This gluten-free marble cake recipe is perfect for those times when you can’t decide between chocolate or vanilla cake. Great for birthday parties and other celebrations.
Is it just me or has marble cake fallen a bit out of fashion? While working on this recipe, I noticed that there were no marble cake mixes sold in the baking aisle of the supermarket. And I don’t mean gluten-free cake mixes. There were no marble cake mixes at all.
Marble cake needs to stage a comeback.
I mean, what’s not to love? It’s yellow cake swirled with rich, chocolate cake. Perfect for those times when you can’t decide if you want yellow or chocolate cake—making it great for birthday parties or other celebrations. (Pssst…if you know you want a gluten-free white cake or chocolate cake, I got you!)
What is Marble Cake?
Traditionally marble cake is yellow cake with swirls of chocolate throughout. However, you can make a colorful marble cake by swirling colored batter through yellow cake for baby showers or birthday parties.
How Do You Make Gluten-Free Marble Cake?
- Make the cake batter. First make the yellow cake batter. It’s a simple one-bowl cake recipe.
- Prepare the chocolate batter. Scoop out about one cup of cake batter. Stir in some cocoa powder to the one cup of batter. I like to use Dutch process cocoa powder because of its rich flavor. If you can’t find it, don’t worry. Natural cocoa powder may be used.
- Swirl them together. Drop chocolate batter by spoonfuls over the top of the batter. Drag a butter knife gently through the batter to combine. Since cocoa powder was added to the chocolate batter, you’ll notice it’s a bit thicker than the yellow batter.
- Bake until set. This recipe takes about 25 minutes to make. Check the cake by inserting a cake tester or toothpick into the center. It should come out clean or with a few crumbs attached.
Can This Recipe Make Marble Cupcakes?
Yes! Spoon yellow batter into paper-lined cupcake pans. Then drop a tablespoon of chocolate batter into each cup. Mix with a toothpick to swirl batter.
What’s the Best Gluten-Free Flour for Marble Cake?
I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Any grain-based gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum should work. Please note: a paleo or grain-free blend won’t work with this recipe.
Can I Use This Recipe for a Sheet Cake?
Yes! Grease a 13 by 9-inch pan. Spread yellow batter into the pan. Drop chocolate batter over the top. Drag a knife through the batter to combine. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about about 30 minutes.
What Kind of Frosting Should I Use for Marble Cake?
It’s up to you! For some reason, I love chocolate frosting on a marble cake. I’ve included a recipe for chocolate frosting below. My gluten-free vanilla buttercream frosting recipe also goes great on this cake.
Can I Use a Gluten-Free Cake Mix?
Sure! Use a mix that makes two 8-inch layers or reduce the amount of batter and cocoa powder by half. Mix the batter according to package directions. Remove one cup of batter and stir in ¼ cup cocoa powder.
Other Favorite Gluten-Free Cake Recipes
Gluten-Free Marble Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups gluten-free flour blend, see note (12 ½ ounces; 355 grams)
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (10 ½ ounces; 298 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable oil (7 ounces; 198 grams)
- ⅔ cup milk or water (5 ⅓ ounces; 150 grams)
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup Dutch process or natural cocoa powder (1 ounce; 28 grams)
Chocolate Frosting
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted (16 ounces; 453 grams)
- ¾ cup Dutch process or natural cocoa powder, sifted (¾ ounce; 21 grams)
- 1 cup butter, softened (8 ounces; 226 grams)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup milk or coffee, plus more as needed, see note (2 ounces; 56 grams)
Instructions
Gluten-Free Marble Cake
-
Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with gluten-free nonstick cooking spray.
-
Whisk together gluten-free flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth.
-
Remove about 1 cup of batter and place into a medium bowl. Divide remaining batter between the two prepared pans.
-
Add the sifted cocoa powder to the 1 cup of reserved cake batter. Mix until smooth.
