Easy Italian Marble Bundt Cake recipe, perfect for those who love the combination of rich, chocolate swirls and classic vanilla flavor.
This cake not only promises a moist and tender crumb, but also brings a touch of elegance to your table with its beautiful marble effect.
Ideal for any occasion, from casual get-togethers to special celebrations, this recipe is easy to follow with simple ingredients and steps.
Marble Bundt Cake - or Ciambella Bicolore as we call it - is a simple and delicious cake recipe perfect for breakfast or as a snack with a cup of hot tea, milk or a good coffee.
This Marble Bundt Cake is a soft and fluffy cake that you can make in a few simple steps.
The Ciambella is a classic of Italian home baking. It's the typical grandmother's cake, rooted in tradition, like jam crostata and torta di mele.
I'm going to show you a slightly more delicious and picturesque version of the classic ciabella, thanks to the addition of cocoa to the batter.
This two-color Bundt cake appeals to everyone, and although it's a very simple dessert, when accompanied by crema pasticcera or gelato, it can become a sophisticated dessert for an after-dinner treat.
Impress your guests and satisfy your sweet tooth with this irresistible Italian-inspired treat. Marble Bundt Cake is sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike!
Ingredients
Doses for 23 cm (9 inch) non-stick bundt cake pan
- Prep Time: 25 Min
- Cook Time: 50 Min
- Servings: 8
- 350 g (2 ⅓ cup) of "00" flour
- 200 g (~2 sticks) of unsulted butter, at room temperature
- 240 g (1 ¼ cup) of granulated sugar
- 5 medium eggs, at room temperature
- 1 vanilla pod or 3 drops of vanilla flavoring
- 16 g (3 teaspoons) of baking powder
- 30 g (4 tablespoons) of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 150 ml (⅔ cup) of fresh, whole milk
- 2 g (⅓ teaspoon) of fine salt
- powdered sugar for decoration
Kitchen Tools and Equipment
To make this Two-Tone Bundt Cake, here are some essential kitchen tools you may need:
- Electric hand immersion or stand mixer: Essential for creaming the butter and sugar and then all the other ingredients and making sure the mixture is smooth and well blended. I used the KitchenAid immersion blender
- Bundt Cake Pan: I used a 23 cm (9 inch) non-stick bundt cake pan. Of course, there are different bundt cake pan, from the simplest plain ring pan with the hole in the middle to the more worked ones that can make the cake more scenic and special. Don't forget to grease it to make it easier to remove the cake after baking.
Marble Bundt Cake Recipe: Instructions
The Mixture
Step 1) - To prepare the Marble Bundt Cake, start by working the butter and sugar until creamy. Cut the butter into small pieces and let it soften at room temperature. Place the softened butter in a bowl. Add the sugar. Beat together with an electric mixer for at least 10 minutes.
Step 2) - In a separate bowl, break the eggs (at room temperature) and beat a little with a fork. Add the eggs a little at a time, in two or three batches, to the cream of butter and sugar, mixing well.
Step 3) - When you have got a nice cream, add the salt and the milk (not cold), always continuing to mix.
Step 4) - Sift the flour and baking powder. Then add them little by little to the mixture. Mix until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
Step 5) - At this point, divide the mixture in half into two separate bowls. In one, add the sifted cocoa powder and mix well. In the other bowl, add the seeds of one vanilla pod or 3 drops of vanilla essence.
How to Marble the Cake
Step 6) - Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) and butter the bundt pan. Pour the mixture in three layers. In the first layer, place 3 mounds of vanilla mixture. Then place the chocolate mixture between each vanilla mound. Make a second layer in the same way and then a third until you run out of batter.
Step 7) - To make the marble cake, take a long wooden toothpick and sink it into the mixture. Then make two deep circles. This way the two colors will blend together and form stripes.
The Baking
Step 8) - Bake the Marble Bundt Cake in a preheated oven at 180°C (356 F) for about 50 minutes. To check if the cake is baked, test it with a toothpick before removing it from the oven. If the toothpick comes out clean and dry, the cake is done.
Step 9) - Once baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve!
YOU MUST ALSO TRY:
- Classic Italian Chocolate Cake | Torta al Cioccolato
- Pumpkin Bundt Cake with Amaretti Cookies and Chocolate Chips
- Ciambella Romagnola| Traditional Italian Rustic Cake
Storage
To store the Marble Bundt Cake and keep it fresh, follow these steps.
Before storing, make sure your cake has cooled completely to room temperature. Storing a warm cake can cause condensation in the container, making the cake soggy.
Store at room temperature. Make sure it's in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. Store it in a cake dome or on a plate covered with plastic wrap. It will keep at room temperature for 3-4 days.
Curiosity
The Marble Bundt Cake is a classic cake that traditionally accompanies Italians' breakfasts and snacks.
It's a common tradition throughout Italy, and as with many traditional recipes, we find different names depending on the region of origin.
The common name in Italy is Ciambella Bicolore. But in Umbria, for example, the ciambella is also known as " Roccio" or "Torcolo". In the Marche it's called "Ciammellotto" or "Ciambellone". In South Tyrol it is called "Marmorkuchen".
Recipe Card

Marble Bundt Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 350 g 2 ⅓ cup of "00" flour 2 ⅓ cup, "00"
- 200 g butter ~2 sticks, unsulted and at room temperature
- 240 g granulated sugar 1 ¼ cup
- 5 eggs medium and at room temperature
- 1 vanilla pod or 3 drops of vanilla flavoring
- 16 g baking powder 3 teaspoons
- 30 g cocoa powder 4 tablespoonss, unsweetened
- 150 ml milk ⅔ cup, fresh and whole
- 2 g salt ⅓ teaspoon
- powdered sugar for decoration
Instructions
- Place the softened butter in a bowl. Add the sugar. Beat together with an electric mixer for at least 10 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, break the eggs (at room temperature) and beat a little with a fork. Add the eggs a little at a time, in two or three batches, to the cream of butter and sugar, mixing well.
- When you have got a nice cream, add the salt and the milk (not cold), always continuing to mix.
- Sift the flour and baking powder. Then add them little by little to the mixture. Mix until the mixture is smooth and homogeneous.
- Divide the mixture in half into two separate bowls. In one, add the sifted cocoa powder and mix well. In the other bowl, add the seeds of one vanilla pod or 3 drops of vanilla essence.
- Butter the bundt pan. Pour the mixture in three layers. In the first layer, place 3 mounds of vanilla mixture. Then place the chocolate mixture between each vanilla mound. Make a second layer in the same way and then a third until you run out of batter.
- To make the marble cake, take a long wooden toothpick and sink it into the mixture. Then make two deep circles. This way the two colors will blend together and form stripes.
- Bake the Marble Bundt Cake in a preheated oven at 180°C (356 F) for about 50 minutes. To check if the cake is baked, test it with a toothpick before removing it from the oven. If the toothpick comes out clean and dry, the cake is done.
- Once baked, remove it from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve!
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