Marble Molasses Pound Cake
When I was a child tagging along with my mom to the local bakery, I always marveled at the multi-colored slices of marble cake sitting behind the display window. How, I wondered, did the baker make a loaf that was both chocolate and vanilla? What prevented the batters from mixing together? Having a vivid (some would say wild) imagination, I conjured a slew of fantastical explanations – from baking two cakes that fit together like pieces of a puzzle, to magical incantations. I remember thinking the genial man behind the counter was a wizard, and for a time my chief goal was sneaking into his kitchen. Like the sorcerer’s apprentice – or Mrs. Weasley – I was sure he orchestrated the creation of his baked delights with wand in hand.
Then I grew up and learned how marble cakes are made – not with the twirl of a wand but with the figure-eights of a butter knife. I confess to feeling a twinge of nostalgic chagrin at this discovery, but the truth is that butter knives and toothpicks are no less magical than wands in the hands of a baker. Perhaps that is why they say a good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness in the kitchen.
Though marble loaves usually showcase the flavors of chocolate and vanilla, the pound cake in this post features molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. I enjoyed a thick slice this afternoon, cold glass of milk in one hand and a copy of “Blackbird House” in the other. I truly hope you give this recipe a whirl in your kitchen. I promise, you will be delighted.
Marble Molasses Pound Cake
Reprinted with permission from Southern Cakes: Sweet and Irresistible Recipes for Everyday Celebrations by Nancie McDermott.
2 copies of this book are currently in the Baking and Books raffle – if you haven’t purchased a ticket there are still 9 days left! Though I hope you’ll participate in the raffle I understand if you can’t, no hard feelings – but please do consider emailing a few friends about this event. It’s a fun raffle for a great cause and I’d really, really appreciate your help with spreading the word. 
Ingredients: Makes 1 loaf
- 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 2/3 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons molasses or pure cane syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9-by-5 inch loaf pan, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, and flour the pan. (Measure the parchment paper by placing your pan on top of it and tracing around the bottom edges with a pencil. Use scissors to cut long these lines.)
Combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well. In a large bowl, beat the butter with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat to combine the ingredients well. Add the beaten eggs and continue mixing until the mixture is light, fluffy and smooth. 1 to 2 minutes. Stop several times to scrape down the bowl.
Add about a third of the flour mixture, and then about half of the milk, beating at low speed after each addition just long enough to make the flour or the milk disappear into the batter. Mix in another third of the flour, the rest of the milk, and then the last of the flour in the same way.
Scoop out about a third of the batter into a medium bowl, and add the molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground cloves. Stir with a wooden spoon or fork to mix everything into the batter well.
Quickly add both batters to the pan, a few tablespoonfuls at a time, alternating between the plain and spiced batters. Run a table knife through the batter in a figure-eight pattern to swirl the batters together. (I did this three times.) Bake at 350 degrees F for about 1 hour, until the cake is golden brown and springs back when touched lightly at the center, and until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack or a folded kitchen towel for about 10 minutes. Use a table knife to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Then turn out the cake onto a wire rack or a plate, remove the paper carefully, and cool completely, top side up.
31 Responses to “Marble Molasses Pound Cake”
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This a beautiful dessert or snack! How impressive and elegant.
simple but very beautiful snack!
I much prefer this type of marble cake as I love cinnamon and nutmeg.
Fabulous. The cake that always got me was the checkerboard — now there’s a mystery!
I remember thinking exactly the same thing about marble cakes when I was a child — how did the baker make a chocolate and a vanilla cake fit so perfectly together?! It seemed magical then, as now. And your variation sounds delicious.
I had marble poundcake on the fruit/chocolate table last night at a wedding. MagNIficent.
And of course, like wizards, we must actually cook our food! (I’m pretty sure you can’t use magic to conjure up food….) Luckily, you’re a whiz in the kitchen. Heh.
This is so pretty! It would be a great fall dessert.
Beautiful marble cake. Makes me happy just to look!:))
It looks so wonderful, Ari – I haven’t baked a marble cake since I was 18 or so.
oooh – two of my favorite things together – molasses and pound cake!!!!!
A splendid cake! It looks very dreamlike…
Absolutely delicious-looking!
Paz
This recipe looks delicious. I just came across Southern Cakes cookbook several weeks ago. It’s a gem!
That was such a cute story! I remember marveling at marbled cakes myself. Sounds like a yummy recipe.
What a gorgeous cake, and a wonderful story to go along with it!
I like your combo for this marble cake, Ari. I’ll have mine with a cup of tea, thank you
This recipe creates an even stronger yern for Fall!
I’m not actually GOING anywhere. I just need to get my life under control! With Brad in grad school and not working, and me with two jobs, life is C-R-A-Z-Y. It’s just a few weeks! I’ll be right back …
I can only imagine how good that made the house smell. Mmm.
Pound cake of any type is my very favorite cake…this one looks delicious. It looks perfect for my morning coffee at 5am and perfect for my snack at work…oops..I better stop at two slices a day.
I have yet to attempt a marble cake but I will soon! Thanks for sharing this recipe…your kitchen must smell like heaven when you bake it!
Wow, that’s a beautiful pound cake – isn’t it amazing how the simplest tricks produce the most impressive results?
Now I’m feeling nostalgic too. Although not a poundcake, our restaurant/bakeshop use to make marble chiffon cakes. I always wondered about those swirls…
This looks fabulous! Lovely photo.
This looks amazing and like something my husband and I (both heartfelt endorsers of spicy desserts) would adore. I think this one is getting kidnapped for experimentation before the bagels. The choice would be a tough one, but my sweet tooth has a big mouth.
Actually, if I had molasses on hand I’d make it tonight. Right now even. Alas, I must wait until I get to the store, so this weekend then. Cake will be made…
I’ve never had molasses marble pound cake, but it looks like the perfect thing to have with tea or coffee as an afternoon snack. I love marbled pound cake anyway. =)
What a beautiful post
Isn’t it funny how our minds come up with the most extraordinary explanations for the miracles we see through our childhood eyes? And what a delicious looking cake to boot!
Expertly marbled
If only I could have a little taste…
KJxx
Kelly – Thanks! I was especially pleased with the way it turned out, both looks and taste wise.
Kat – Thank you.
Peabody – I liked this version better too. I mean, I love chocolate and vanilla, but it’s hard to beat the comfort of all those spices filling up your kichen with their heavenly aroma.
Janice – I have a recipe for checkerboard cake that I haven’t tried out yet. Maybe I should make it then post the recipe? Those cakes are mysterious indeed!
Lydia – Childhood wonder is an amazing thing isn’t it?
Abby – Ooooh, sounds like a great wedding! I think you’re right, one of the “laws of wizarding” is that you can’t conjure food, but you can use magic to put your ingredients together.
Claire – Indeed! I’m making it again this week for a friend.
Asha – Me too. Those swirls are almost hypnotic!
Patricia – Thanks! Marble cakes are so much fun, swirling the batter is almost like playing with your food, lol.
Stacey – Irresistible combination!
Rosa – Thank you very much.
Paz – Thanks Paz!
Kata – It is a gem! I don’t bake from my copy nearly often enough.
Molasses, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves? Yum! Actually, you had me at molasses.
Your afternoon with the thick slice, cold milk, and book sounds WONDERFUL. *sigh*