Vegan Marble Cake
This vegan marble cake starts with a single main batter, with a portion of it flavored with cocoa powder to create beautiful layers of vanilla and chocolate. It's tender, fluffy, and perfectly moist without being too sweet. Great as an after-school snack or to share with family and friends!
Equipment
2 2-inch Flat Piping Tip (other large piping tips will also work)
Ingredients
Vanilla Batter
- 2 and 1/2 cup (312 g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp (187 g) granulated sugar
- 1 and 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 5 tbsp (70 g) vegan butter melted
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) unsweetened plant-based milk
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) oil
- 1 tbsp + 1 tsp (20 ml) vanilla extract
Chocolate Batter
- 1/2 tsp espresso powder (optional)
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) warm unsweetened plant-based milk
- 5 tbsp (40 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to
350 °F (175°C). Lightly grease an 8x4-inch (20x10 cm) loaf pan with butter and line it with parchment paper.
Vanilla Batter
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until fully combined.
- Melt the butter. Add the butter to a small saucepan and melt it over low heat. Set it aside and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Note: Your butter should not be hot, just melted.
- Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ones. To the mixing bowl, add the unsweetened plant-based milk, oil, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Mix using a wooden spoon until the batter forms a smooth and thick consistency.
Chocolate Batter
- Make the chocolate batter. In a small bowl, dilute the espresso powder with the 3 tablespoons of warm milk. Next, scoop out about 1 cup (roughly 12 ounces / 340 g) of the vanilla batter and transfer it to a smaller mixing bowl. Add the espresso milk and cocoa powder, and mix until well combined.
Assemble
- Transfer to piping bags. Prepare two piping bags fitted with a 2-inch flat tip. Transfer the vanilla batter to one and the chocolate batter to the other.
- Assemble the cake. Start by piping a thin layer of the vanilla into the bottom of the loaf pan. Next, pipe a layer of the chocolate batter on top. Keep alternating: vanilla, chocolate, and finish with a final layer of vanilla. Tip: Each layer should weigh approximately 170g.
- Bake. Finally, bake the marble cake for about 1 hour or until the top is golden brown.
- Let it cool. Remove from the oven and let it cool for at least 45 minutes before taking it out of the loaf pan. You can enjoy it warm, but I personally think it tastes the best once it's completely cooled!
- You can store this cake covered with plastic wrap at room temperature. It will stay soft and moist for up to 5 days.
Notes
Let the butter cool. After melting the butter, it’s essential to let it sit for a few minutes. If it’s too hot when added to the batter, it will activate the baking powder too early, making the cake denser.
Weigh your ingredients. The recipe card includes both cup and gram measurements, but I recommend using grams for more accurate results. A kitchen scale is always handy for most baking recipes.
Soften the top crust. Fresh out of the oven, the marble cake will have a slightly crispy top. I like it that way, but if you prefer a fully soft cake, cover it with plastic wrap about 20 minutes after removing it from the oven. The moisture will be trapped, softening the crust.
