Magic Mocha Marble Cake

I peered anxiously through the window of the oven and stared at the layer of chocolate batter on the top of the cake. I love marble cake and was intrigued by this recipe in which the chocolate batter was simply poured on top of the vanilla batter, marbling by itself while baking. I had followed the recipe instructions meticulously but would have to wait until the cake came out of the oven and cooled completely to find out if my efforts had met with success. This recipe for this magic mocha marble cake is from Baking for All Occasions: A Treasury of Recipes for Every Celebration, by baking expert and cookbook author Flo Braker.

Magic Mocha Marble Cake

The house filled with the sweet scent of vanilla as the cake baked and after placing the warm cake on a cooling rack, I forced myself to leave the kitchen. No peeking until it cooled. Several hours later, I sliced into the cake, squeezed my eyes shut, then glanced down. It worked. I gazed in delight at the slice of golden cake with a rich swirl of deep, dark, fudgy chocolate running right through the middle. This marble cake looked like it had just come out of the pastry case of my favorite coffee shop.

For many years I made this cake using a recipe that called for a food processor to mix the cake batter, with inconsistent results. Following Flo Baker’s very detailed directions and using a stand mixer, yielded the perfect marble cake. Trying to understand why this method worked, I reached out to Harold McGee who has been writing on food and science over the last 40 years and is the author of several books, including the award winning On Food and Cooking. According to Mr. McGee, using the stand mixer allows for better aeration of the cake batter. As a result, the difference in density between the chocolate and vanilla batter is more pronounced. It’s this difference in density that causes the marbling to occur while the cake bakes. So follow Flo Braker’s instructions carefully and you too will soon enjoy a piece of this beautiful, moist and mouth-watering cake.

Assemble your ingredients. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a large loaf pan, measuring 13 X 4″ with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. This cake will also work in a tube pan.

In a small bowl, combine the espresso powder with the hot water and stir until dissolved. Stir the mixture into the chocolate syrup. Set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter or margarine on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, about 45 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and add the sugar in a steady stream. Continue to beat until the mixture is very light in texture and color, about 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary. Beat the eggs lightly with a whisk and add the beaten eggs very slowly, about one tablespoon at a time. (I really used a tablespoon.) Continue beating the mixture until it is pale and fluffy. The process of adding the eggs should take about three minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to the lowest setting and add the flour in three additions alternating with the milk or almond milk, starting with the flour and ending with the flour. Mix only until the flour is incorporated. Add the vanilla extract at the end. Spoon 2/3 of the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula.

Stir the baking soda into the chocolate syrup-espresso mixture then add the mixture to the remaining batter in the mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly. Without delay, pour the chocolate batter on top of the batter in the pan and spread evenly. Bake the cake until the top springs back when pressed lightly and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out without any batter clinging to it, about 65-70 minutes. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack. For the best flavor and texture, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Serve the day after baking. This cake freezes very well. This cake can be served as is or with a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar over top.

Print Recipe

Magic Mocha Marble Cake

Cookies, Cakes, Pies and Desserts

By Flo Braker, Baking for All Occasions – Serves: 12

Prep Time: 20 – Cooking Time: 70 minutes – Total Time: 90 minutes

Vanilla-scented golden cake with a rich swirl of deep, dark, fudgy chocolate running right through the middle

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder (I used Nescafe brand espresso powder)
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 3/4 cup chocolate syrup
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into the measuring cup and leveled
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounces (2 sticks) butter or margarine, at room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup whole milk or almond milk
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda (held in reserve for chocolate cake batter)

Instructions

1

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a large loaf pan, measuring 13 X 4" with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. This cake will also work in a tube pan.

2

In a small bowl, combine the espresso powder with the hot water and stir until dissolved. Stir the mixture into the chocolate syrup. Set aside. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter or margarine on medium-low speed until smooth and creamy, about 45 seconds. Increase the speed to medium and add the sugar in a steady stream. Continue to beat until the mixture is very light in texture and color, about 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as necessary.

4

Beat the eggs lightly with a whisk and add the beaten eggs very slowly, about one tablespoon at a time (I really used a tablespoon) to the butter or margarine and sugar mixture. Continue beating the mixture until it is pale and fluffy. The process of adding the eggs should take about three minutes.

5

Reduce the mixer speed to the lowest setting and add the flour mixture in three additions alternating with the milk or almond milk, starting with the flour mixture and ending with the flour mixture. Mix only until the flour is incorporated. Add the vanilla extract at the end. Spoon 2/3 of the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a spatula.

6

Stir the baking soda into the chocolate syrup-espresso mixture then add the mixture to the remaining third of the batter in the mixing bowl. Mix thoroughly. Without delay, pour the chocolate batter on top of the batter in the pan.

7

Bake the cake until the top springs back when pressed lightly and a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out without any batter clinging to it, about 65-70 minutes. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.

8

For the best flavor and texture, wrap the cake in plastic wrap and store at room temperature. Serve the day after baking.

Notes

This cake freezes very well. This cake can be served as is or with a light dusting of confectioner's sugar over the top.