Marble Cake

Fudgy Frosting

Birthday parties are really something to celebrate with this moist and ten-

der cake! It has the texture of a typical marble cake—light and springy with 

delicious chocolate. It is best served the day it is baked. 

Cake 

3 ounces casein-free bittersweet chocolate, chopped 

4 large eggs, separated, plus 1 egg white at room temperature 

3/4  cup plus  1/2  cup granulated sugar 

1/2  cup saffl ower oil 

2 teaspoons GF baking powder 

1 teaspoon xanthan gum 

1/2  teaspoon baking soda 

1/2  teaspoon fi ne salt 

1  1/2  cups white rice fl our 

3/4  cup tapioca fl our 

1 cup GF vanilla-fl avored rice milk 

Frosting 

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped 

1/2  cup nonhydrogenated all-vegetable shortening 

One 1-pound box confectioners’ sugar (4 cups) 

2 teaspoons GF vanilla fl avoring 

1/4  teaspoon fi ne salt 

1 to 2 tablespoons rice milk 

1. Make the cake: Arrange an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and 

preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 13-  by 9-inch baking pan, line with 

parchment paper, and oil the paper. 

2. Place the bittersweet chocolate in a microwavable small bowl. Microwave 

at medium (50%) power for 1 1 ⁄ 2  minutes; stir and then repeat heating and 

stirring until smooth. Reserve while you prepare the batter. 

3. Combine the egg yolks and  3 ⁄ 4  cup of the sugar in a mixing bowl and beat 

with  an  electric  mixer  at  high  speed  until  fluffy  and  pale  in  color,  about 

3 minutes. Gradually drizzle in the oil, mixing at medium speed until incor-

porated. Add the baking powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt and 

mix at low speed until blended. Add the rice flour, tapioca flour, and milk 

and mix at low speed until smooth. 

4. Place the egg whites in a clean, dry bowl and beat with clean beaters at 

high speed until soft peaks form when the beaters are lifted. Mixing at me-

dium speed, sprinkle in the remaining  1 ⁄ 2  cup sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time. 

Once all of the sugar has been added, mix at high speed until the mixture is 

thick and glossy. Fold one-third of the whites into the batter to lighten and 

then add the remaining whites, folding until no streaks of white remain. 

5.  Scrape  two-thirds  of  the  vanilla  batter  into  the  prepared  pan.  Add  the 

cooled  chocolate  to  the  remaining  batter  and  fold  just  until  incorporated. 

Spoon blobs of chocolate batter on top of the batter in the pan, spacing evenly 

around the pan, and then swirl the batters with the rubber spatula to make a 

marble pattern. (The batter will rise substantially.) 

6.  Bake  for  about  50  minutes,  until  a  cake  tester  inserted  into  the  center 

comes out clean. Let cool for 15 minutes. Cut around the sides of the cake with 

a small sharp knife, turn the cake out onto a rack, peel off the paper, and let 

cool completely. 

7. Prepare the frosting and ice the cake: Place the unsweetened chocolate in 

a small microwavable bowl. Microwave at medium (50%) power for 1 1 ⁄ 2  min-

utes; stir and then repeat heating and stirring just until smooth. 

8. Place the shortening in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer at 

high speed until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar a little at a time, mixing 

at low speed until incorporated. Gradually drizzle in the melted chocolate, 

add the vanilla and salt, and mix at medium speed until smooth. Add 1 to 

2  tablespoons  of  the  rice  milk  and  beat  until  the  desired  consistency  is 

reached. Invert the cake onto a serving platter and spread the frosting on the 

top and sides of the cake.