Fluffy and decadent vegan zebra bundt cake with swirls of chocolate and vanilla cake topped with an easy chocolate ganache! This is an impressive but easy and versatile vegan marble cake recipe.
Why you'll love this vegan marble cake
FLAVOR: If you like chocolate but don't want something too rich, this vegan cake recipe is perfect for you! The alternating layers of vegan chocolate cake and vegan vanilla cake make this a well-balanced dessert. But it's decadent enough for a special celebration!
APPEARANCE: Vegan bundt cakes are shaped so beautifully that they don't need anything extra. If you don't have a bundt pan, you can use a round or loaf pan and your cake will still be beautiful.
DIFFICULTY: The cake uses only common pantry ingredients and comes together in just two bowls! If you can mix dry and wet ingredients together, you can make this cake.
CROWD-PLEASER: I've served this cake to non-vegan guests at parties and it was loved by everyone! You need to try it!
Ingredients you'll need
Notes about the ingredients
Sugar, preferably regular white sugar or cane sugar. I'd recommend a light-colored sugar for this cake to keep the vanilla cake layers light in color.
Dairy-free milk such as soy milk, almond milk or oat milk. However, any non-dairy milk will work!
Oil which keeps the cake moister compared to butter! According to Bon Appetit, it also keeps a cake tender!
Cocoa powder or raw cacao powder. I prefer the taste of classic cocoa powder for cakes as it's less bitter and provides a more nostalgic chocolate flavor.
Baking powder and soda. We're using double baking agents to give the cake a lovely light crumb with no dense spots!
Vinegar (either apple cider or regular) which reacts with the milk to make buttermilk. This makes the cake fluffier and more tender.
Even though this is an eggless cake, we don't need any egg replacers or flax eggs. I've tested this recipe with egg substitutes and it doesn't make a difference.
The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the gray recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Easy way to prepare a bundt pan to prevent sticking
You can use a couple of pantry ingredients to make any bundt pan non-stick. It even worked for my intricate Nordicware bundt pan (10-cup)!
To prepare a bundt pan, I'd suggest you:
- Throughly brush inside of the pan with melted vegan butter. Make sure you reach all the nooks and crannies! I prefer using butter rather than oil as the latter sometimes leaves 'puddles' when used for greasing. Alternatively, you can use an oil spray to coat your bundt pan.
- Lightly dust some cocoa powder on top.
- Invert the bundt pan and tap it on your kitchen bench or side of your sink a few times. This forces the excess cocoa powder to fall out.
If you don't have a bundt pan, you can use a loaf tin or 2 x round cake pans for this vegan marble cake!
Preparing the cake batters
First you need to prepare an unflavored cake batter for your vegan bundt cake. You may use a whisk or spatula for this step.
Add the flour, sugar, raising agents and salt to a large bowl and mix until there are no lumps. Then add dairy-free milk, oil and vinegar and mix until JUST combined (or just before it's combined).
Some lumps in the cake batter are fine! Please avoid over mixing the cake batter at this stage as we're mixing it more later.
Evenly divide the batter into two bowls. The batter should weigh about 780g in each bowl.
Add your vanilla to one bowl of cake batter and gently stir in it. Set this aside.
To the remaining second bowl, add some cocoa powder and plant-based milk. If your cocoa powder is lumpy, I'd recommend sifting it in! Then gently fold the ingredients together.
To make the pattern for the vegan marble cake, both cake batters need to be the same consistency in order for the marble pattern to work.
However, cocoa powder makes the chocolate batter slightly thicker. To counteract this, I added in a little extra dairy-free milk to the chocolate batter so it's the same consistency as the vanilla batter.
How to assemble vegan marble cake
Once you've prepared your cake pan and cake batters, you can assemble your vegan zebra cake!
It's much easier than it looks. All you have to do is:
- Spoon ½ cup chocolate cake batter in one spot in your cake tin. I started with the chocolate batter as we dusted the tin with cocoa powder.
