Copycat Starbucks Marble Pound Cake is the perfect compliment to a cup of coffee, latte or even a cup of tea! You can now enjoy your favorite Starbucks treat at home for a fraction of the price! Make a loaf and enjoy it all week long!
Starbucks marble cake is on of those desserts that you try once and fall in love with. You don’t have to break the bank spending $3 per slice though. Make this copycat marble pound cake at home and enjoy it any time you want at only a fraction of the cost.
One of my first memories of dating my husband is a trip we took to the coffee shop the first time. He was definitely NOT a coffee drinker but I loved my mocha lattes. So, he would go with me and we’d sit for an hour or two just talking.
As we dated longer, he started drinking lattes as well and we would go to the local bookstore and just read while enjoying our lattes. Back then, they didn’t have it but now, one of my favorite treats with my mocha latte is a piece of black and white cake.
A marble cake is the combination of chocolate and vanilla cakes swirled together (this is a great marble cake recipe).
This pound cake recipe uses the same idea as a marble cake and then tops it with a thick chocolate frosting. Pound cake does tend to be more dense than a regular cake but this pound cake recipe is nice and moist.
One of the things that makes this marble pound cake recipe out of this world is the frosting on top. I use dark chocolate chips to give it a rich, deep flavor. You can substitute milk chocolate if you prefer though when you make this marble cake recipe.
If you make this copycat marble pound cake or any recipe from the blog, I’d love to hear about it! Let me know in the comments or snap a photo and tag it #MySuburbanKitchen on Instagram or Twitter.
If you loved this Copycat Marble Pound Cake recipe, check out these great pound cake recipes:
- Almond Pound Cake
- Grilled Strawberry Basil Pound Cake
- Cream Cheese Pound Cake Recipe
- Blueberry Lemon Pound Cake
What you’ll need for this recipe:
Take all the flavors of a marble cake and turn it into this delicious marble pound cake! This is the perfect Starbucks marble pound cake copycat recipe.
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 sticks butter softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 9 eggs
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup dark cocoa powder
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 4 sticks butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 9 eggs
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
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Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease four loaf pans with shortening or nonstick cooking spray.
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In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt for regular cake batter. Stir to mix.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together 4 sticks of butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed to medium and add in eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce mixer speed to low and, working in small batches, add in flour mixture and mix until just combined.
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In a medium bowl, combine 2 1/4 cup flour, 1 cup cocoa and 2 tsp salt. Stir to mix well.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together 4 sticks of butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Reduce mixer speed to medium and add in eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Reduce mixer speed to low and, working in small batches, add in flour and cocoa mixture and mix until just combined.
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Alternating between the regular and chocolate batters, pour batters into prepared loaf pans.Using a knife, swirl to randomly mix the batters together. Bake in preheated oven for one hour. Remove from oven and cool completely.
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Once the cakes are cooled, combine chocolate chips, butter and syrup in a double boiler. Heat over medium-low heat and, stirring constantly, heat until melted and smooth. Pour over cooled cakes and let sit for 5 minutes or until set.

This looks like exactly what I was looking for. I can’t wait to try it. Can you please clarify for me what size the loaf pans are?
I used pans that are 8.5″ X 4.5″ X 2.75″.
I just want to clarify something on the ingredients. Is it 9 eggs each for the regular batter and the chocolate batter? Your response is greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Hi – Yes, it is 9 eggs per batter type so a total of 18 eggs. Since it makes four loaves, it needs a lot of eggs 🙂
yeah my question too…18 eggs?! How many loaves does this make?
It makes four loaves.
What size loaf pans?
This recipe calls for standard sized cake loaf pans.
will this recipe work if I cut it in half? thanks.
Hi – I would think it would work fine but I have not tested it out to say for sure. The most difficult part would be halving the 9 eggs for each type of batter.
Sorry, I have not made this cake but one thing i can tell you is that based on the amount of ingrediente the batter calls for, there is no way it will only result in 2 loaves.
Thanks for your comment. I actually went back to check my handwritten notes to see if I had messed up in typing up the recipe and I did! It makes a total of 4 cakes, not two. I will be sure to update the post.
