The 9×13 Life: Marble Cake

It typically uses a mixer and lots of bowls. It’s a marble cake. But not anymore. This marble cake is the easiest (and really delicious) version you’ve ever made.

9x13 life bcp

Everyone loves a good, fluffy marble cake. Preferably with a nice crust. A bit wet, but not too wet. You know what we mean here.

But every woman loves a clean kitchen. Are we right? We thought so.

This recipe came through from Chaya W. who received it from Pessy G. who got it from yet another friend, and the trail ended there. So while we’re not sure of where it was born, we definitely know it will be enjoyed.

So yes, we did it again. 9×13 easy recipe, for the win. Get ready to be amazed. And get ready to only use a fork.

In a 9×13 pan, combine the oil, juice and eggs.

Add the flour, sugars, and baking powder

Mix until a batter forms

Remove 1 cup of batter

Add cocoa powder, sugar and boiling water to that cup.

Drizzle the chocolate batter over the vanilla batter…

and marbleize using a fork.

Print Recipe
4 from 4 votes

9×13 Marble Cake

Ingredients

For the batter:

  • 1 cup oil
  • 1 cup juice (either orange juice or apple juice)
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 cups flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla sugar
  • 2 tsp baking powder

For the marble:

  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • cup boiling water

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • In a 9×13 pan, combine all the wet ingredients (oil, juice and eggs). Using a fork or a whisk, mix until combined.
  • Add the dry ingredients (flour, sugars, baking powder) and mix until a batter forms.
  • Remove about 1 cup of batter from the pan and add cocoa powder, sugar and boiling water to that cup (yes, you will need one extra small bowl for this).
  • Drizzle the cocoa batter over the original vanilla batter, and, using a fork, marbleize it.
  • Bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted comes out dry.
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Between Carpools

Between Carpools is a collaboration between five talented friends who like to get a lot of stuff done “between carpools.” Since 2016, we’ve been sharing home and organizing tips, parenting insights, activities, how-to’s and DIYs, and of course, entertaining ideas, recipes, and inspiring reads both on the site and app.

51 responses to “The 9×13 Life: Marble Cake”

  1. Dinah Avatar
    Dinah

    Wow wow wow. Can’t wait to try this!

  2. Chanie Avatar
    Chanie

    wow ! is it using a deep 9 x 13?

    1. betweencarpools Avatar
      betweencarpools

      Hi! No, not a deep 9 x 13.

  3. Rlnbm Avatar
    Rlnbm

    Can I use a Bundt pan?

    1. E Avatar
      E

      I did and it was delicious

  4. Aviva Avatar
    Aviva

    Yum! Can’t wait to try!
    When do I put the 1 cup of batter I removed back in???

    1. betweencarpools Avatar
      betweencarpools

      After adding cocoa, sugar and boiling water. This becomes the marble in the cake.

  5. Rivky Avatar
    Rivky

    The pan need any parchment paper?

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      I didn’t put and mine was just fine!

  6. Devory Avatar
    Devory

    Is this a light or heavy marble?

  7.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Can it be frozen?

  8. Ruchy Avatar
    Ruchy

    Was yum

  9. Estee Avatar
    Estee

    Thanks for another great recipe! This was fast, easy

  10.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Made it for shabbos. Came out so good! Moist but not too “ fudgey”

  11. Chana A. Avatar
    Chana A.

    I made this on Tisha Bav for after the fast . My husband and teenage sons absolutely loved it. Will be making it again many times.

  12. Shaindel Avatar

    Such a practical recipe to mix it in the 9×13 pan. Looking forward to trying it out.

  13. Sara Avatar
    Sara

    What can I use instead of vanilla sugar

    1. Chaya Avatar
      Chaya

      Why not just vanilla? That’s what I always do

  14.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    Can I freeze it?

    1. Leah Schapira Avatar
      Leah Schapira

      yes of course

  15. Mim Avatar
    Mim

    Absolutely delicious and so easy, worked well straight in the tin, thank you, i plan to freeze

  16. Leah Avatar
    Leah

    THis was so easy to make and hence the perfect to cake to pop in the oven erev shabbos!
    Everybody enjoyed!! THank you so much for all your wonderful recipes 🙂

  17. Bracha Avatar
    Bracha

    Cut the sugar in cake in half (just 1 cup) and subbed half cup applesauce for half cup oil. Came out beautiful and delicious!

  18. Michal Avatar
    Michal

    I subbed unsweetened vanilla almond milk for the juice. It was delicious!

  19. Kathy Lougiu Avatar
    Kathy Lougiu

    I plan to double this in a half sheet cake for a graduation party. Will it come out easily out of the pan onto a cake board? Thanks!

  20. Rachel Avatar
    Rachel

    Delicous and easy, Will definitely become a staple

  21. Estee Avatar
    Estee

    Fantastic recipe! I like to use a ziploc to mix the chocolate mixture and snip the corner to drizzle. Keeps it a little more mess free.

