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Marble Cake {“Торт “Пинчер”}

Marble Cake (Торт “Пинчер”) – is made by dipping cubes of chocolate and vanilla cake first in spiked cherry juice then, sour cream frosting, and finally stacking it with some cherries and roasted walnut into a stunning mountain of cake. A showstopper, right here, for sure!

Marble cake topped with chocolate on a glass platter.

Making this cake is such a fun project! Once you have prepared all the components of the cake, even kids will enjoy putting it together.

This Marble Cake has a rustic feel to it and requires zero decorating skills (woohoo!). No piping bags, no special pans to bake the cake in (you can use any size or shape cake pan you have), even the cake itself can be stacked on a dinner plate if you don’t have a bigger one.

Slice of marble cake topped with chocolate on a white plate.

I shared the recipe for the Sour Cream Frosting couple days ago and that is precisely the frosting we will be using in this cake. Each little cake cube is partially soaked in the rum and cherry juice and once it is paired with the frosting, it absorbs all the flavors and becomes perfectly moist, soft and delicious.

How far ahead to make this Marble Cake?

Allowing the cake to sit refrigerated overnight not only betters the flavors, but it also makes it easier to serve and cut. If waiting is not an option, the cake can be assembled and eaten the same day, but then you will just spoon the cake pieces instead of cutting them.

Close up picture of marble cake topped with chocolate on a baking platter.

Aside from the amazing Sour Cream Frosting, it is also loaded with 2 cups of roasted and chopped walnuts, as well as tart cherries that have taken a bath in some rum. Yum, every step of the way!

If you ever try this cake once, you’ll become a fan forever.

Marble Cake {Торт “Пинчер”}

Yield: 10″ round cake – around 20 thin slices

Ingredients for the MARBLE CAKE:

  • eggs
  • granulated sugar
  • all-purpose flour
  • baking powder
  • melted butter
  • hot water
  • vanilla extract
  • cocoa powder sifted

How to Make a Marble Volcano Cake:

  • Follow the Step by Step picture instructions on how to make the cake batter HERE.  Once the batter is prepared, follow the instructions below.Split the batter equally between two bowls. Add 1/4 cup sifted cocoa powder to one of the bowls and carefully fold it in until fully incorporated.

How to make marble volcano batter by folding in all ingredients in a mixing bowl.

  • Now pour the white batter into a 12″x16″ inch baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread it evenly. Next, try to lay the chocolate batter on top of the white by carefully spooning it in patches, ensuring that most of the white batter is covered.
  • Using the handle of a wooden spoon or something similar make tight zigzag motions in the batter, going from one end to the other.
  • Rotate the sheet and make zigzags in the opposite direction. Bake the cake in a preheated to 350F oven for about 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

How to create marble effect in the batter by dragging a spoon, end side, through the batter.

  • Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to completely cool. Cut the cake into 1-inch cubes and allow to sit on the counter to dry out slightly.

How to remove cake once baked and cut into 1-inch cubes.

How to Roast Walnuts:

  • Place 2.5 cups of walnuts on a baking sheet and roast in a preheated to 350 oven for about 5-7 minutes or until the nuts are fragrant and golden in color. Shake the pan halfway through to promote even roasting. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Roughly chop the nuts.

How to Soak Tart Cherries in Rum

  • Meanwhile, drain the cherries from their juice and reserve it, you should have about 1.5 cups of cherries and more than a cup of juice.
  • Add 4 Tbsp of rum to the cherries and reserve until you’re ready to assemble the cake. Then, right before assembling the cake drain the cherries. To the drained rum add enough cherry juice to make 1 cup of liquid.

How to soak tart cherries in rum and let sit.

Right before assembling the cake make the Creamy Sour Cream Frosting and get ready to assemble the cake. 

Make Chocolate Ganache

  • Heat 1/4 cup heavy cream until almost boiling. Add 1/4 cup chocolate chips and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Two ways to soak the cake pieces in spiked cherry juice:

  • FIRST: dip half of each cake cube into the spiked cherry juice.
  • SECOND: lay the cake pieces into one layer and drizzle them with cherry juice using a squeeze bottle or a spoon. If using this method, do this in batches as the cake that is left soaked for too long will fall apart and will be difficult to work with.

How to soak cubed cake slices into cherry juice by either dipping each piece or using a squeeze bottle or spoon.

