Vegan Marble Cake
This easy and super moist vegan marble cake is the easiest to make ever. It’s really moist on the inside, with a lightly crunchy crust. The crust softens perfectly by the next day, though..
You would think it’d be complicated to make. But let me assure you – that’s not true at all! This recipe is actually one of the first recipes I created as a beginning food blogger. So hopefully, that should help set your mind at ease.
As I mentioned earlier, this marble cake is so easy and fun to make (especially with kids). And along with being perfectly moist and delicious, it’s also dairy-free. But no one will be able to tell at all.
The only dairy-free ingredient that this recipe calls for is milk. So it’s perfectly fine for you to use regular milk instead, if you wish. Or if you’re not vegan..
I’m sure you can’t wait to make this vegan marble cake now – am I right? On the plus side, this loaf is so pretty too – perfect for serving to your guests.
What Kind of Cake Is a Marble Cake (or loaf)?
A marble cake by definition, is a cake that is made by incompletely mixing light and dark mixtures (source). If the dark and light mixtures (in this case – vanilla and chocolate) are combined completely, there is no marble effect.
This is why it is very imperative that you only swirl a knife through the batter a few times. If you do it too many times, that pretty marble effect will be lost forever.
Can You Make a Marble Cake With a Box Cake Mix?
First – My Opinion:
Yes, you most definitely can – as it’s pretty easy to do. But I would recommend that you make your marble cake from scratch. It’s twice as fun and fulfilling. And it takes just a little bit longer to make than a box cake mix.
Do you really know what ingredients are in most boxed cake mixes? They’re most often artificial chemical substitutes instead of the real deal. That doesn’t sound too appealing now, does it?
Enough with my opinion already! It’s better that you use an organic or all-natural box cake mix to make your marble cake. Just make sure that it’s a vanilla cake flavor. The chocolate batter will come from adding in some cocoa powder.
Recommended Vanilla Box Cake Mixes
Of course, you can choose to use whatever cake mix you choose. But here are a couple of highly rated recommendations for organic and mostly natural vanilla box cake mixes. They include:
- Miss Jones Baking Co. organic vanilla cake mix – sold online and in some natural foods (ie Whole Foods) stores.
- European Gourmet Bakery organic vanilla cake mix – can order online.
Box Cake Mix Marble Cake Instructions:
To use a box mix to make a marble cake, just take about 3/4 – 1 cup of the batter and add to a small bowl. Add in 1 – 1 1/2 tbsps of cocoa powder and combine (with a fork) until the batter is mostly smooth.
Fill your cake pan(s) with the remaining vanilla batter. Then take spoonfuls of the chocolate batter and add to the vanilla batter in different spots.
After that, use a knife to swirl the chocolate batter through the vanilla batter only a few times. Proceed to bake the cake according to the instructions on the box.
Vegan Marble Cake Ingredients:
Here are the simple ingredients that you will need to make this delicious marble cake.
*Pan Needed – 9×5 inch Loaf Pan*
- Dairy-Free (or Regular Milk)
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- All-Purpose Flour
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Cane Sugar
- Unsweetened Applesauce: To help add healthy moisture to this cake..
- Vanilla Extract
- Oil: Can be vegetable oil, organic canola oil, or even extra virgin olive oil. Or as I did, you can combine the olive oil with one of the other oils; to add a little more flavor and healthiness..
- Cocoa Powder
I hope that you enjoy making (and eating) this super yummy vegan marble cake. And I would also greatly appreciate any feedback or comments.
You may also be interested in these vegan oat flour cake and vegan chocolate peanut butter cake recipes. They can be easily made non-vegan per your preferences/dietary needs. Thank you so much!
Even More Yummy Dessert Recipes For You to Try
Vegan Marble Cake
Equipment
- 1 9×5 inch loaf pan
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup and 3 tbsp cane sugar can add a tad more if desired
- 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 5 tbsp vegetable or organic canola oil a mild extra virgin olive oil can also be used
- 1 1/4 cups + 1 tbsp dairy-free or regular milk
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease or oil the loaf pan, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine all of the dry ingredients, except for the cocoa powder.
- Add in the wet ingredients.Combine* until a mostly smooth batter forms. The batter will be mostly thick and gloopy, which is normal.*Make sure that all flour from the bottom of the bowl has been incorporated into the batter as well
- Add 3/4 cup of the batter to a small bowl along with the cocoa powder. Combine until mostly smooth.
- Add some of the vanilla batter to the loaf pan(make sure it’s greased). After that, add some of the chocolate batter (by spoonfuls); then swirl gently with the knife.Add more of the vanilla batter on top. Then add more spoonfuls of chocolate batter, and swirl through with the knife. Repeat until all of the batter is gone, then make sure to swirl the knife through the top of the batter.
- Bake for 51-52 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.*Cover the loaf loosely with foil about 10 minutes before finished baking. This is optional, but will help the crust to not over-bake or get too hard*
- After it’s finished baking, cool the cake in the pan for a few minutes. Then transfer the loaf to finish cooling on a wire rack or other surface before serving.The crust of the loaf will soften more, after it’s stored overnight at room temp. Or it can be stored in the fridge for a few days.