- Then spoon ½ cup vanilla cake batter right on top of the chocolate batter. The weight of the vanilla batter will force the chocolate batter underneath to spread out and so on.
- Repeat until you have used up all the cake batter!
The two-toned appearance of zebra cakes or marble cakes is automatically created when you layer and alternate the two batters.
The batters will not mix together IF the batters are the same consistency/thickness (see my tips above on preparing the cake batters).
After you've assembled the marble cake, you don't need to use a knife to swirl the chocolate and vanilla layers together. There are enough layers in the cake for a stunning visual effect!
It takes about 50-60 minutes to bake the vegan bundt cake. However, the baking time will depend on your cake tin and whether your oven runs hot or cold.
Tips: How to customize this cake
- VALENTINE'S DAY: Make a smaller version of this cake in a smaller cake tin. Or make the cake its full size and share it with loved ones!
- EASTER: Top the cake with Easter eggs (like below) to make it the perfect table centerpiece for an Easter buffet.
- BIRTHDAYS: Top the cake with sparklers and/or sprinkles.
I do not recommend using coconut sugar in the cake batter as it'll make the vanilla layer brown. If you really want to use coconut sugar, it will only work for the chocolate layer.
I haven't tried this vegan bundt cake with sugar replacers like stevia and monk fruit. However, I imagine it would work!
Also, using less sugar will result in a denser cake.
Yes, check out the notes of the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
I haven't tried substituting the oil for apple sauce or a similar ingredient. If you try it, let me know!
More indulgent vegan chocolate desserts
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Vegan Zebra Bundt Cake (Vegan Marble Cake)
Ingredients
Zebra Marble Cake
- 3 ½ cups (440g) all-purpose plain flour, note 1 for gluten free
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups (500g) dairy-free milk, room temperature
- ¾ cup (190g) neutral flavored oil, or melted vegan butter
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup (25g) cocoa or raw cacao powder, + 2 tablespoons plant-based milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Melted vegan butter, as needed
Chocolate Ganache
- ¾ cup (130g) roughly chopped vegan chocolate or chocolate chips
- ½ cup (120g) thick scoopable canned coconut cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Brush a bundt tin with melted vegan butter or oil then lightly dust it with cocoa powder.
To make the cake:
- Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a large bowl. Mix until combined. Add the milk, oil and apple cider vinegar and mix until just combined (some lumps are fine). Do not overmix the batter as you'll need to mix it again.
- Pour half of the cake mixture (around 780g) into another bowl. You will have two bowls of the unflavored cake mixture.
- Add the vanilla to one bowl of cake batter. Mix until just combined. Add the cocoa powder and milk to the other bowl of cake batter. Mix until just combined. (note 2)
Assembling the cake:
- Use 2 x ½ cup measures for these next steps (or 2 ladles of the same size).
- Pour ½ cup of the chocolate batter in one spot in the bundt tin. Pour ½ cup of the vanilla batter directly on top. Both cake batters will naturally spread. Keep alternating until there is no more cake batter.
- Bake the cake in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until you can insert a skewer or toothpick into the cake and it comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the bundt tin for 10 minutes. Turn the bundt tin upside down on and leave it on a cooling rack for another 10 minutes. Gently tap the tin on to encourage it to come out. Allow the cake to completely cool on your wire rack.
To make the ganache:
- Add all ingredients to a small saucepan over low heat. Mix while allowing the chocolate to melt then turn off the heat. Mix until smooth and fully emulsified. Set aside to slightly cool.
- Drizzle the chocolate ganache over the bundt cake and serve immediately.
- The cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Notes
- To make this bundt cake gluten free, I'd recommend using 2 ¼ cups (225g) almond flour and 1 ½ cups (220g) gluten free all-purpose flour. Alternatively, substitute all the flour with a good quality 1:1 gluten free flour such as Bob Red Mills.
