorry it didn’t work out, maybe you didn’t beat it enough? Although Italian cakes are denser than American cakes. thanks
can I use buttermilk instead of milk?
Hi Julie, I have never made the substitution although apparently you can, just use 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda instead of the 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder. Let me know how it goes.
Hello Rosemary, all of your cake recipes look so lovely! Cant wait to try. However, i will like to ask for a tip. I now live in italy with my husband and little one…. totally confused on how to convert the amount of baking powder to the satchets of lievito in polvere. Any advice? Thanks
Hi ET, well you can do it 2 ways, if you have teaspoon measurements than measure a teaspoon from the packet or with a metric scale weigh 4 grams which is equal to one teaspoon. So if you need 1 1/2 teaspoons for a recipe than it will be equal to 6 grams on a scale. Hope that helps. Let me know how it turns out. Have a great Sunday and enjoy Italy.
I made this and when I had a piece my taste buds where dancing. My husband had two pieces and said this is a keeper. For the chocolate topping I used Lindt orange intense . This dark chocolate has pieces of orange and slithered almonds. It really complimented the cake. Being Italian myself I just love to bake and Cooke. Thanks for sharing yourl love and gift of cooking.
Hi Anna, so glad you and your husband enjoyed it. Delicious topping you made! And thanks so much. Happy New Year.
The cake does not look like it comes from a bundt pan. What kind of pan did you bake the cake in?
Hi Vivian I guess you would call it an Italian bundt pan, it’s just a simple cake pan with a hole in the middle, you can see it in the 2nd photo.
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Looks delicious! I will make it for my upcoming birthday day. I made your Panettone recipe at least 4 times during the holidays and they all were devoured in the same day.
I am looking forward to your cookbook. It’s the kind of cookbook I would like to include in my cookbook collection and review on my blog.
Thanks for sharing your recipes.
Hi Liliana so glad you enjoyed the Panettone. I would love for you to review my book on your blog. Thanks so much.
Do you have a recipe for Italian Rum cake? I would love to have one to try to make it. Thank you for sharing all of your recipes.
Hi Jean I don’t have a recipe for Rum Cake but I will definitely ask around. Thanks and so glad you are enjoying the recipes.
DELICIOUS, AWESOME, OUTRAGEOUS, A SLICE OF HEAVEN!!!!
Hi Stella, thanks so much. Happy New Year.