A delectable marble cake with chocolate ganache frosting that will become your family’s next favourite dessert. There is nothing as satisfying as indulging in two or more different flavours in a single served dessert like this marble cake. Every bite has a distinct vanilla flavour accompanied by chocolate flavour, each distinctive yet, perfectly blended and, balanced.
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What comes to mind when you think marble cake? I think for most people, it’s a delectable swirl of chocolate and vanilla. This is what you will find mostly when you go to the internet in search of a good marble cake recipe. However, in support of history and my fellow creative bakers, marble cake does not necessarily translate to chocolate and vanilla. I mean, you can create a marble effect of red velvet and vanilla, yellow and white cake. Maybe a delectable blueberry and vanilla swirl, my head is spinning with ideas right now; a story for tomorrow and probably a new recipe.
However, in contradiction to my overthought opinions, this is a chocolate-vanilla marble cake. Not any different, but super delicious. It is spongy, with a strong vanilla flavour, swirled with a distinctive chocolate flavour and frosted with a creamy chocolate ganache.
The best thing about chocolate ganache is that it is effortlessly easy to make, and it’s super delicious. I had a lot of leftovers after making this recipe which I kept refrigerated, and we’ve been indulging it with bread. And now I am my nephew’s favourite person since I know how to make Nutella! On the cake, it’s chocolate frosting cream but when it’s indulged with bread, it’s homemade Nutella. However, I am not sure if this realization is good or bad. Because we have been indulging in bread lately more than we would like to admit.
Origin of Marble Cake
Marble cake, also known as Marmokuchen, originated in Germany in the 19th century and was later adopted in North America. Initially, the idea was a swirl of a lighter-coloured cake swirled with a darker colour cake. The darker-coloured batter that was used was enhanced with molasses, spices, currants and raisins it was only later that the batter was replaced with chocolate.
Is it a vanilla-flavoured cake or a chocolate-flavoured cake?
This marble cake combines vanilla and chocolate cake batters, but vanilla is the dominant batter. However, this does not mean a reverse makes it any less marble. Depending on flavour preference, you can make your marble cake chocolate dominated. If you want to be a bit extra, you can also add different add-ons to your cake batter-like dried fruits, chocolate chips or a silky ganache frosting, like in this recipe.
How to do the marble Swirl.
To make the perfect marble swirl, the vanilla butter should be alternated with the chocolate butter, which is then swirled for a marble effect. There are various ways of doing this, but here are the two methods I mostly use.
Scooping spoonfuls of batter and alternating with chocolate butter. Afterwards, the cake butter is swirled for a marble effect. This method is more straightforward, requires less equipment, and is less time-consuming.
Using a piping bag. This is done by filling a piping bag with the two different cake batters and then piping alternatively into the baking. The piping technique can also be done; differently, you can pipe long straight pipes, zigzag or small random lines within the baking dish, and if left unswirled, it can easily turn into a checkboard cake.
How to make the Whipped Chocolate Ganache
Finely chop a dark chocolate bar, then mix with heavy cream. Over a pot of simmering water, place the bowl and occasionally stir until the chocolate fully melts.
Remove from heat, stir to fully mix, then set aside until cooled to room temperature. Afterwards, cover the bowl with parchment paper, and refrigerate for at least one hour. Remove from fridge and whip on medium speed until fluffy and lighter in colour before frosting.
What to Observe When Making Marble Cake With Chocolate Ganache frosting
- Divide the cake batter carefully for the perfect marble effect. For instance, the vanilla cake batter should be 3/4 of the batter’s total. On the other hand, the chocolate batter should be one-quarter of the total batter or vice versa. This will enhance the marble effect even after baking.
- Adopt a technique that you will use to enhance the marble effect. You can use the two piping methods as illustrated above.
- Make the chocolate ganache a few hours before baking or preferably a day before.
DIFFERENT KINDS OF FROSTINGS TO USE FOR MARBLE CAKE
Besides the whipped chocolate ganache used in this recipe, marble cake pairs well with vanilla-flavoured frosting or chocolate-flavoured frosting to compliment either or both of the two different flavours.
- Vanilla-flavoured swiss meringue buttercream.
- Easy American chocolate frosting
- Condensed milk butter frosting
- Whipped heavy cream
- Whipped vanilla flavoured cream cheese frosting
MARBLE CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE FROSTING
Course: DessertDifficulty: Medium8
servings30
minutes1
hrs30
minutesIngredients
- Marble Cake
300 gm cake flour
170 gm unsalted butter
200 gm castor sugar
3 eggs
250 ml whole milk
1 tbsp vanilla extract
30 gm cocoa powder
1 tbsp baking powder
200 g melted semi-sweet chocolate
- Chocolate ganache
200 gm semi sweet chocolate
400 ml heavy whipping cream
Directions
- To make the chocolate ganache, mix chopped dark chocolate with heavy cream in a medium-sized bowl to make the chocolate ganache. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and occasionally stir the mixture until the chocolate fully melts.
- Afterwards, remove from heat and set the mixture aside to cool to room temperature. Then cover with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour or until very cold and thick.
- Remove from the fridge and whip with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Set it aside.
- To make the marble cake. Preheat the oven to 170 C, butter and flour in the baking pan, and set aside. Mix flour with baking powder, sift and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, then add in the eggs, vanilla extract, and salt, then mix and combine.
- Add in the sifted flour alternating with the milk and mix just to combine. Afterwards, pour 1/4 of the batter into a different mixing bowl. Mix with melted semi-sweet chocolate and cocoa powder, then using a spatula, stir to mix in.
- Scoop and pour the vanilla batter alternating with the chocolate batter, then swirl with a skewer or a spoon to make a marble pattern. Bake in a preheated oven at 170 C for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven, cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the baking pan and place in a cooling rack to completely cool.
- Frost with the whipped chocolate ganache, serve and enjoy.
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