Hi, could you please tell me the one stick of butter by grams..
Thans in advance..:)
One stick of butter is equal to 115 grams. Thanks!
Hello there..thks for the recipe..can i use self raising flour instead of all purpose flour…thks.
Hi – I would not recommend self rising flour as I have not tested the recipe with it. It may work but, since I have not made the recipe that way, I cannot say for sure.
This comment is in regards to Ellaines question:
It would be easy to reduce this recipe by simply making only ONE batch of batter and dividing it in half. After which you can add HALF the cocoa (in this case 1/2 cup) to one of the bowls and mix well. Won’t make (4) loaves but with all that butter who needs it. Good luck and enjoy~
Thank you Elle!
I just realized this recipe has no raising agent ie. baking POW ever or baking soda. Is that correct or an over sight??
Thank you x
It is correct. 🙂
2 Teaspoons of SALT seems extreme in the Chocolate batter, and the Butter doesn’t appear to be Unsalted either so there’s even more… all together this recipe has 3 Teaspoons of Salt, anyone else think this sounds like a bit much?
I always bake with unsalted butter but that would be a personal choice. The recipe would be ok with just 1 tsp of salt. I just preferred how it tasted with 2 since it is very rich.
Do you remove the cakes from the pans, then frost them.
I do so that the frosting will go down the sides. It is optional though.
What size pans do you use?
9×5 pans
Hi what is the measurement of 4 sticks of butter in gram? Cos i have never seen the butter in the size of stick. Thanks
Hi – 1 stick or 1/2 cup butter is equal to 4 ounces, or 113 grams
Can this be cooked in a bundt pan and would you know how long?
Hi – I have never made it in a bundt pan before so I am not sure how well that would work. I think it would be fine but do not know how long to recommend adjusting the cooking time.
Could I use a bundt pan?
Hi – I have never made it in a bundt pan before so I am not sure how well that would work. I think it would be fine but do not know how long to recommend adjusting the cooking time.
This is exactly what I wanted. I just baked came out amazing even without baking soda or baking powder. The batter firm and not runny like the other recipes like Martha Stewart or James Beard winner bakers. The balance Chocolate and Vanilla really good. The batter easy to swirl as marble. Thank you . 5 stars
Did u make the full amount? How many loafs it gave?
It makes 4 loaves.
It’s because with soooo many eggs they act as raising/leavening agent.
Hi, would one bundt pan equal to two pan?
I have never made it in a bundt pan so it is difficult for me to say. I would guess that would be pretty close.
What do you think would be the best type of dark chocolate chips for the frosting.
I use the ghiradelli brand.
In your frosting ingredient list one of one of the items shows “1 Tbsp Light Corn Syrup”, but in your instructions it says, “…combine butter, chocolate chips and oil…”
I assume you probably meant Syrup, right?
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Yes, thank you for catching that! I will go back and update the recipe to be accurate.
Hi, so…is it oil or syrup. In the recipe it says syrup first and then oil, and I really want to try it. Thanks for replying.
My apologies. The frosting is syrup, not oil. I have updated the recipe.
Just made this recipe with Cup4Cup gluten free flour! Uniced and warm from the oven and it’s delicious!!! I might cut the salt a little in the chocolate batter next time, but overall very good! I also added red food color To the chocolate and plan to use white chocolate or cream cheese icing for a spin on Starbucks Red Velvet Loaf!
So glad this recipe worked out for you! Love the gluten free flour replacement!
Can this be frozen?
I think you could freeze the cake before it is iced. However, I never tried it to predict how it will turn out when you thaw it.
could you use choc or cook frosting for these cakes
Yes, you could. It will just change the top.
Is there any way to get this recipe for 1 loaf.
Sorry but I do not have a recipe for a single loaf and have no experimented with cutting down the ingredients.
This will certainly be on the menu of Easter desserts
Try adding in a tea. of instant espresso or coffee into your cocoa mixture. It intensifies the flavor of the chocolate and you cannot tell it is in there.