The Best Mary Berry Marble Cake Recipe for Beginners

This cake is soft, swirly, and full of chocolatey fun—every slice looks like a little piece of art.

Okay, let me tell you—I didn’t grow up baking perfect cakes. But the day I tried a Mary Berry marble cake, something clicked. Swirling chocolate and vanilla together? That felt like edible art. And honestly, it made me feel like a baking genius.

This cake isn’t fussy. It’s buttery, moist, and has that cool marbled look that makes people think you’ve been baking for years. One bite, and you get both flavors at once. It’s like your taste buds are doing a happy little dance. So, if you want a show-off cake without the stress, this one’s for you.

Ingredients

• 240g (about 1 cup + 1 tbsp) buttery spread, cold from the fridge
• 225g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) white sugar
• 4 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 290g (around 2 ⅓ cups) all-purpose flour
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 2 tbsp milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp boiling water
• 65g (just under ½ cup) dark chocolate chips

For the icing

• 60g (2 oz) dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 60g (2 oz) Belgian white chocolate, broken into pieces

Instructions

1. First things first—preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line a loaf tin or round cake tin.

2. Grab a big mixing bowl. Toss in the buttery spread and sugar. Mix them together until the mixture looks fluffy and light.

3. Crack in the eggs, one by one. Stir after each egg. Add the vanilla, milk, salt, and baking powder. Mix well.

4. Slowly add the flour to the bowl. Stir until you get a smooth cake batter. Try not to overmix.

5. Scoop out about a third of the batter into a small bowl. Mix in the cocoa powder and boiling water. Add the dark chocolate chips and give it a quick stir.

6. Now comes the fun part! Spoon the vanilla and chocolate batters into your tin, alternating them. Use a skewer or butter knife to swirl them around. Make it pretty—but don’t overdo it.

7. Bake for 50–60 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for a few minutes, then move it to a wire rack.

8. Time for icing! Melt the white and dark chocolates in separate bowls. You can use the microwave in short bursts or a double boiler.

9. Once the cake is cool, drizzle the chocolates over the top in a zigzag pattern. You can use a spoon or even a piping bag if you’re feeling fancy.

10. Let the icing set. Then slice and serve!

Craving more classic cakes with a twist? Try my warmly flavored American Spiced Carrot Sheet Cake for another crowd-pleasing bake.

Mary Berry Marble Cake

This cake is soft, swirly, and full of chocolatey fun—every slice looks like a little piece of art.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Cooling Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Servings: 21

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Calories: 310

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 240 g about 1 cup + 1 tbsp buttery spread, cold from the fridge
• 225 g 1 cup + 2 tbsp white sugar
• 4 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 290 g around 2 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 4 extra-large eggs
• 2 tbsp milk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp boiling water
• 65 g just under ½ cup dark chocolate chips

For the icing

• 60 g 2 oz dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 60 g 2 oz Belgian white chocolate, broken into pieces

Method

 

1. First things first—preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line a loaf tin or round cake tin.
2. Grab a big mixing bowl. Toss in the buttery spread and sugar. Mix them together until the mixture looks fluffy and light.
3. Crack in the eggs, one by one. Stir after each egg. Add the vanilla, milk, salt, and baking powder. Mix well.
4. Slowly add the flour to the bowl. Stir until you get a smooth cake batter. Try not to overmix.
5. Scoop out about a third of the batter into a small bowl. Mix in the cocoa powder and boiling water. Add the dark chocolate chips and give it a quick stir.
6. Now comes the fun part! Spoon the vanilla and chocolate batters into your tin, alternating them. Use a skewer or butter knife to swirl them around. Make it pretty—but don’t overdo it.
7. Bake for 50–60 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for a few minutes, then move it to a wire rack.
8. Time for icing! Melt the white and dark chocolates in separate bowls. You can use the microwave in short bursts or a double boiler.
9. Once the cake is cool, drizzle the chocolates over the top in a zigzag pattern. You can use a spoon or even a piping bag if you’re feeling fancy.
10. Let the icing set. Then slice and serve!

Nutritional Value (Per Slice – Approximate)

• Calories: 310 kcal
• Fat: 18g
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Sugar: 20g
• Protein: 5g
• Fiber: 1g

Conclusion

This Mary Berry marble cake has become my go-to when I want something that looks impressive but doesn’t stress me out. It’s fun to make, super tasty, and everyone always asks for the recipe. The swirls, the chocolate drizzle—every part of it feels a little special. If you try it, let me know how your marbling turns out. No two cakes ever look the same, and that’s what makes it awesome.