Marble Loaf Cake

Whether you want a nice pound cake with your morning tea or a dairy-free cake to serve to your family, this marble loaf cake fits the bill. Made with olive oil, this cake will wow your guests with its moist texture and fabulous chocolate swirl. Find more olive oil cake recipes here.

I love to bake. I bake all kinds of treats, from cookies, bars and pies to cakes, muffins and scones. I have prepared fancy schmancy desserts to simple ones. My family and I love them all.

I am always on the lookout for simple desserts that I can whip up quickly, but is nice enough to serve to dinner guests. This marble loaf cake is both easy to make and the chocolate swirl makes it an impressive looking dessert.

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Why you must try this recipe

My good friend, Beth Lee, is a talented baker and food blogger at OMG Yummy. I have been enjoying her recipes for many years. I was thrilled when she told me she was writing cookbook that shows off her baking prowess. I quickly ordered her new cookbook, The Essential Jewish Baking Cookbook, and have been reading this fabulous book.

I am part Jewish, both on my dad and mom’s side. My dad’s Sephardic side enjoys pickled herring, challah and pastrami sandwiches. My Persian side is totally different, enjoying khoresht (Persian stews) and aash (thick soups). In my book, they are ALL are delicious!

If you follow my blog, then you know I am big fan of baking with olive oil. So when I saw Beth’s marble pound cake was made with olive oil and not butter, I knew it was the perfect dessert for me to try out first.

See my Marble Loaf Cake Web Story for a quick visual guide to making this recipe.

This recipe comes together very easily. You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry. The cake is dairy free and does use almond milk, which you might not have in your pantry. So if you cook kosher and want a dairy-free dessert, this cake is calling your name.

The cake is a pound cake, but is still very moist and fluffy. It is also really delicious. Don’t let its simplicity fool you. My family ate it up pretty quickly and asked me to make it again!

I love that this is a no fuss cake that does not require frosting or icing. The marble effect is really easy to recreate and gives the cake a dramatic look. It looks like you spent the day in the kitchen baking, but don’t worry. I won’t tell them if you won’t!

And of course, that chocolate swirl is a real crowd pleaser!

Beth’s cookbook is incredibly well written. She makes complicated recipes, like braiding a challah loaf or chocolate babka, very easy to understand. She gives you the tips and tricks to be a successful baker and gives you the confidence to recreate these classic treats.

From traditional to these not-so-traditional (hello decadent lemon cheesecake bars), I highly recommend this cookbook. Whether you are Jewish, part Jewish or simply love to bake, this will soon become your go to reference on Jewish baking.

Ingredients you need

Extra virgin olive oil: I bake exclusively with extra virgin olive oil, so this marble pound cake recipe was perfect for me. When baking with olive oil, choose an oil that is mild in flavor instead of a peppery or pungent oil. You can also use neutral vegetable oil. You can learn more about baking with olive oil here.

Almond milk: This cake is dairy-free and uses almond milk. Choose an unsweetened plain almond milk.

Eggs: Large eggs are used in this recipe. To make this cake vegan, you can substitute with flax eggs. For this recipe that means 2 tablespoons of flax seeds and 6 tablespoons of water. Although I have not tried flax in this recipe, I have tried it with my vanilla olive oil cake and it works really well.

Pantry staples: Unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated sugar, all purpose flour, baking powder, kosher salt and vanilla extract

Step-by-step directions

1. In a medium bowl mix cocoa powder, sugar and water to form a thick paste. Set aside.

2. In a larger bowl, whisk together sugar, olive oil and vanilla until fluffy.

3. Add eggs, one at a time, into the olive oil mixture beating for about one minute after each addition.

4. In a medium sized bowl add flour, baking powder and salt.

5. Alternate adding the flour mixture and almond milk into the cake batter, mixing on low speed.

6. Remove about 1 cup of batter and mix it in with into the reserved cocoa paste.

7. Spray your loaf pan with oil and dust with flour. Spoon each batter into prepared loaf pan, alternating the layers. I started with the vanilla batter since I had more of it.

8. Using a knife or bamboo skewer, zig zag it down the pan into the batter. You only need to do this about 6 times. Any more and the batter will mix together instead of producing a cool marble effect.

9. Bake at 325ºF for 45 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Run a knife down the sides of the pan, then remove the cake to cool completely.

Recipe tips and FAQs

You can make some small adjustments to this recipe if you want to add more flavor.

• For more chocolatey goodness, mix in ¼ cup of chocolate chips with the chocolate cake batter. This was Middle Child’s suggestion for the next time I make this cake!
• Stir in ½-1 teaspoon of instant coffee granules for more intense chocolate flavor.
• Top your cake with ¼ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans for more crunch.

PS If you try this recipe, why not leave a star rating in the recipe card right below and/or a review in the comment section further down the page? I always appreciate your feedback.

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