Easy homemade marble bundt cake recipe! This moist chocolate and vanilla swirl bundt cake is so simple to make.
This Chocolate Swirl Bundt Cake is so super moist! It has a rich chocolate cake that contrasts perfectly with the tender vanilla cake. And when it’s topped with chocolate ganache, it tastes like one of my favorite foods – a cake donut.
This yummy bundt cake is perfect for birthdays or any other celebratory occasions (like a Tuesday night).
How to make marble bundt cake
With bundt cakes, it’s important to grease and flour the pan well. Otherwise the cake can stick. Pan release works really well for greasing bundt pans.
Beat butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl until well-combined. Mix in the eggs one at a time and vanilla extract.
Mix in the buttermilk until well-combined. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in just until combined.
Remove part of the vanilla batter to a separate mixing bowl. Mix in the cocoa powder and milk.
Stir the remaining vanilla into the vanilla batter. Drop a scoop of vanilla batter into the bundt pan and top with a scoop of chocolate batter.
Repeat alternating batters. Continue to drop the scoops of batter on top of each other.
Do not stir. To level out the batter, gently tap the pan a few times. Bake.
Tips
Tips- I use a baking spray with flour in it or pan release to coat the bundt pan. You can also grease and flour the pan. Either way, generously grease the pan to avoid sticking.
- Cake flour: Cake flour helps to make this cake tender. To make a cake flour substitute, you can use this recipe.
- Buttermilk: You can use regular or low-fat buttermilk in this recipe. If you would like to make a substitute, you can use this recipe.
- Chocolate ganache: I use a simple chocolate ganache on top of this cake.
- If you’d like to make mini bundt cakes instead of a regular bundt cake, this cake will make 12 1-cup bundt cakes. Reduce the baking time to about 20-25 minutes.
More marble cake recipes!
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Marble Bundt Cake
Equipment
- Bundt Pan
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 cup butter at room temperature
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract divided
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup buttermilk1 at room temperature
- 3 cups cake flour2
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Chocolate Swirl
- 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup milk3 at room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or with an electric mixer), beat together butter and sugar until well-combined.
- Add eggs one at time, mixing well after each addition.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla until combined.
- Mix in buttermilk until well-combined.
- Add cake flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir in on low just until incorporated.
- Scoop out 2 ½ cups of the batter, and place it into a separate bowl.
- Stir cocoa powder and milk into the 2 ½ cups of batter until well-combined.
- Add remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to original batter.
- Using a 1/4-cup measuring cup, drop one scoop of plain batter into prepared bundt pan.
- Using a separate scoop, drop 1/4 cup of chocolate batter on top of plain batter.
- Continue to alternate between plain and chocolate batters until both batters are gone.
- Give the pan a couple of taps to level out the batter, if necessary. Do not stir.
- Bake for 50-70 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes.
- Invert the cake onto wire rack, and cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Regular or low-fat ok. You can make your own buttermilk substitute with this recipe.
- You can make your own cake flour substitute with this recipe.
- Any milk from skim to whole milk will work.
- If you would like to dress the cake up, this is the chocolate ganache glaze that I use.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Originally published 10/11/13. Updated with new photos and tips 2/5/20.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Jessica says
Can I make this in a 6 bundt pan? Is there a need to reduce the recipe?how about the cooking time? Thank u, dying to try this delish recipe!! ?
Kate says
Hi! This recipe is meant for a 10-12 cup bundt pan. If you’re using a 6 1-cup mini bundt pan, you should be able to halve the recipe. I would start checking around 15-20 minutes on mini bundts. Hope that helps!
Aiman says
Hey
Thankyou for the super delicious and easy to make marble cake
Mine turned out excellent
I like my desserts slightly less sweet so i just used 2 cups of sugar
Heavenlyyyy!!
Kate says
Thank you!
SN says
I made this recipe and loved it, thank you!
Kate says
You are very welcome! Glad you liked the cake. =)
Candy says
Reply for poster above wanting bake time for small Bundt cakes…
this cake will make 12 1-cup bundt cakes. Reduce the baking time to about 20-25 minutes.
Denise says
Perhaps I was blinded by the gorgeous site of cake, but was there a time listed for baking the mini-Bundt cakes? I’m sure the 50-60 minute time frame is for a ‘regular’ 12-cup Bundt pan.
Kate says
Thank you! Yes, you’re correct about the bake time. For the mini-bundt cakes, the bake time is 20-25 minutes. If you have any other questions, please feel free to ask!
Caroline says
Yum!
Jackie says
Hi Kate
You mentioned there was bittersweet chocolate in the recipe, but it is not listed in the ingredient’s list.
Kate says
Hi Jackie,
Sorry for the confusion! The mention of the bittersweet chocolate swirl was referring to the flavor of the chocolate swirl in the cake (i.e. a not-so-sweet chocolate swirl). The cake doesn’t contain any actual bittersweet chocolate.
Leslie Lambert says
Oh my…this cake sounds divine! This would be great to link up to Create It Thursday #25…it’s live now! Hope to see you there!
Kate says
Thanks so much!! =)
Erin {Delightful E Made} says
Hi Kate! Stopping by from Link Party Palooza and had to come check out these gorgeous mini bundt cakes. Look soooo delicious! Pinning!
Kate says
Thanks so much for stopping by, Erin!! =)
Jordan says
This looks so delicious! I will definitely be trying this recipe!
Kate says
Thanks!! I hope you enjoy the cakes! =)
Megan @ Our Pinteresting Family says
That definitely sounds and looks amazing! Hope you had a great birthday.
Emily @ Love, Pasta and a Tool Belt says
Yum! This sounds so delicious. I am going to pin this and try it soon I hope!
Emily @ Love, Pasta and a Tool Belt
Kate says
Thanks!! I hope you enjoy the cakes! =)
Cindy Eikenberg says
Hi Kate! Stopping over from Marvelous Mondays – this cake looks so delicious! Thanks for sharing and pinning! Have a wonderful evening and fantastic week!
Kate says
Thanks so much for stopping by!! I hope you have a great week, too! =)
Consuelo @ Honey & Figs says
Happy Birthday! These look like a perfect treat to celebrate it, they’re ever so cute ;)
Kate says
Thanks so much for the sweet comment! =)
Maggie @Maggiecooks says
This little bundt cakes look so pretty! & i’m sure they are delicious.
Kate says
Thanks!! They really were delicious! =)
Dina says
that looks yummy!
Kate says
Thanks!! =)
Chelsea says
This is such a beautiful little cake! Back in Utah we had a little bundt cake shop, but I haven’t been able to find anything quite like it since we moved. But I fell in love with little marble bundt cakes, and now I can make my own! Thanks!
Kate says
Was the name of the shop something like “Nothing Bundt Cake”? My sister brought me a little red velvet cake from that shop for my birthday a couple years ago, and it was so good!! I’m glad that you can make your own now, though! It’s always fun to be able to make something that you enjoy. =)
shamene@sayitwithcake says
Happy Birthday! These look delicious!
Chandra@The Plaid and Paisley Kitchen says
Happy Birthday!!!! Those little cakes are a perfect treat!
Ruthy @ Omeletta says
Happy Birthday! I agree; these cakes look like the perfect celebartory treat. I love how little and cute they are! Though that would just give me justification to eat five in one sitting :)