This Recipe for Red Velvet Marble Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze Is the Perfect Twist on a Classic Treat

‘Tis the season for a holiday sweet tooth and boy do we have something special for you. While some crave apple pie, pumpkin pie, or eggnog, Jocelyn Delk Adams (aka @grandbabycakes) offers up a treat that she calls “perfectly moist and delightful with each holiday bite.”  A festive answer to your holiday dessert cravings, her Red Velvet Marble Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze deserves a spot on your table this holiday season.

One of the best things about this cake is it’s easy to make and the ingredients are quite simple with the base ingredients being butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar, oil, eggs, and cake flour. Overall prep time is about 25 minutes, leaving a cook time of 1 hour and 15 minutes. The key to success for this recipe, however, is to separate the cake batter into two distinctly flavored batters. One half is a delicious vanilla base while the other has cocoa powder and red food coloring to make the red velvet batter.  

Now to get those magnificent swirls, Jocelyn recommends carefully alternating your batters using two separate utensils so as not to bleed the colors into each other. A toothpick or skewer can be used and will be extremely helpful in creating the swirls. This is where you can get creative but remember — whatever you create before the cake goes in the oven is how it is going to look when it comes out. So, you’ll want to try to create with the big picture in mind.  

Jocelyn goes on to explain that using high fat cream cheese will add extra richness and flavor to the recipe while the oils add an unmistakable moistness to the cake. Eggs add stability in addition to being essential and — for a more resilient cake texture —the use of cake flour versus all-purpose flour prevents too much gluten from forming. 

No cake is complete without the icing on top and Jocelyn’s cream cheese glaze matches perfectly. Plus, it takes no time at all to make. Using just four ingredients (cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract), once mixed, will form an amazing glaze that “sets quickly and pours perfectly.” Note that your cream cheese should be at room temperature when making the icing.  

The best part about this recipe from Grandbaby Cakes is that she makes it simple to follow and she has a high regard for classic flavors coupled with the talent of bringing something new to the table. If you are ready to impress your dinner guests this year, check out the full recipe here. And if this recipe just activated your holiday sweet tooth and you are looking for some more inspiration, check out these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies or these Stuffed Apple Pie Scones — both perfect for the grab-and-go scenario during the busy holiday season.