Y'all, this old-fashioned marble pound cake recipe is about to rock your world. It's rich and moist without being too sweet. The light batter is flavored with a hint of citrus, while the dark chocolate swirl has a whisper of bourbon, making it one of those desserts that is purely homemade comfort.
This is a must-have for your collection of favorite cake recipes!
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- Citrus & chocolate. I love the perfect balance of flavors in this recipe. Combining the brightness of citrus with the richness of chocolate and a hint of bourbon just creates so much flavor in every bite. It's moist, tender, and truly comforting.
- Bridgerton tea. Ideal for family gatherings, afternoon tea a la Bridgerton, or as a delightful dessert after dinner. It's also perfect for holidays and special occasions.
- Easy marble effect. The hardest part about making this cake is the marbling; mixing the light and dark batters. Honestly, that is super easy - and I'll show you how!
It's called a marble cake because of the way the two colors of batter are swirled (marbled) together. The cool thing is that you don't have to make two batters - you make just one then add chocolate to half of it.
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Variations
- Lemon Twist: Replace the orange zest with lemon zest for a different citrus flavor.
- Nutty Addition: Fold in chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter for a crunchy texture.
- Coffee Swirl: Add a teaspoon of instant coffee granules to the chocolate batter for a mocha twist.
🔪 Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. Full instructions are in the green recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Spray the pan with nonstick spray, or grease with butter. Dust with the graham cracker crumbs.
- Add the batter, alternating dark and light spoonfuls.
- Keep going until you've used all the batter.
- Run a knife in a swirling motions but be careful not to overdo it. You want to swirl it - not mix it.
🎥 Video
🤫 Cook's secrets - creating the perfect marble design
- Add the batter in dollops to the pan, alternating the batters until it's all used up.
- Swirl a knife through carefully.
If you get too crazy with the knife you won't have pretty swirls it will all just be muddy looking. But if you are careful you'll get beautiful, sharp swirls of chocolate and orange cake when you cut into it. That's what makes marble pound cake so amazing. 🙂
🍴 Equipment
- large mixing bowls
- hand mixer or stand mixer
- bundt pan or 2 loaf pans
- wire rack
- measuring cups and spoons
🥫 How to store leftovers
You can wrap this marble pound cake tightly and store it at room temperature for up to 3 days. As a matter of fact, it will be better on day 2!
Or, wrap it and freeze it for up to 3 months.
Marye's Tip
Warm a slice in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds before serving to bring out the flavors.
💭 Things to know
- I like to make about half my batter chocolate, but you can use more or less chocolate if you like.
- Ensure all your ingredients are at room temperature before starting for the best texture.
- When mixing the batters together, less is more. Over-mixing will blend the colors too much and you'll lose the marbled effect.
- Use high-quality cocoa powder and bourbon for the richest flavor.
- Be sure to allow the baked cake to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before turning out to cool all the way.
- You can leave the orange out if you want to.
- I like just a dusting of powdered (confectioner's ) sugar because it shows off the cake design but if you want to add a glaze you can.
👩🍳 FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
Yes, you can. This is easily made in a loaf pan - and if you leave the orange out it's a lot like Starbucks marble pound cake. You'll bake it about 45 minutes to an hour - and you'll have enough batter for 2 loaf pans.
Yes, you can substitute the bourbon with rum, brandy, or amaretto.
Orange juice, milk, ginger ale, and apple juice all work well as a substitute for the bourbon in this recipe.
📚 Related recipes
Who doesn't love pound cake? Here are more of my favorites from here on Restless Chipotle.
- Dr Pepper Bundt Cake has the flavor of cherry Dr Pepper. I love this one!
- Apple Whiskey Cake is moist and flavorful. I love it on chilly fall days with a cup of tea.
- White Chocolate & Key Lime Bundt Cake is sweet and tangy. This is so good in the summertime!
- Prune bundt cake is moist and spicy.
🍽️ Repurpose leftovers
- Cake Croutons: Cube leftover cake, toast until crispy, and use as a topping for ice cream or yogurt.
- Bread Pudding: Use leftover cake to make a rich and decadent bread pudding.
📞 The last word
You might also like this buttermilk pound cake.
Believe it or not, marble cake is one of the first cakes I ever made -- maybe the very first.
I made it across the street at my best friend's house with his and his mom's help. It was my mom's birthday and I was just old enough to notice that she never got cakes. We rectified that on that very day.
He is now a rather famous artist and probably does not make cakes anymore. I still hear from him once in a blue moon but that's a memory I'll treasure forever.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Marble Pound Cake Recipe
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- Nonstick baking spray
- ½ cup Graham cracker crumbs
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 11/2 teaspoons Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ cup Butter, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups Sugar
- 4 Eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons Vanilla
- 1 ½ teaspoons Orange zest
- ¾ cup Sour cream
- 4 ounces Melted bittersweet chocolate
- 1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder, I used extra dark
- 2 tablespoons Bourbon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F.
