Marmorkuchen (German Marble Bundt Cake)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Baking Cakes cupcakes Vanilla: Paste Easy

A moist German butter cake with vanilla and chocolate batters swirled together, baked in a ring pan and dusted with powdered sugar. It's less sweet than many American marble cakes. Makes 12 slices in about 2 hr 20 min.

Prep 25 min

Cook 55 min

Cooling 1 hr

Total 2 hr 20 min

Yield 12 slices

Ingredients

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slices

1 cup (250 g)unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200 g)granulated sugar, for the batter
2 tsp (10 ml)vanilla bean paste or extract
5 (250 g)eggs, room temperature
2 ⅓ cups (300 g)all-purpose flour
2 ½ tsp (10 g)baking powder
¼ tsp (2 g)fine salt
⅔ cup (150 g)sour cream
⅓ cup (30 g)unsweetened cocoa powder
1 oz (25 g)granulated sugar, for the chocolate part
3 tbsp (45 ml)milk
2 ½ tbsp (20 g)powdered sugar, for dusting

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Instructions

Heat the oven to 350 F (175 C). Butter and flour a 10-cup Bundt or 10-inch (25 cm) tube pan.
Beat butter, sugar and vanilla 4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well.
Whisk flour, baking powder and salt; fold in alternately with sour cream until just smooth.
Move one-third of the batter to another bowl; stir in cocoa, extra sugar and milk until even.
Spoon the vanilla batter into the pan, spoon the chocolate batter over, then drag a fork through once or twice to marble. Don't overmix.
Bake 50 to 60 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in the pan, turn out and cool fully.
Dust with powdered sugar.

Tips

Swirl only twice; more and the contrast turns muddy.
Sour cream keeps this cake moist for days.
Don't glaze if freezing.
Good with coffee.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make marmorkuchen (german marble bundt cake)?

Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 55 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour to chill. The recipe makes 12 slices.

How should I store marmorkuchen (german marble bundt cake)?

Cover at room temperature up to 4 days; freeze unglazed slices up to 2 months.

Can I make marmorkuchen (german marble bundt cake) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

Yes. This recipe uses 2 tsp vanilla bean paste or extract (10 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.

Marmorkuchen is a German Kaffeekuchen, a butter cake baked in a Gugelhupf or Bundt pan with a vanilla and chocolate swirl. Serve it with coffee.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.

370 Calories / serving

22.0g Fat

38.7g Carbs

6.2g Protein

18.1g Sugar

Whole recipe (12 servings): ~4440 cal · 264g fat · 464g carbs · 74g protein · 217g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

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