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If you love the rich chocolate flavor of red velvet, you have to try this delicious red velvet marble loaf. It’s a moist loaf with a tender, light crumb, flavored with vanilla and red velvet, and topped with a sweet vanilla cream cheese frosting—a delicious Starbucks copycat recipe. With luxurious ingredients like butter and cream cheese, the flavor of this Starbucks-worthy treat is sure to put a smile on everyone’s face. Whether you’re enjoying it with your morning coffee or savoring it as an afternoon pick-me-up, this homemade delight will have you wondering why you ever settled for store-bought versions.

Discover a delicious twist on tradition with this red velvet marble loaf recipe. It’s perfect for special occasions or to enjoy as a sweet treat.
You might also like red velvet sugar cookies, chocolate covered cherries, or these raspberry truffles.
Why You’ll Love It
Classic red velvet flavor: The cocoa powder and vanilla, along with the red food coloring, adds the look and flavor of red velvet.
Simple to prepare: It’s an easy recipe to whip up, even for newbie home bakers.
A versatile dish: Enjoy a slice for brunch, as a sweet snack or even for dessert. This sweet loaf can be enjoyed any time of the day.
Red Velvet Marble Loaf Cake Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
All-purpose flour: One of the main ingredients in the loaf.
Baking powder: To make it rise.
Cream cheese: Bring it to room temperature before use.
Vanilla extract: Use 100% pure vanilla extract, not the synthetic kind.
Unsweetened cocoa powder: For that rich chocolate taste. I like to use Dutch processed cocoa powder because the flavor is richer and deeper.
White sugar: To sweeten the red velvet batter.
Powdered sugar: For a smooth, sweet frosting.
Salt: Used in both the cake batter and the frosting, to make the sweet flavors pop.
How to Make Marbled Red Velvet Loaf
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Prepare the cake batter: Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in one bowl and mix the eggs, oil, cream cheese, and vanilla in another. Add the sugar to the egg mixture and then divide the batter between 2 bowls. Mix cocoa powder, sugar and red food coloring to one of them.
Fill the loaf pan with batter: Add some of the plain batter to a greased loaf pan and then some red and use a toothpick to swirl. Repeat to use all the batter.
Bake the red velvet marble loaf cake: Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Make the cream cheese frosting: Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar and then add the salt and vanilla extract.
Frost the loaf cake: Pour the frosting over the red velvet cake and spread it evenly using an offset spatula.
Substitutions and Variations
Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour.
Cream cheese frosting: You can use a different frosting or glaze.
Vanilla extract: Substitute almond extract or peppermint extract for a different flavor.
Chocolate chips: Add white chocolate chips to the batter.
Serving Suggestions
Appetizers: Begin your meal with a blackened chicken Caesar salad or shrimp ceviche.
Main and sides: Next up, enjoy air fryer short ribs with corn on the cob and sweet potato and kale salad.
Desserts: Finish up with a slice of this delicious red velvet cake loaf.
How to Store Red Velvet Loaf Cake
Store: Once the loaf is completely cooled, wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it at room temperature. Enjoy within 4 to 5 days
Freeze: You can freeze it in slices in an airtight container or freezer Ziploc bag for up to 2 months.
Thaw: Defrost in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter for a couple of hours.
Top Tips
Mixing the batter: You can use a Danish dough whisk (I love this one!) or hand mixer to combine the batter ingredients.
No overmixing: Don’t overmix the batter ingredients, otherwise your loaf cake will be dense. Once the ingredients are combined, stop mixing.
Time management: Make the cream cheese frosting while your loaf is cooling.
Frosting the loaf: I used an offset spatula to make sure my frosting was spread out evenly.
Swirled Red Velvet Loaf FAQs
This really depends on what kind you’re using. I mixed a teaspoon of Wilton gel food coloring into my red velvet cake batter and got a good result. If you’re using a liquid food dye it might alter the loaf texture slightly.
It’s your red velvet vanilla cake so you don’t have to, but I find the creaminess of a frosting is a nice contrast with the texture of the red velvet marble cake. If you aren’t keen on cream cheese frosting, you can make a vanilla glaze or a maple syrup glaze instead.
Copycat Starbucks Red Velvet Loaf Cake Recipe
Red Velvet Marble Loaf
Equipment
- Loaf Pan 9 x 5-Inch
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 1¾ Cups all purpose flour
- 1½ Teaspoons baking powder
- ½ Teaspoon salt
- 3 eggs
- ½ Cup olive oil
- 4 Ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Cup granulated white sugar
- oil, or melted butter, for greasing
For the Red Velvet:
- 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 Tablespoon granulated white sugar
- red food coloring, as needed
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 Ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ Cup powdered sugar
- salt, just a pinch
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Make the Cake Batter:
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a hand mixer, mix the eggs, olive oil, cream cheese, and vanilla extract until combined.
- Add the granulated sugar. Mix well.
- Add the dry mixture to the egg mixture in 2 or 3 increments with a wooden spoon, Danish dough whisk or hand mixer. Don’t overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly between 2 bowls.
- In one bowl, add 2 tablespoons cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and about teaspoon of red food coloring.
- Mix well until you have the desired red color.
- Add ⅓ of the white batter into the prepared loaf pan. Spread evenly.
- Add half of the red batter. Spread evenly. Use a toothpick or butter knife to create a swirl.
- Repeat until you have used all the batter.
Bake the Cake:
- Bake in the preheated oven for 55 to 60 minutes.
- A toothpick inserted in the middle will come out clean when the loaf is baked.
- Cool the loaf pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In a mixing bowl, with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Mix until combined.
- Add the salt and the vanilla extract. Mix well.
Frost the Red Velvet Marble Loaf:
- Pour the frosting on top of the cooled red velvet marble cake loaf.
- Use an offset spatula to spread the frosting evenly on top of the cake loaf.
Notes
No overmixing: Don’t overmix the batter ingredients, otherwise your loaf cake will be dense. Once the ingredients are combined, stop mixing.
Time management: Make the cream cheese frosting while your loaf is cooling.
Frosting the loaf: I used an offset spatula to make sure my frosting was spread out evenly.
Nutrition
This delicious red velvet marble loaf is flavored with cocoa powder and vanilla and boasts that gorgeous red color. It’s easily as good as the Starbucks red velvet loaf and you can enjoy it with a mug of coffee or your drink of choice. The cake batter is easy to make and only coloring half of it red means you can swirl both together in the loaf pan and end up with a lovely marble swirl effect in every slice.
Other Recipes to Try
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
The red velvet marble loaf with my coffee? Pure perfection. I may never buy it again!