This marble chocolate olive oil cake is purely divine! Moist layers of chocolate and vanilla cake are swirled together and frosted in a richly decadent chocolate buttercream frosting. In place of butter, the cake is made with fruity and robust olive oil that gives it an incredibly moist texture. Each bite of this cake is pure deliciousness!
This post is sponsored in partnership with Filippo Berio. However, all expressed thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that help make Nourished Endeavors possible.
Why You Will Love this Olive Oil Cake Recipe?
- Incredibly flavorful olive oil cake with a moist crumb texture
- Perfect balance of vanilla and chocolate flavor
- Richly, decadent chocolate buttercream that beautifully compliments the flavor of the marble olive oil cake
- 100% better than store-bought cake mix
How to Make the Best Marble Cake Recipe
Growing up, marble cakes were my absolute favorite because you literally got the best of both worlds – chocolate and vanilla cake! In order to enjoy one of my favorite cake flavors without relying on box cake mix, I created a recipe for a marble cake that is equally delicious and easy to make.
After several tests, the outcome was a flavorful marble cake made with one of my favorite olive oil brands – Filippo Berio. I used the Robusto Extra Virgin Olive Oil in place of butter in the cake. The result was a beautifully moist and flavorful cake. The fruity flavor notes in the olive oil nicely enhanced the overall taste of this cake.
To make this marble cake recipe, you will need:
Key Ingredients
- Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- Unsweetened Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- Granulated Sugar
- Eggs
- Buttermilk
- Hot Water
- Vanilla Extract
Tips For Making The Best Olive Oil Cake
- Use a good quality olive oil – for the best olive oil flavor in the finished bake, using a high quality olive oil is a must. Not only does a good quality olive oil add amazing flavor to the cake, it results in a cake with a moist crumb texture. My go-to olive oil brand is Filippo Berio as they have a variety of options from light to robust flavored olive oil.
- Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet batter – for a smooth, lump-free cake batter the dry ingredients should be mixed into the wet batter at a low mixer speed gradually. For example, mix half of the dry ingredients followed by all of the liquid (milk) and lastly the remaining dry ingredients. This method reduces the risk of overmixing and always results in a smooth cake batter.
- Do not over bake the cake – although oil based cakes tend to have a more moist crumb texture, over baking it will result in a dry and crumbly cake. A good rule of thumb is to bake the cake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean without any sticky batter. A few moist crumbs is ok.
Easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
This chocolate buttercream frosting is so smooth and decadent making it the perfect addition to this marble cake. For a richly chocolate buttercream, I used Dutch-process cocoa powder as I find the chocolate flavor to be more robust. Made with just 6 ingredients, this buttercream frosting comes together in a breeze! Here is what you will need to make this recipe:
Key Ingredients
- Confectioners’ (Powdered) Sugar
- Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Unsalted Butter
- Vanilla Extract
- Salt
To make frosting, cream the butter and salt at medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until it appears thick and fluffy in appearance. Next, mix in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into the creamed butter at low speed. Once the sugar and cocoa powder have been fully incorporated into the butter, mix in the vanilla extract and heavy cream. Increase the mix speed to medium and continue to mix the buttercream for 1-2 minutes or until you have a thick and fluffy buttercream texture.
How to Store
Marble olive oil cake is best eaten the day it is prepared. Leftover cake slices stored in an airtight container will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator or 1-2 months in the freezer. When ready to serve, thaw frozen cake slices in the fridge overnight to restore soft cake texture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can This Cake be Made in Advance?
Yes, the marble cakes may be baked in advance. Once cooled, tightly wrap in plastic and store in the fridge for up to 2-3 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months. Frozen cakes should be thawed in the fridge overnight to restore soft cake texture.
The chocolate buttercream may be made in advance as well. Simply store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week. When ready to use, leave out at room temperature 30-45 minutes or until it is soft enough to easily re-whip and use.
What Baking Pan Should I use to Make this Recipe?
For a three-layer 6-inch cake, you will need three 6-inch round baking pans. For a 2 layer 8 or 9-inch cake, you will need two 8 or 9-inch round baking pans.
What type of Olive Oil Should I Use?
For the best olive oil flavor in cake, I recommend using a hearty flavored option like this one. The better the quality of the olive oil, the more flavor the cake will be.
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I hope you love this recipe as much as I do! If you make this marble chocolate olive oil cake, please make sure to let me know by tagging me @nourishedendeavors on Instagram. I love looking at the photos of recipes you all have made, or you can leave a comment and rate the recipe in the comment section down below. Happy baking, friends!