ASSEMBLE the Marble Cake {Торт “Пинчер”}

  • Drop the soaked marble cake cube into the Sour Cream Frosting, rotate it so the cube collects some frosting all around.

How to drop the soaked marble cake cube into sour cream frosting and rotate it so the cube collects some frosting all around.

  • Place the frosting covered marbled cake cube onto the serving plate, then continue dipping and layering the other cake pieces into a 10 inch round circle. The cake will be built “pyramid style” with each layer being smaller in diameter than the previous one.

 You can use a 10 inch round cake ring to help you stay in a circle. This is not necessary as most of the time I do not use any guideline. This is a rustic looking cake and din a 10 inch circle.

  • Sprinkle the first layer of cake with about a quarter cup of the chopped walnuts, followed by about 1/4 cup rum soaked cherries.

How to assemble marble cake with a cake ring.

  • Continue layering in the described manner until you have a pyramid, with about 4 layers.
  • If you have any leftover Creamy Sour Cream Frosting, spoon it on top of the cake. This cake does not need to be smoothed out, it is meant to look rustic.
  • Next, use the remainder of the walnuts and cherries to sprinkle on top. Press the cherries in, so they do not fall off.

 How to continue assembling marble cake by adding sour cream frosting, walnuts,and cherries.

  • Drizzle the prepared chocolate ganache all over the top of the cake. You can put the chocolate ganache into a ziplock bag, then snip the end for a look you see on the left, or use a fork to dip into the ganache then drizzle the cake with.

How to drizzle the prepared chocolate ganache all over the top of the cake.

  • Refrigerate the cake overnight for best flavor and results.

Slice of marble cake topped with chocolate on a white plate.

Try these other Desserts:

  • Pumpkin Cake – Moist chocolate pumpkin cake with cream cheese frosting and chocolate.
  • Poppy Seed Lemon Cake – Simple poppy seed cake with raspberries and a sweet cream frosting.
  • Holiday Cake – Delicious Russian cake recipe.

Marble Volcano Cake {Торт "Пинчер"}

Marble Volcano Cake (Торт "Пинчер") - is made by dipping squares of marbled cake first in spiked cherry juice, then sour cream frosting, and finally stacking it with some cherries and roasted walnut into a stunning mountain of cake. A showstopper, right here, for sure!
5 from 7 votes

Marble Volcano Cake (Торт "Пинчер") - is made by dipping squares of marbled cake first in spiked cherry juice, then sour cream frosting, and finally stacking it with some cherries and roasted walnut into a stunning mountain of cake. A showstopper, right here, for sure!

Author: Marina | Let the Baking Begin
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Russian, Ukrainian
Keyword: Marble Cake
Calories: 569 kcal
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 20 servings

Ingredients

Ingredients for MARBLE CAKE:

Sour Cream Frosting:

Also:

Chocolate Ganache

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate

Instructions

How to Make a Marble Cake:

  1. Follow the Step by Step picture instructions on how to make the cake batter HERE, but do not bake it, instead follow the instructions here.

  2. Split the batter equally between two bowls. Add 1/4 cup sifted cocoa powder to one of the bowls and carefully fold it in until fully incorporated.
  3. Now pour the white batter into a 12"x16" inch baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spread it evenly. Next, try to lay the chocolate batter on top of the white by carefully spooning it in patches, ensuring that most of the white batter is covered.
  4. Using the handle of a wooden spoon or something similar make tight zigzag motions in the batter, going from one end to the other .
  5. Rotate the sheet and make zigzags in the opposite direction. Bake the cake in a preheated to 350F oven for about 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
  6. Once baked, remove from the oven and allow to completely cool. Cut the cake into 1-inch cubes and allow to sit on the counter for a couple of hours to dry out slightly.

How to Roast Walnuts:

  1. Place 2.5 cups of walnuts on a baking sheet and roast in a preheated to 350F degrees oven for about 5-7 minutes or until the nuts are fragrant and golden in color. Shake the pan halfway through to promote even roasting. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Roughly chop the nuts.

How to Soak Tart Cherries in Rum

  1. Meanwhile, drain the cherries from their juice and reserve it, you should have about 1.5 cups of cherries and more than a cup of juice.

  2. Add 4 Tbsp of rum to the cherries and reserve until you're ready to assemble the cake. Then, right before assembling the cake drain the cherries. To the drained rum add enough cherry juice to make 1 cup of liquid.
  3. Right before assembling the cake make the Creamy Sour Cream Frosting and get ready to assemble the cake.

