Print

Marble Loaf Pound Cake

Marble Loaf Pound Cake by The Wood and Spoon blog by Kate Wood. This is a moist and rich recipe for pound cake inspired by the chocolate marble loaf cake at Starbucks! This makes one big bread loaf that is perfect for breakfast or dessert. The recipe is topped with a chocolate ganache glaze. The vanilla and chocolate batter is swirled together to give a marbled look! Find the recipe for this southern style buttermilk pound cake on thewoodandspoon.com

5 from 4 reviews

This marble loaf pound cake is a chocolate and vanilla swirled, rich Southern-style pound cake loaf! Perfect for breakfast or dessert!

Ingredients

For the vanilla batter:

  • ½ cup (113 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ cup (100 gm) sugar
  • ¼ cup (50 gm) brown sugar
  • 11/2 large eggs, at room temperature (save the other half for the chocolate batter)
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
  • ¾ cup (100 gm) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) whole fat buttermilk, at room temperature

For the chocolate batter:

  • ½ cup (113 gm) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ½ cup (100 gm) sugar
  • ¼ cup (50 gm) brown sugar
  • 11/2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • ¾ teaspoon vanilla
  • ¼ cup (20 gm) dark cocoa powder
  • ½ cup (65 gm) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) whole fat buttermilk, at room temperature

Instructions

  1. Move a rack to the bottom third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Prepare a large 9.25” x 5.25” loaf pan with baking spray (see notes).
  2. Prepare the vanilla batter by creaming together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for 3 minutes. Add the eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest and beat to combine. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until nearly combined. Add the buttermilk and stir on low to combine. Set this batter aside while you prepare the chocolate batter.
  3. Cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer on medium speed for three minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the eggs and vanilla. Scrape the sides of the bowl and add the dry ingredients, mixing until the components are almost combined, and then add the buttermilk. Stir on low speed just until combined.
  4. Scoop 1/2 cup sized portions of the batters into the prepared pan, alternating regularly to achieve a marbled effect. Once all of the batter has been poured in, carefully smooth the top slightly, being careful not to muddy the colors of the batter too much. Insert a knife vertically into the batter and swirl back and forth about five or six times to get a good swirl throughout. Place the pan into the preheated oven and bake for about an hour or until a toothpick inserted just barely comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan.

Notes

  • If you don’t have a loaf pan large enough for the batter, feel free to use a 9” square baking pan or pour extra batter into cupcake tins or a mini loaf tin. Be sure to not overflow a pan!