This Weight Watchers Marble Loaf Cake is so scrumptious, and it’s only 5 WW points per slice. If you’ve never made a marble cake before, you should definitely give it a try. Although it might look tricky to make, it’s actually so easy! By alternating the layers of dark and light batter and then running a knife or skewer through it, you end up with a gorgeous, whimsical, swirly design.

This marble bread is great because it isn’t overly sweet. The flavor of the cocoa powder tastes like dark chocolate, so it has a nice balance against the vanilla batter. This means you can enjoy it any time of day as a nice little snack or treat. I love snacking between meals, so I often split a slice for myself and have half in the morning and half in the evening, and it works out perfectly.

And although it’s great for any time, you can make it for a party or other event, too. Everyone will love its vanilla and deep chocolatey taste, and they’ll be impressed by the pretty swirls when you slice into it.

Why You Should Try This Recipe

It requires simple ingredients. You don’t need any specialty ingredients for this vanilla and chocolate loaf! In fact, you might already have everything on hand.
It’s low-fat and made with real sugar. For those who can’t have alternate sweeteners, this recipe is just for you! It is made with regular sugar and applesauce for sweetness. The applesauce also replaces the fat in this recipe, making it entirely butter and oil-free.
The marble loaf stores well. This treat lasts 4-5 days, so you can make it ahead of time if needed. I recommend not pre-slicing it, though. You don’t want individual slices to dry out.

Recipe Overview

Serving Size: 1 slice (72 g)
Number of Servings: 10
Time to Cook: 55 min – 1 HR 5 min
WW Points Per Recipe: 5 WW points per serving, 54 for the entire recipe (Click here to view the recipe in the WW app. WW login is required)

Ingredients in Weight Watchers Marble Loaf Cake

1 ½ cups All-purpose flour
1 ¼ tsp Baking powder
½ tsp Baking soda
½ tsp Table salt
⅔ cup unsweetened applesauce
⅔ cup Granulated sugar
2 Eggs
1 ½ tsp Vanilla extract
⅔ cup Unsweetened plain almond milk

Chocolate Batter Addition

3 tbsp Cocoa powder, unsweetened
2 tbsp Hot water

Measured ingredients for making marble cake

Instructions for making Weight Watchers Marble Loaf Cake

Preheat the oven to 350F.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until smooth. Then, add the wet ingredients (minus the hot water) and stir to combine.

3. Add the flour, leavening agents, and salt, gently folding to combine. Mix until there are no clumps, but do not overmix. It just needs to barely combine.

4. Split the batter into two, with one portion being slightly less. To the smaller portion, add the cocoa powder and hot water and mix to combine. Now, you’ll have vanilla and chocolate batters.

5. Line your 8 or 9-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. For the first layer in the pan, place a scoop of light batter, then dark batter, then light batter. On top of that layer, place another layer of scoops, but alternate so that the vanilla layer is on top of the chocolate layer and vice versa. Follow this pattern until you run out of batter.

6. With a knife or skewer, carefully run it through the batter in an S-line or zigzag. You only need to run it through a couple of times; otherwise, the batters will blend too much, and it won’t have a marbled look anymore.

7. Bake the marble cake for 45 minutes, then cover it with foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until thoroughly baked. It should be springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center will come out clean. Allow it to cool before slicing into it.

Variations and Substitutions

Save Points: Use a 1:1 sugar replacement to lower the points! You can also cut the loaf into more slices rather than 10, but they will be thinner.
Cocoa Powder Type: Whether you have natural or Dutch-process cocoa, it will work in this recipe. Keep in mind they have slightly different flavors and colors.
Milk Type: unsweetened almond milk is extremely low-point, which is why I use it in my baking. However, any type of milk will work, such as fat-free, reduced fat, or even oat milk.
Marble Loaf with Chocolate Ganache: If you have some extra points you’d like to use, you can make a chocolate ganache to go over the loaf after it cools. This will make it more decadent and also elevate its presentation! I suggest using Lily’s dark chocolate chips since they are low in points.
Marble Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting: Another option is to make a frosting for the top. A tangy cream cheese frosting would be delicious to balance the vanilla and cocoa flavors. I suggest using reduced-fat cream cheese, milk, and powdered sugar to make it.

Tips and Tricks for Making the Best Marble Loaf Cake

The batter is somewhat runny, so be gentle when swirling it. You don’t want to accidentally mix the two batters together and have the entire thing turn out light brown.
Be careful not to overmix, as this will affect the texture of the marble loaf when it bakes. It might make it gummy, overly chewy, or just tough. You only need to mix until the dry ingredients are combined.
I highly suggest lining the pan with parchment paper for easier removal. I like to make a parchment sling so that I can just lift the paper, and the whole loaf comes out! That way, you don’t have to worry about the cake getting stuck and breaking.
Allow the loaf to cool down before you slice into it. It continues to bake after you remove it, and it needs time to set.
To store, you can wrap the entire loaf in plastic and foil or put it in a zip-top resealable bag. Refrigerating will keep it fresh for up 5 days, or you can keep it at room temperature for about 3 days. Freezing is also an option!

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This recipe looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it.