  22. CC Avatar
    CC

    Delicious and so so easy!!!!
    Instead of making the chocolate mixture I just drizzle chocolate syrup on top of the batter and marbleize

    1. batsheva Avatar
      batsheva

      such a great idea!! thanks for sharing

  23. TS Avatar
    TS

    You looked for the originator of the recipe— to me, it looks like it’s from “The Spice and Spirit…” The Lubavich Blue cookbook. I have it over 35 years!! Great cake! I use less sugar- like 1.5 cups…. enough!

    1. Elana Burnat Avatar
      Elana Burnat

      I am looking for the recipe from the original spice and spirit. Mine is from 1990. IThere is a marble cake recipe in there that is similar to this.

  24. SG Avatar
    SG

    I made this recipe and the chocolate part of the recipe is way too much! The chocolate covered the entire top of cake and I couldn’t marblize!

    1. Cheryl L Avatar
      Cheryl L

      Recipe calls for 1 cup batter to mix with chocolate. I am wondering how there was so much chocolate batter?

  25. Bracha Avatar
    Bracha

    Came out gorgeous and delicious in a Bundt!

    1. Esty Avatar
      Esty

      How long did you bake it in a bundt?

  26. Malka Avatar
    Malka

    I’ve been making this recipe every week. I skip the chocolate part because some of my kids don’t like chocolate and it comes out delicious!!

  27. Malky Avatar
    Malky

    I made this a number of times last year, yomim tovim time. My husband loved it! I was curious though & after a few times I tried it with a mixer (just a $10 hand mixer, didn’t shlep out the Kitchenaid) — it really comes out better with a mixer…. just saying… (that’s ok, I won’t tell if you won’t )

  28. Shaindy Avatar
    Shaindy

    Cake was delicous!! However the inside wasn’t done, but the outside top became a little burnt. For future can I cover it after 45 minutes and continue baking ?

    1. Dinah Avatar
      Dinah

      Maybe try to lower the temp of you oven to 340 and bake a little longer? That’s what I do for some cakes

  29. RH Avatar
    RH

    This cake was really easy to make and tastes delicious! Will definitely be saving this recipe to make again soon.

  30. Eve Avatar
    Eve

    what are baking instructions for doing in a loaf as per jan 14 post

    1. Leah Avatar
      Leah

      I would bake for 10 minutes less and then test with a toothpick and see if needs a couple more minutes of baking time.

  31. SP Avatar
    SP

    Was amazing will be making again!

  32. Miri Avatar
    Miri

    Too much chocolate so I couldn’t even marble it

    1. Cheryl L Avatar
      Cheryl L

      Recipe calls for 1 Cup batter to mix with chocolate. How is it youbhadcso much chocolate batter? Just wondering.

  33. Chava Avatar
    Chava

    Delicious and amazing! I doubled it and made it in 2 deep loaf pans and froze one for an “off” week! It’s a delicious and easy cake… my kids call it “rugalach kugel”. Def don’t need 2 cups of sugar can easily cut to 1/1.5 cups

  34. Wondering Avatar
    Wondering

    1 star
    Tried this recipe for the third time and comes out heavy each time

  35. Shira Weiss Avatar
    Shira Weiss

    can I make this in muffin pans? and sub almond milk for the juice?

  36. Ellie Avatar
    Ellie

    5 stars
    I’ve turned to this recipe multiple times when I need a dessert for a potluck, event, or even around the house and don’t want to go to the store. It takes simple pantry ingredients that I always have on hand, is simple to prepare (I even let my 3 year old “help”), and is delicious! Thank you for this wonderful recipe.

  37. be Avatar
    be

    5 stars
    I’ve made this recipe a few times now. It’s great! It’s my go-to these days when I need to make cakes quick for “bochurim events”. Since I made it a few times, here’s how I do it:
    -I don’t mind mixing things when its only ONE bowl. So I do it in a bowl and skip the risk associated with poking a hole in the disposable pan 🙂
    -When the white cake mix is done, I pour most of it into the baking pan. The little bit leftover is what I mix the chocolate into. So its still only one bowl. I use the “chocolate milk mix” or “cocoa mix”…its already cocoa and sugar. Then I spatula out the last little bit on top and swirl.
    -I usually need 2 cakes so I prefer to use 2 bowls because its faster to wash 2 bowls than evenly divide one large bowl into 2 pans. If they’re not even, they won’t be finished at the same time and they wont be the same height.
    -I’ve substituted soy/almond milk and its fine. I also tried just using water and LITTLE lemon juice, also fine. If you accidentally overdo it (taste the batter) then I would just skip the chocolate swirl, just call it a lemon cake 🙂
    -I used 1.5 cups sugar insteead of 2 cups, it was fine and maybe I could’ve even used less.
    great recipe and great website, thanks!!

  38. Yg Avatar
    Yg

    5 stars
    Great cake!

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