A Cake That’s As Delicious As It Is Beautiful!
This Chocolate Espresso Marble Cake with crumb topping delivers the best of both worlds—a luscious, moist vanilla-espresso cake marbled with rich chocolate and crowned by a crunchy, cinnamon-sugar crumb. It’s the perfect treat for coffee enthusiasts and chocolate lovers alike!
Why this recipe works
This recipe begins with a crumble topping made from flour, brown sugar, and a hint of cinnamon that’s gently pressed together with cold butter. The cake batter itself is buttery and moist, enhanced by sour cream for extra tenderness. A subtle yet noticeable espresso flavor weaves through the vanilla batter, while the chocolate swirl adds a rich flavor.
For more easy-to-make cake recipes, try my snickerdoodle coffee cake, this buttery blueberry coffee cake with cinnamon, or this lemon blueberry bundt cake next!
What You’ll Need
For the cake batter, you’ll gather everyday pantry staples like flour, sugar, and butter, along with a few special ingredients—sour cream for creaminess, instant espresso powder for that coffee punch, and a bit of cocoa powder and dark chocolate to create those stunning marbled ribbons.
You’ll also need brown sugar and cinnamon, which go into the crumble topping for a warm, sweet spiciness.
Ingredient Substitutions
- Sour Cream: Can be swapped with Greek yogurt.
- Dark Chocolate: Use your favorite semi-sweet chocolate if that’s what you’ve got.
- Espresso Powder: If you’re short on instant espresso, a shot of strong brewed espresso can work in a pinch–just reduce the liquid elsewhere slightly to compensate.
Directions At A Glance
Full instructions and quantities can be found in the recipe card below.
- Crumb Topping: Mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in cold butter until pea-sized, then chill until needed.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Line an 8-inch square pan with parchment. Beat softened butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add eggs one by one, then sour cream.
- Dissolve Espresso: Place espresso powder in a bowl with vanilla extract, then whisk until dissolved. Add this to the batter.
- Dry Ingredients: Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into the wet ingredients. Beat briefly until combined.
- Assemble Base: Spoon ⅔ of the batter into the prepared pan, leaving gaps.
- Chocolate Batter: Mix cocoa into remaining batter; fold in chopped chocolate. Drop the chocolate batter into the gaps, then swirl the batters together with the back of a knife.
- Bake: Top with the chilled crumb mixture. Bake at 350° (177°C) for 35-38 minutes. Cool for about 15 minutes, slice, then enjoy!
Ari’s Best Tips!
- Ensure the butter is soft, but not melted for creaming–this ensures the best overall texture.
- Lightly swirl the batter with a knife so the chocolate and vanilla remain distinct.
- If you love crunch, don’t skip the refrigerate step for the crumb topping; it ensures the butter remains solid and creates that perfect crumbly texture when baked.
Make-Ahead and Store
- Make-ahead: Bake the cake a day ahead. Let it cool completely, then cover tightly with plastic wrap.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- To freeze: Wrap individual slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap and foil. It will keep in the freezer for up to a month. Thaw overnight in a fridge before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This is obviously fantastic on its own, but of course you could dust it with some powdered sugar, serve with a dollop of whipped cream, fresh berries, or even a scoop of ice cream. Personally, I like it best with a hot cup of coffee.
Whether you’re serving it up to friends and family or simply satisfying a personal craving, this delicious homemade marbled cake recipe is sure to satisfy! If you give it a try, be sure to leave a review and rating below. We love to hear from you!
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Chocolate Espresso Marble Cake with Crumb Topping
Equipment
- Pastry cutter optional
- Small whisk or fork
- Sieve
- Large spoon
Ingredients
For the Crumb Topping
- ¾ cup (90g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (105g) brown sugar
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 6 Tbsp (85g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes
For the Cake
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (12 Tbsp; 168g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 large eggs (150g), room temperature
- ⅓ cup + 2 Tbsp (100g) sour cream, room temperature
- 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp instant espresso powder
- 1 ⅓ cups (160g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 2 Tbsp (15g) Dutch process unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 oz (57g) dark chocolate, finely chopped
Instructions
- Make the crumb topping. Preheat an oven to 350°F (177°C). In a mixing bowl, combine ¾ cup (90g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (105g) brown sugar, 1½ tsp ground cinnamon, and a pinch of kosher salt. Add 6 Tbsp (85g) cold cubed butter, then use your hands or a pastry cutter to combine and press the mixture together until the butter is the size of small peas. Refrigerate until needed.
- Cream the sugar and butter. Line an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Place ¾ cup (150g) sugar and ¾ cup (168g) softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, then beat for 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides, then mix again. Add 3 large eggs (150g), one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in ⅓ cup + 2 Tbsp (100g) of sour cream. There will be small lumps visible.
- Flavor with espresso. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 Tbsp vanilla extract and 2 tsp instant espresso powder until dissolved. Add this to the butter and egg mixture, then beat until just combined.
- Add the dry ingredients. Sift 1⅓ cup (160g) of flour, 1½ tsp baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda, and ¼ tsp kosher salt directly into the stand mixer bowl, then beat this into the butter mixture until well mixed.
- Prepare the cake. Using a large spoon, drop heaping mounds of roughly ⅔ of the vanilla cake batter into the prepared pan, leaving spots to dollop the chocolate mixture.
- Make the chocolate cake batter. To the remaining ⅓ of the batter, add 2 Tbsp (15g) cocoa powder. Beat until smooth and chocolatey throughout. Add 2 oz (57g) chopped dark chocolate, then gently fold to combine. Use the large spoon to drop mounds of the chocolate cake batter into the prepared pan, filling in the gaps. Use a knife (or the back of the spoon) to swirl the two batters together into a marbled pattern.
- Bake the cake. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the top, then bake for 35-38 minutes. A toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan and slice into 9 large or 16 smaller squares. Enjoy warm or room temperature!
Notes
- Storage: Cake can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or kept at room temperature and enjoyed within 3 days.
Nutrition
The post Chocolate Espresso Marble Cake with Crumb Topping appeared first on Well Seasoned Studio.