Make Chocolate Ganache

  1. Heat 1/4 cup heavy cream until almost boiling. Add 1/4 cup chocolate chips and allow to sit for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Set aside.

Two ways to soak the cake pieces in spiked cherry juice:

  1. FIRST: dip half of each cake cube into the spiked cherry juice.
  2. SECOND: lay the cake pieces into one layer and drizzle them with cherry juice using a squeeze bottle or a spoon. If using this method, do this in batches as the cake that is left soaked for too long will fall apart and will be difficult to work with.

Creamy Sour Cream Frosting

  1. Right before assembling the cake make the Creamy Sour Cream Frosting using the link in the post and get ready to assemble the cake. 

ASSEMBLE the Marble Volcano Cake {Торт "Пинчер"}

  1. Drop the soaked marble cake cube into the Sour Cream Frosting, rotate it so the cube collects some frosting all around.
  2. Place the frosting covered marbled cake cube onto the serving plate, then continue dipping and layering the other cake pieces into a 10 inch round circle. The cake will be built "pyramid style" with each layer being smaller in diameter than the previous one.
  3. You can use a 10-inch round cake ring to help you stay in a circle. This is not necessary as most of the time I do not use any guideline. 

  4. Sprinkle the first layer of cake with about a quarter cup of the chopped walnuts, followed by about 1/4 cup rum soaked cherries.
  5. Continue layering in the described manner until you have a pyramid, you will have about 4 layers.
  6. If you have any leftover Creamy Sour Cream Frosting, spoon it on top of the cake. This cake does not need to be smoothed out, it is meant to look rustic.
  7. Next, use the remainder of the walnuts and cherries to sprinkle on top. Press the cherries in, so they do not fall off.

  8. Drizzle the prepared chocolate ganache all over the top of the cake. You can put the chocolate ganache into a ziplock bag, then snip the end for a look you see on the left, or use a fork to dip into the ganache then drizzle the cake with.

Recipe Notes

Refrigerate the cake overnight for best flavor and results.

For CLEAN SLICES when cutting the cake: Dip a long thin knife into a cup of water, wipe it with paper towel and make the cut. Repeat each time you make a slice. 

THIS MAKES A VERY LARGE CAKE (ABOUT 20 SERVINGS), HALF THE RECIPE FOR A SMALLER CAKE.

Nutrition Facts
Marble Volcano Cake {Торт "Пинчер"}
Amount Per Serving
Calories 569 Calories from Fat 324
% Daily Value*
Fat 36g55%
Saturated Fat 18g113%
Cholesterol 148mg49%
Sodium 165mg7%
Potassium 284mg8%
Carbohydrates 53g18%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 35g39%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 1215IU24%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 108mg11%
Iron 2.2mg12%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Marina | Let the Baking Begin

Welcome to Let the Baking Begin! I'm Marina and my love and passion for eating only the most delicious foods drive me to share that love here on Let the Baking Begin (since 2009). With over 20 years of experience in the kitchen, you know the recipes are tested and retested until perfect. I'm so happy to have you here. Enjoy! Read more...

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  • Ivona

    Love all your recipes! How far in advance can I make this cake! I need a Cake for Christmas Day but rather make on the 23rd. Thank you!!! And I can split this into two smaller cakes?

    · Reply
  • Diana

    This was the best cake I’ve ever had. It was a huge hit at a birthday party. I got a lot of compliments. The instructions are more overwhelming than it actually is. I made half spiked and half without rum and they were both amazing so if anyone out there doesnt want to use it, it won’t affect the taste because for me, the frosting makes this cake. Thank you Marina for gracing us with this goodness. I will be making this again and again.

    · Reply
  • L.

    I hate to be one of those people— but can I replace the rum with something else? I use it so rarely in recipes that I hate buying it. Thank you in advance!

    · Reply
    • No worries! There’s nothing you can really replace it with, but you can just not add it. I heard some people use rum extract, which has no alcohol, but just rum flavor. I haven’t used it, so unfortunately can’t tell you the proportions for it.

      · Reply
  • 2pots2cook

    Oh dear ! Is it Heaven I am in ? 🙂 Thank you and enjoy the holidays !

    · Reply
  • Julie

    Marina, just wanted to say, Thank you for another delicious recipe! The cake turned out “Perfect” from first attempt. I just read all directions carefully and I was sure not disappointed how everyone loved the cake in my family. Keep up great work!

    · Reply

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