- Both the vanilla and chocolate cake batters should have the same consistency/thickness (the zebra pattern will not work if they aren't the same consistency). Add and mix in more flour or milk to ensure this.
Nutrition
This post was first published in July 2019 and updated a few times since then with more useful information.
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.
Erika says
One of the best vegan cakes I ever made, my family loved i! It was nice baking a vegan cake that actually double its size! I need to try making it with the ganache next time. 🙂
Anthea says
Aw that's so nice, thank you! And hahaha, yes I hear you - cakes should totally rise in the oven x
Melissa says
Delicious!
I've made it twice so far, once following your recipe exactly, and the second substituting lemon for the vanilla and mixed berries for the chocolate (a yellow/purple zebra!). Thank you for an easy vegan recipe that a non-vegan can make for friends and family with standard pantry ingredients.
Anthea says
Aw, that makes me happy that you've made this a few times and I LOVE the sound of the yellow purple cake! Thanks so much for your kind feedback x
Daniele Tatiane says
What a beautiful cake!
Very eager to do and I'm back here to comment!
A work of art, congratulations on the whimsy.
A hug directly from Brazil.
Anthea says
Aw thank you! Can't wait to hear how you go!
Meghan McMaster says
Lovely recipe! I made this for Mother’s Day and my non-vegan parents loved it. Very straightforward and easy to make, but looks very elegant. I’ll definitely be making this one again. I might try adding some espresso into the chocolate next time to mix it up 🙂
Anthea says
That sounds absolutely lovely! And isn't it the best when non-vegan loved ones enjoy our food?! Love the idea of espresso in the chocolate layer too. Thanks soo much for taking the time to leave your feedback x
Sophia says
Hi Anthea,
Just wondering, is the oven temperature of 180c for a fan oven or non fan oven?
Thanks
Anthea says
Hi Sophia, I used a fan-forced oven (with an oven thermometer). Hope that helps!
Sophia says
Ah great thanks, I usually have to bake cakes at 160c with my fan oven but will try 180c for this recipe 🙂
Also can this cake be baked in normal round cake tin? If so, what size would you advise?
Thanks again.
Anthea says
Yep! Just keep an eye on it to see if the crust is cooking too quickly!
Also yes, it can be baked in a normal round cake tin. I'd recommend a tin around 8 inches (20 cm) - the cooking time should be about the same (there's no hole in the middle which normally lengthens the cooking time but the cake will also be shorter in height so they'll cancel each other out). Let me know how you go!
Rita says
Dear Anthea,
I made the Zebra Bundt cake and it was really easy and delicious. Your recipe is beautiful, and I will surely make it again. The vanilla-chocolate layers are the best and the chocolate sauce makes it scrumptious. I love that it is completely vegan, well done!! Thank you ???????
Anthea says
Oh I'm soo happy to read your comment and to hear you enjoyed the cake! Thank you for your feedback!
Crina says
Hey! I want to try this recipe, too! Do you know if it’s ok if I use whole grain flour? Has anyone tried? Idk how I can adapt the recipe so it’ll still be fluffy & puffy. ✌?
Anthea says
Yes it will work! I haven't tried it with this particular recipe but very similar recipes. Just add a little more milk (maybe around 1/4 cup) as whole grain flour absorbs more liquid and be careful to not overmix the batter. I hope that helps!
Marianthi says
A M A Z I N G !
It tastes great and just as nice as cakes with dairy and eggs, a wonderful vegan recipe.
Anthea says
Sooo great to hear! Thanks for your feedback xo
Laura Mcfabulous says
This was the most delicious cake, as well as a complete show stopper looks wise!
I found the recipe easy to follow, and the results super impressive and tasty!
It is a really nice touch to pour the ganache over the cake in front of your guests and then serve it straight away!
This will be a staple in our family cooking!
Amanda says
This recipe was easy to follow and came out really well. I'll definitely try other rainbow nourishment recipes!