- Grease the pan and dust with graham cracker crumbs, shaking out the excess.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt -- set aside.
- Beat the butter and sugar on medium speed about 5 minutes, until very light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition.
- Stir in the vanilla and sour cream.
- Fold in the flour mixture.
- Remove 1 ½ cups of the batter to a smaller bowl.
- Mix in the melted chocolate, cocoa, and bourbon until the color is consistent with no light streaks.
- Add the orange zest to the remaining vanilla batter, mixing in well.
- Spoon the batter in the pan, alternating chocolate and vanilla.
- Swirl a knife through the batter.
- Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 20s minute.
- Loosen the cake from the pan and turn out to finish cooling.
Notes
- I like to make about half my batter chocolate. You can use more or less chocolate if you like.
- Be sure to allow it to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes before turning out to cool all the way.
- You can leave the orange out if you want to.
- I like just a dusting on powdered (confectioner's ) sugar because it shows off the cake design but if you want to add a glaze you can.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published January 30, 2015. Last updated June 22, 2024 for editorial improvements.
Maria says
Will this work for cupcakes??
Marye Audet says
yes. It's a little trickier to get the marbling because the cupcakes are smaller but it works fine.
Sarah Walker Caron (Sarah's Cucina Bella) says
Marble cake was also one of the first cakes I made. I was staying at my friend's house for the weekend, and we whipped one up for some holiday. So fun. This one looks delicious!
Marye Audet says
Thanks Sarah! I've always loved marble cake.
Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says
Love this perfectly simple pound cake Marye! I get tired of those over-the-top cakes filled with candy and gobs of frosting. This is perfect for me!
Marye Audet says
Thanks Cynthia! I know what you mean. It's one of the reasons I love my vintage cookbooks... just plain, yummy food. 🙂
Patricia @ Grab a Plate says
I just love baked goodies with orange in them...well, and of course chocolate, too! This is a gorgeous cake and love that you made it for your mom - great memory!
Marye Audet says
Thank you! Yes it is
Shashi at RunninSrilankan says
I don't think I've ever made a marble poundcake before and there's nothing quite like a slice of it with a steaming mug of coffee! Marye, this looks amazing - too funny, but still so sweet, your hubs bought you all the books on your list!
Marye Audet says
He's a great guy! You should try the marble poundcake.. It's great for when you can't decide between two flavors!
Maria A Dufault says
I would like to make this recipe for my friends wedding cake..... she wants " marble cake" with a chocolate ganache filling...... is this an appropriate recipe for that ?
TIA
Marye Audet says
Yes this should be fine! It is dense enough to resist crumbling when stacked.
Mariette says
Hi,
Cake looks great! Before I make it I want to confirm that the pan used is a 12-cup bundt cake pan?
Marye Audet says
Mariette ... yes 12 cup.
Mariette says
Marye,
Thank you! Made this for a friend's Easter lunch and she loved it.?
Marye Audet says
YAY! Thanks for letting me know!!
Megan Keno says
Pound cake is one of my all time favorites... Especially marbled pound. I would love a slice of this with some cream cheese frosting right now.
Marye Audet says
Thanks Julie!
Marye Audet says
Thanks! 🙂
Marye Audet says
Thank you! I love that it's different every time.
Marye Audet says
Thank you!
Chrisy @ Homemade Hooplah says
Love a good pound cake 😀 And the marbling in yours is beautiful! Wish I had a slice right now 😀
Marye Audet says
Oh I do too! Thanks!
Marlynn @ UrbanBlissLife says
I've never made a marbled cake before but this recipe sounds delightful! Yours turned out so beautifully! And, I love a cake with a splash of bourbon in it 🙂
Marye Audet says
🙂 thank you. I do love bourbon in a cake!
Katie says
Trying this now! Just so you know, it doesn't say in the instructions when to add the flour mixture to the cake.
Marye Audet says
fixed it, thanks. How did it come out? 🙂
Peg Cole says
This one reminds me of my Grandmother on my father's side of the family. She made this cake and packed in in our school bag lunches. Yum. Thanks for the recipe. Pinned to my board - Favorite recipes from family and friends.
Marye Audet says
🙂 thanks!
Bobbi says
This looks amazing, but I'm not a drinker, so ... clueless! Can you use a bourbon extract? Or maybe buy one of those mini bottles of bourbon? What would you suggest?
Michelle@Healthiersteps says
Marye, marble cake also brings back childhood memories. We often baked it along with banana bread while growing up in Jamaica!
Jameson Fink says
So much to love here. The addition of bourbon, orange, and especially dusting with graham cracker crumbs. A lovely looking cake that I'm sure tastes as good as it looks.
Jerry Russell says
I love pound cake! It's been a long time since we've made one though. Right now the weather is bleak and drizzly, so it's probably the perfect time for this!