Christmas Marble Loaf Cake
This Christmas Marble Loaf Cake is a Vanilla, green and red loaf cake, topped with vanilla buttercream and decorated with some Christmas sprinkles.
I haven’t posted a marble cake before and I have no idea why. They are so much fun to make. This Christmas one I decided to make red and green but you could make it any festive colours you wanted.
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Christmas Loaf Cake
To make this load cake I used a 2lb loaf tin, I find it makes the perfect sized loaf cake, around 12 servings depending on how big each serving is.
I started by creaming together the butter and sugar. For the loaf cake recipe, you can use either unsalted butter or a baking spread like Stork, for the buttercream you need to use unsalted butter, but we will get to that.
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I use 200g of the main ingredients; sugar, flour and butter. When working out the number of eggs I use 1 large egg for every 50g of sugar. As this recipe has 200g of sugar I used four eggs.
I split the mixture into two separate bowls and added red food colouring to one and green food colouring to the other.
Pour half the red mixture into your cake tin, followed by half the green. Repeat until all the mixture is in the tin. Using a cake skewer marble the two together.
Baking the Loaf Cake
There are a few ways to test whether or not the loaf cake is baked. The first is by using a cake tester or skewer to test the thickest part of the cake. If it comes out clean, then the cake is ready. If there is cake batter on it pop it back into the oven for 3-4 minutes and repeat.
Another way to test the loaf cake is by gently pressing on the top of the loaf cake. It is ready if it springs to its original shape when you remove your finger. If you end up with a finger-shaped dent in the top of your cake (don’t worry, we will hide it with buttercream) then it’s not quite ready yet. Pop it back into the oven for 3-4 minutes and repeat.
Striped Vanilla Buttercream
I decided to make the buttercream with red stripes just like I did with my Peppermint Cookie Cups.
The buttercream itself is super quick and easy to make and only uses three key ingredients.
Beat together the butter, sugar and vanilla extract until it has come together and the mixture is thick and creamy.
Put your piping tip into your piping bag and using the red food colouring paint two-three lines up the inside of the bag.
Add the buttercream to the piping bag and pipe it onto the cake.
I piped mine in horizontal lines and used two layers. As you begin to pipe the buttercream will come out white, unless you have painted your piping tip, but keep going and you will see the red stripes start to come through.
I decorated it with some large red chocolate balls, gold chocolate balls and some festive sprinkles.
Alternatives
I used green and red food colouring but you could use any colour you fancy to marble together.
To turn these into cupcakes just reduce the amount of butter, sugar and flour by 50g and use 3 large eggs instead of 4. Bake for 15-20 minutes.
Equipment
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Christmas Marble Loaf Cake
Ingredients
For the Marbled Loaf Cake
- 200 g Unsalted Butter or Stork
- 200 g Light Brown Sugar
- 200 g Self-Raising Flour
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Red Food Colouring
- Green Food Colouring
For the Vanilla Buttercream
- 200 g Unsalted Butter
- 400 g Icing Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Red Food Colouring
- 3-4 tbsp Whole Milk (optional)
Instructions
To Make the Christmas Marble Loaf Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180C (160C Fan) and line a loaf tin with baking parchment. Leave to one side.
- In a bowl cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add in the flour, eggs baking powder and vanilla extract and mix until completely combined.
- Split the mixture evenly between two bowls.
- Add red food colouring to one bowl a little at a time mixing in between each addition until you reach the desired colour. Leave to one side.
- Add green food colouring to the other bowl a little at a time mixing in between each addition until you reach the desired colour.
- Pour half of the red mixture into your cake tin, followed by half of the green. Repeat until all your cake mixture is in the loaf tin.
- Using a cake skewer, marble the two colours together and bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes.
- Leave to cool for 15-20 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to cool.
To Make the Buttercream and Decorate
- Add the butter, icing sugar and vanilla to a large bowl and mix until completely combined.
- If the mixture is too thick add a teaspoon of milk and mix again. Repeat until the buttercream is the desired consistency.
- Put your piping tip into the piping bag, and using the red food colouring and a food-safe brush, paint 2-3 stripes up the inside of the bag.
- Add your buttercream to the bag and pipe it onto the top of your loaf cake.
- Decorate with some festive sprinkles.
Notes
- This loaf cake will last 3+ days in an airtight container.