I’m excited to share my Marble Bundt Cake Recipe featuring a buttermilk base and a glossy chocolate ganache trick that produces dramatic, eye-catching swirls.

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I get a little nerdy about swirls, and this Buttermilk Marble Bundt Cake With Chocolate Glaze had me grinning like a kid. The crumb is truly tender thanks to buttermilk and good unsalted butter, and those chocolate veins make every slice feel a tiny bit dramatic.

It’s so pretty and the perfect dessert recipe from Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch, but it’s not just looks, its Marble Bundt Cake Moist in every bite. If you’re into Chocolate Glaze Recipes you’ll love how the shine seals the deal.

I screw up swirls sometimes, but somehow it always ends up irresistible.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour: Mainly carbs and some protein, gives structure but low in fiber.
Unsalted butter: Almost all fat, adds richness and tenderness, tasty but high in saturated fat.
Buttermilk: Tangy, adds moisture and acidity, has protein and calcium, helps tender crumb.
Eggs: Provide protein, moisture and lift, help bind ingredients and brown the top.
Granulated sugar: Sweetens and caramelizes, pure carbs so little other nutrition, boosts flavor.
Unsweetened cocoa: Gives chocolate bitterness, has fiber and antioxidants, deepens flavor without sugar.
Semisweet chocolate: Melts into a glossy glaze, adds sugar and fat, rich flavor and shine.

Ingredient Quantities

3 cups all purpose flour (360 g)

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon fine salt

1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks softened

1 3/4 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs room temp

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup buttermilk room temp

1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder sifted

1/4 cup hot water or hot coffee for the cocoa

6 ounces semisweet chocolate chopped (about 1 cup chips)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter optional for shine

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for the glaze

Pinch of salt

How to Make this

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Equipment Needed

1. Oven (obviously, for baking)
2. Stand mixer or electric hand mixer, for creaming butter and sugar
3. Large mixing bowls (2 or more)
4. Measuring cups and spoons
5. Fine mesh sieve or sifter, for the flour and cocoa
6. Rubber spatula, for folding batter and scraping the bowl
7. Whisk, for the wet ingredients and the glaze
8. Two 9 inch round cake pans or one 9×13 pan, plus parchment paper for lining
9. Small saucepan, for heating cream to make the chocolate glaze
10. Cooling rack and a toothpick or cake tester to check doneness

dont forget youll want everything measured and at room temp for best results, its way easier that way.

FAQ

Q: Do I have to use buttermilk and sour cream, what can I substitute? A: Buttermilk adds tang and reacts with baking soda so try 1 cup milk plus 1 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice, let it sit 5 minutes, and use the sour cream or plain yogurt as listed. You can skip the sour cream but the crumb will be slightly less tender, dont worry though it still works.

Q: How do I get a nice marble pattern without overmixing? A: Spoon alternating scoops of vanilla and cocoa batter into the bundt, then drag a knife through the batter 6 to 8 times in a single motion, dont swirl it to death. Less stirring = clearer marbling and a lighter cake.

Q: What temperature and how long should I bake the bundt? A: Bake at 325 degrees F for about 50 to 65 minutes for a standard 10 to 12 cup bundt pan. Start checking at 50 minutes; a toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs not wet batter. Oven temps vary so rely on that test.

Q: How do I prevent the cake from sticking to the bundt pan? A: Grease thoroughly with softened butter or shortening, then dust with flour or use a nonstick baking spray that contains flour. Let cake cool in the pan 10 to 15 minutes, then invert onto a rack. If it seems stuck, tap the pan and use a thin offset spatula around the sides to loosen it.

Q: My glaze looks grainy or split, how do I fix it? A: If the ganache split or looks grainy, warm a tablespoon of heavy cream and whisk it in slowly until smooth. If it's just too thin, chill it a bit till it thickens, or add a little more melted chocolate. Pour when warm but not piping hot, and add the optional tablespoon of butter for extra shine.

Q: Can I make this ahead and how do I store it? A: Yes, bake and cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and keep at room temp for 2 days or in the fridge up to 5 days. For longer storage freeze wrapped cake up to 3 months, thaw in the fridge overnight. Glaze fresh before serving if you want the best shine.

Buttermilk Marble Bundt Cake With Chocolate Glaze Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: Swap with cake flour for a lighter crumb — use a cup for cup or make your own by removing 2 tbsp flour per cup and adding 2 tbsp cornstarch, sift well. Or use a cup-for-cup gluten free baking blend that contains xanthan gum, texture will be slightly different.
Buttermilk: Make 1 cup by stirring 1 tbsp white vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup milk, let sit 5 minutes. Or thin plain yogurt/sour cream with a little milk to the same consistency.
Unsalted butter: Use salted butter but cut the added salt by about 1/2 teaspoon for the whole recipe. Or for a moister crumb, swap melted neutral oil (canola or vegetable) at about 3/4 cup oil for 1 cup butter, expect a different texture and less buttery flavor.
Heavy cream (for the glaze): Use canned evaporated milk for a lighter glaze, or make a quick substitute by mixing 3/4 cup whole milk with 3 tbsp melted butter to equal 1 cup heavy cream (scale down for 1/2 cup). Coconut cream works too if you want a dairy free glaze, flavor will change.

Pro Tips

1) Weigh the flour, don’t eyeball it. Cup measurements lie so easily, and if you pack the flour you’ll end up with a dense cake. If you only have cups, spoon the flour into the cup then level it off with a knife, that helps a lot.

2) Use hot coffee instead of plain hot water for the cocoa, it makes the chocolate taste deeper and less flat. When you make the chocolate glaze heat the cream until it just simmers then pour it over chopped chocolate, let it sit a minute before stirring so it melts smooth. If you want extra shine stir in a little cold butter at the end.

3) Get everything to room temp — eggs, butter, buttermilk, sour cream. Cold ingredients make the batter seize or mix unevenly, and then you start overbeating to fix it. Also, after you add the dry stuff mix only until combined, overmixing makes the cake tough.

4) Let the cake cool fully before glazing, or the glaze will slide off and make a mess. If the glaze is too runny chill it for a few minutes and stir, it firms up fast. For neat slices chill the whole cake briefly after glazing so the ganache sets, then cut with a hot knife wiped between cuts.