PrintMarble Chocolate Olive Oil Cake
Moist layers of chocolate and vanilla cake are swirled together and frosted in a richly decadent chocolate buttercream frosting. In place of butter, the cake is made with a fruity and robust flavored olive oil that gives it an incredibly moist texture.
- Prep Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 35 Minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Yield: 8–10 Slices 1x
Ingredients
Marble Olive Oil Cake
- 2 1/2 Cups (325g) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, Spooned and Leveled
- 6 Tablespoons (30g) Unsweetened Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Cup (200g) Granulated Sugar
- 3 Large Eggs, Room Temperature
- 1 cup (240ml) Buttermilk, Room Temperature
- 6 Tablespoons (90ml) Hot Water
- 3/4 Cup (177ml) Filippo Berio’s Robusto Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 3/4 lb (3 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature, Slightly firm to Touch
- 3 1/2 Cups (420g) Confectioners’ (Powdered) Sugar, Sifted, Plus More as Needed
- 1/2 Cup + 2 Tablespoons (50g) Unsweetened Dutch-process Cocoa Powder, Sifted
- 5–6 Tablespoons Heavy Whipping Cream
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Chocolate Ganache (See this post for method)
- 2 Ounces (57g) Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Finely Chopped
- 1/4 Cup (60ml) Heavy Cream, Warmed to Hot
Assembly
- Chocolate Sprinkles, Optional
Instructions
Marble Olive Oil Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325F(165C). Grease and line three 6-inch round cake pans with circle parchment paper cutouts.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk the cocoa powder and hot water until smooth. Set aside to cool.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, mix the sugar and oil together at medium speed to combine, about 1 minute. Next, mix in the vanilla extract followed by the eggs one at a time stopping to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula after each addition.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low. Starting and ending with the dry ingredients, mix half of the dry ingredients into the wet batter followed by all of the buttermilk and ending with the remaining dry ingredients.
- Stop the mixer and scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula. Increase mixer speed to medium and mix the batter for an additional 1-2 minutes to ensure that you have a smooth, lump-free mixture.
- Scoop 1 1/2 cups of the vanilla cake batter into the bowl with the cooled chocolate mixture and gently mix until thoroughly incorporated. Divide the batters equally between the 3 prepared pans,alternating between the vanilla and chocolate cake batter.
- Using the tip of a sharp knife or skewer, swirl the chocolate and vanilla cake batters together (see photos above for reference). Bake the cake batter for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool the cakes in the pans for 15-20 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the butter and salt at medium high speed until it is smooth and fluffy in appearance, about 2-3 minutes.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder into creamed butter. Gradually increase the mixer speed back to medium.
- Once all the sugar and cocoa powder have been incorporated into the butter, mix in 5 tablespoons of the heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract into the buttercream.
- If buttercream appears too thick, mix in additional cream 1/2 tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency (thick but spreadable) is reached. If buttercream appears to be too soft, mix in additional confectioners’ sugar 1/4 cup at a time until a thick but spreadable consistency is reached.
- Increase mixer speed to medium high and mix chocolate buttercream for an additional 30-60 seconds. The resulting buttercream should be smooth and fluffy in appearance.
Assembly
- Level cooled cakes with a serrated knife or cake leveler. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the buttercream into the center of the first cake layer and smooth out into an even layer. Place the second cake layer face up on top of the buttercream and repeat the process one more time.
- Place the final cake layer top side down over the buttercream. Apply a thin layer of buttercream over the entire surface of the cake for a crumb coat and refrigerate to set for 30-60 minutes.
- Apply a thick layer of the remaining buttercream over the entire surface of the chilled cake and smooth out using a bench scraper and offset spatula.
- Place the cake in the fridge and make the chocolate ganache (see this post for method). Allow the chocolate ganache to thicken for 5-6 minutes before dripping around the border of the cake. Pipe remaining buttercream in desired pattern on top of the cake and fill the center with as much of the remaining ganache as you can.
- Lightly top piped border with chocolate sprinkles (optional) before serving.
Notes
- Marble olive oil cake is best eaten the day it is prepared. Leftover cake slices stored in an airtight container will last 2-3 days in the refrigerator or 1-2 months in the freezer. When ready to serve, thaw frozen cake slices in the fridge overnight to restore soft cake texture.
- For a 2 layer 8 or 9-inch cake, you will need two 8 or 9-inch round baking pans.
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HK Andersen
My kids and I made this today (they especially enjoyed doing the marbling). The cake was moist and delicious, not too sweet. The frosting was pillowy and delicious – they declared it their favorite frosting ever. Thanks for such a well-crafted recipe.
nourished endeavors
I am so happy to hear that you liked this recipe! Marble cakes are so nostalgic for me so this recipe is near to my heart!