Julia Meza says
Hi Anthea I made it yesterday and sadly to say it came out gooey. The flavor is prefect just that its gooey. Let me know what I did wrong please. Thank you!
Julia
Anthea says
Hi Julia, oh no! That's so strange as the recipe has similar ratios to most other baked cakes on my site. Did you make any ingredient substitutions?
Also, did you use the cup measures or gram measures? Sometimes when we use the cup measures, there's more flour in the cups then the cake than needed so the cake won't rise as well. Or it could be that your oven was running a little cooler than normal!
Sarah says
Followed the recipe exactly and it was delicious! I served it to my non-vegan colleagues and they didn't know it was vegan. Thank you!
Anthea says
That's amazing! Thanks so much for your feedback 🙂
Joan says
This was not good. Separating the batter after mixing it and having to mix it again with chocolate and vanilla causes the batter to be overworked and makes for a tough cake.
Anthea says
I'm sorry to hear you had issues with the cake Joan! I find that if my bowl is wider and more shallow than deep, it's easier to fold the batters and so they don't overmix. In the first round of mixing, the batters need to be just combined and in the second round, the batters need to be folded so they won't be tough.
Joslynn says
Delicious! Made this for my "birthday-at-home-due-to-the-pandemic" celebration with just our little family household. 🙂 Everyone, including my picky eaters, loved it!
Made it all chocolate, but reserved about 1/2 cup of batter that I mixed in raspberry preserves and mashed fresh raspberries. I also layered in vegan chocolate chips, extra cocoa powder, kept in a little of the vanilla, and added about 1/4 cup of unsweetened coconut yogurt for extra moisture.I put in a layer of cake batter, then sprinkled in a few chocolate chips, then more batter, then the raspberry-infused layer, then more batter, then another sprinkling of chocolate chips, then the last of the batter. I did a glaze of water, raspberry preserves, and fresh raspberries, then drizzled homemade vanilla icing over the top and served with extra raspberries and cocowhip. It was SO good! Thank you for the recipe!
Anthea says
That sounds absolutely AMAZING and I have to try all of that next time! Glad you were able to customise the bundt cake and take it to another level! Thanks so much Joslynn xo
Daniela says
Really delicious and easy recipe!
My baby and I are both cow's milk and egg free (allergy) so this recipe was perfect for me 🙂
I used half of the ingredients and a bit less of sugar (150gr instead of 200gr) and it turned out perfect!
I love the fact you don't use complicated ingredients to replace egg or anything as I usually found that discouraging.
Looking forward to repeat it thanks!
Anthea says
That's amazing and glad your adjustment worked! I'm the same with vegan egg replacements too. Thanks so much for your feedback xo
Sue-Anne Bellamy says
This was the first vegan cake I tried to bake for my newly vegan daughter and I was so impressed by the recipe and the cake turned out perfectly (apart from my rather dodgy zebra attempt !) The cake is easy to make, has a beautiful texture and is delicious. I have made it a few times now for vegan and non vegans and everyone loves it.
Anthea says
Aw I'm so glad to hear and especially that you loved the texture and taste! Thanks so much for your feedback Sue-Anne!
SCB says
This is such a perfect recipe! I followed it exactly as written, and the cake came out so well. Thank you!!
Anthea says
YAY! So glad to hear that! Thanks so much xo
Elizabeth says
This cake was easier to make than I first thought it might be! Since I didn’t have all purpose flour, I used King Arthur special patent flour instead and substituted coconut milk and additional chocolate chips for the coconut coconut in the chocolate ganache. For decorations, I used cut fruit and sprinkles. It turned out deliciously! Thanks for the inspiration - especially since I had never made a vegan dessert before 🙂
Anthea says
Aw so glad to hear Elizabeth, especially as your first vegan dessert! Shows how easy vegan baking can be :). Thanks so much for your kind feedback xo