BELOVED MARBLE CAKE, every time I pass you sitting on our bakery counter I feel a pain in my heart that you were excluded from the final round up of the "Everyday Cakes" chapter of my baking book. It was not an easy decision. Oh, so tender, moist and chocolaty; scented with a hint of almond, and a touch of coffee. How I love your beautiful brown and golden swirls. This morning as I looked at you, it came to me quite naturally, why not include you in the blog? Let me hurry and prepare you in your beautiful pan for your debut and take a photo. Now, everyone will enjoy you.
Marble Cake
Makes 10 to 12 servings
BAKERS NOTE: For the easiest way to transfer the batters to the pan, use a 2 ½–inch diameter ice cream scoop.
Softened butter for the pan
2 cups unbleached all purpose flour, plus more for the pan
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 ½ cups plus 3 tablespoons superfine sugar, divided
4 large eggs, beaten, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/3 cup brewed strong coffee, cooled
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso coffee powder
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Butter and flour the inside of an 8-cup fluted tube pan and tap out the excess flour.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Beat the butter in the bowl of a heavy-duty standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in 1 ½ cups of the sugar, then add the vanilla. Beat until the mixture is very light in color and texture, (scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a silicon spatula occasionally) about 5 minutes. Slowly beat in the eggs. Reduce the mixer speed to low. In thirds, add the flour, scraping down the bowl as needed and beating until smooth after each addition.
3. Whisk the cocoa, coffee, instant espresso powder, remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, and almond extract together in a medium bowl to dissolve the cocoa. Transfer a little less than half of the batter to the cocoa mixture and mix with a spoon until smooth. Using a 2 ½-inch diameter ice cream scoop, alternate scoops of the vanilla and chocolate batters into the pan. With a chopstick, swirl the batters together, taking care not to touch the sides of the pan. Gently smooth the top.
4. Bake until the top of the cake springs back when gently pressed with your finger, and a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool on a wire cake rack for 10 minutes. Invert the cake onto the rack to cool completely.
(The cake can be stored at room temperature, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 3 days.)
Tags: Everyday Cakes Cakes , Marble Cake , Sarabeth's Bakery , Sarabeth's Bakery: From My Hands to Yours
That is the most beautiful marble cake I have every seen. No wonder you love it so. I must attempt to make one today, but have no hopes of achieving the fabulosity you achieved in your cake. It really is stunning!
I saw this post yesterday....and well...I made that marble cake! It was fantastic! I had one small sliver....diet thing....hoping the boys will devour it by the evening....cause it calls my name! Oh, my FIL made a wonderful marble cake but this one wins hands down! His was always so dry...this one PERFECTO!
Cake looks delicious, but I am curious as to where one might purchase the 8 cup fluted tube pan that was used. I have been surfing the web and nothing has come up so far for 8 cup tube pans.
Beautiful marble cake! It was so nice to meet you at your bakery. It is such a lovely place. I look forward to following your blog and delicious recipes.
Sarabeth replied to comment from Laura
| January 27, 2011 8:34 PM
Laura, if you do not have an 8-cup fluted tube pan you can use a 10-cup. It will work just as well. The pan in the photo my favorite.
Okay, I feel like I have died and gone to heaven. I love your blog and cannot wait to read it all and study it. What a beautiful woman you are and such a gift, thanks for sharing.
Love your marble cake :)
just made this today and it was to die for! i already ate 3 pieces and might have another one later on :) too bad it didnt make it in the book but at least you blogged about it. thank you so much, sarabeth
Thank you so much for sharing your marble cake recipe. I made it today and we all loved it. It's now my favourite marble cake recipe! Your pan is lovely. I used a Bundt cake pan and it didn't turn out so tall.
Sarabeth replied to comment from KY
| March 12, 2011 12:25 PM
Just to ease your mind about the height of your cake, the photo slightly exaggerates the height and gives the illusion of the cake being taller than it really is. I am glad you love the marble cake and that it has become your favorite.
Hi Sarabeth, can I bake this cake in a 8" square or round pan? Will the baking time remain the same? Thank you.
Sarabeth replied to comment from KY
| March 22, 2011 7:38 AM
It depends on the depth of your pan. Using a measuring cup, fill the pan with water. If the pan holds 8-10 cups of water, filled to the brim, the batter will fit in the pan. The batter should come about 1 1/2-inches below the rim of the pan. The cake will cook more quickly, so set a timer and keep your eye on it. Use a cake tester to test for doneness.
Hi Sarabeth! I'm a novice baker, so I apologize if the answer should be obvious to me: when you call for unbleached flour, does that mean all-purpose? I just want to be sure that it's not supposed to be cake flour. This marble cake is yelling out my name! Thank you SO much for the recipe, and thank you for everything you've done for the BHF11PP group over on Twitter!!!
Sarabeth replied to comment from Micaela
| May 23, 2011 9:18 AM
Micaela- You are absolutely correct in asking. Yes, you need to know what type of flour. So many of them are unbleached now. The variety is amazing. The flour I prefer is King Arthurs Unbleached All Purpose Flour. If you don't have that brand available in the market near you, use a different brand. I have edited my recipe. Thank you so much for pointing that out to me.
A gorgeous cake...thank you for posting it. But now I must go and find a cake pan like you have because I just love the look of the cakes made in it. I have been coveting one since I got your book...and now I can not stand it anymore. Gotta have it!