Introduction

This Red, White, and Blue Marble Cake is a stunning and festive dessert perfect for celebrations and patriotic holidays. With vibrant swirls of red and blue tinted batter against a classic vanilla base, it’s as delicious as it is eye-catching. Baking this Bundt cake is straightforward, making it a fun project for home bakers.

Red, White, and Blue Marble Cake Recipe - Recipe Image

Ingredients

1 cup butter (at room temperature)
2 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
4 large egg whites (at room temperature)
1 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
Red food coloring
Blue food coloring

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan, then set it aside.
Step 2: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until well combined and fluffy.
Step 3: Add the eggs and egg whites one at a time, mixing well after each addition to incorporate fully.
Step 4: Stir in the vanilla extract until combined.
Step 5: Mix in the buttermilk until the batter is smooth and well blended.
Step 6: Add the cake flour, baking powder, and salt to the bowl. Stir on low speed just until the dry ingredients are incorporated; avoid overmixing.
Step 7: Scoop out 1 ½ cups of the batter into a separate bowl for the red swirl.
Step 8: Scoop another 1 ½ cups of batter into a third bowl for the blue swirl.
Step 9: Mix red food coloring into the first separated batter and blue food coloring into the second, adjusting the amount for your desired color intensity.
Step 10: Using a ¼-cup measuring cup, drop one scoop of plain batter into the prepared Bundt pan. Then add a scoop of red batter on top, followed by a scoop of blue batter. Continue alternating in this pattern until all batters are used.
Step 11: Tap the pan gently a couple of times to level out the batter, but do not stir to keep the marble effect.
Step 12: Bake the cake for 50 to 70 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 13: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes before inverting it onto the rack. Allow it to cool completely before serving.

Tips & Variations

For even brighter colors, add a few drops of gel food coloring instead of liquid for more vibrant swirls without thinning the batter.
If you don’t have buttermilk, substitute with 1 cup of milk mixed with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar, let sit 5 minutes before using.
Try adding a teaspoon of almond extract with the vanilla for a subtle nutty flavor.
Be careful not to overmix the batter after adding flour to keep the cake light and tender.

Storage

Store the cake wrapped tightly in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the cooled cake wrapped in foil and plastic wrap for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving. Reheat slices gently in the microwave if desired.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular flour instead of cake flour?

You can substitute all-purpose flour, but the cake may be slightly denser. To approximate cake flour, remove 2 tablespoons of flour per cup and replace with cornstarch, then sift well before measuring.

Why use both whole eggs and egg whites?

Using whole eggs adds richness while egg whites lighten the texture and help create a fluffy crumb. This combination balances moistness and structure for a tender cake.

Red, White, and Blue Marble Cake Recipe

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4.5 from 81 reviews

This Red, White, and Blue Marble Cake is a festive and visually stunning dessert perfect for patriotic celebrations or any special occasion. Using a classic bundt pan, the cake features rich vanilla-flavored vanilla and buttermilk batter in three separate portions, each colored red, white, and blue, then artfully layered to create a beautiful marble effect when sliced. The cake is moist, tender, and delightfully sweet, ideal for serving a crowd.

Author: Dana
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50-70 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 16 servings 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

1 cup butter (at room temperature)
2 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
4 large egg whites (at room temperature)
1 cup buttermilk (at room temperature)

Dry Ingredients

3 cups cake flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Coloring

Red food coloring
Blue food coloring

Instructions

Preheat Oven and Prep Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 12-cup Bundt pan thoroughly, then set it aside.
Cream Butter and Sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or with a handheld mixer), beat together the room temperature butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Add Eggs and Egg Whites: Add the 2 large eggs and 4 egg whites one at a time to the creamed butter and sugar, mixing well after each addition to ensure full incorporation.
Incorporate Vanilla Extract: Stir in the tablespoon of vanilla extract until combined evenly throughout the batter.
Add Buttermilk: Gradually mix in the cup of buttermilk until the batter is smooth and well-combined.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Mix Batter: Stir the flour mixture into the batter on low speed just until the ingredients are incorporated, avoiding overmixing.
Divide Batter: Scoop out 1 ½ cups of plain batter into a separate bowl for the red swirl, and then scoop another 1 ½ cups into a third bowl for the blue swirl, leaving the remaining plain batter.
Color Batter: Add red food coloring to the batter in one bowl and blue food coloring to the batter in another bowl, mixing each until the color is uniform.
Layer Batters: Use a 1/4-cup measuring cup to alternately drop scoops of plain, red, and blue batter into the prepared Bundt pan in layers until all batter is used.
Level Batter: Gently tap the pan a few times to help the batter settle and level out. Avoid stirring to maintain the marble effect.
Bake Cake: Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 70 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then invert the cake onto the wire rack and let it cool completely before serving.

Notes

Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature for best mixing and texture.
Use cake flour to achieve a tender crumb; all-purpose flour will yield a denser cake.
Do not overmix the batter once the flour is added to keep the cake light and fluffy.
To prevent sticking, grease and flour the Bundt pan thoroughly.
Allow the cake to cool completely before slicing to maintain its shape and design.
The exact baking time can vary depending on your oven; start checking at 50 minutes.

Keywords: Red, White, and Blue Marble Cake, Bundt Cake, Patriotic Cake, Marble Cake, Vanilla Cake, Buttermilk Cake