-
Drop chocolate batter over the top of the yellow batter. Divide batter equally between the two pans but don’t worry if one pan has a little more chocolate batter than the other.Using a knife, swirl the batters together gently. Don’t over mix.
-
Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 22-27 minutes.
-
Remove pans from oven. Allow cakes to cool in the pan for ten minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Prepare chocolate frosting. Fill and frost the cake.
-
Store cake on the counter for up to three days.
Chocolate Frosting
-
Whisk together powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and salt in a small bowl.
-
Beat butter for 30 seconds on high speed until light. Stop mixer. Add powdered sugar mix and milk or coffee. Mix, on low speed, until creamy. If frosting seems dry, add additional milk or coffee until smooth and creamy.
Recipe Notes
Gluten-Free Flour Blend
This recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend. Replacing the flour with another brand might change the texture of the cake. Be sure to use a flour blend that contains xanthan gum. If it doesn’t, add 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum to the flour. Whisk to combine. Then use as directed.
For Gluten-Free Marble Cupcakes
Line two 12-cavity muffin pans with paper liners. Prepare batters as directed. Drop about 1 tablespoon of vanilla batter into each cupcake cup. Add a tablespoon chocolate batter. Repeat until the cupcake cup is filled about 2/3 full. Swirl the batters together using a toothpick. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes.
For Gluten-Free Marble Sheet Cake
Grease a 13 by9-inch sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray. Prepare batters as directed. Spread about three-quarters of the vanilla batter into prepared pan. Drop chocolate batter evenly over plain batter. Spoon remaining vanilla batter on top. Swirl batters together gently with knife or spatula for marbled effect.
Bake until cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Janna says
Have you made just a yellow cake mix using this recipe? Would you just omit the cocoa powder and leave all other ingredients the same?
Elizabeth says
I haven’t! But that would probably work. 🙂
Kim says
I am wondering what I did wrong. The batter was very thick and the cake turned out so bad my daughter didn’t eat it LOL! I followed the recipe exactly except I substituted applesauce for the oil. I have done that in all kinds of baking and never had a problem. I’m wondering if I overmixed it but it seemed oddly thick to begin with. Could you give more guidance on the mixing speed and time? And can I use a stand mixer? Thanks for any help. I want to try again 🙂
Elizabeth says
I think you answered your own question. Replacing the oil with applesauce is what caused the cake to fail. That made the cake almost fat-free. Applesauce is not an acceptable 1:1 replacement for oil. Sorry!
As for the mixing speed, medium to medium-high should work. Hope that helps!
Alice says
This worked amazing!
Even though I accidentally used the wrong sized cup for the cocoa… I ended up putting in double the quantity! Whoooopsies.
To save it, I added more of the yellow cake mix and to thin it a little I put a quarter cup of instant coffee. It enhances the chocolate flavour! I’m so happy with this cake, thank you for the recipe. Maybe next time I’ll get it right or maybe I’ll stick to my remix hahaha.
Diane says
One of the best gluten free cakes I’ve made so far. I used buttermilk, reduced the sugar to 1 cup and added a little milk to the chocolate batter as it was slightly thicker. I baked it in a 13X9 in pan and it cooked in 30 min.
Goretti Smith says
Made this cake and it turned out the best gluten free marble cake by cake I ever seen and made… Thank you so very much for the recipe I have been looking for a decent recipe for a long time and never found one as good as this… I’m so grateful that I found this recipe because being gluten intolerant I have a craving every now and then for something sweet and marble cake use to be one of my favourites.
Please send me recipes if and when you have any available. Thank you! ❤️
CC says
Fantastic recipe. I’m making a wedding cake for a GF bride and she wanted a marble cake! First, I tried combining my vanilla and chocolate cake recipes, but that was awful. So then I tried this recipe and the cakes turned out lovely!
Hungry baker Landon says
One of the best cakes I’ve had in a while,it wasn’t really marbled.(first cake I’ve made on my own)but the taste was perfect