Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Traditional Butter Cake (Marble)

A Singapore-style Traditional Butter Cake (Marble) — a tender, buttery loaf with chocolate swirls, perfect for kopi breaks, potlucks and teatime in the heartland.

Traditional Butter Cake (Marble)

About this dish

This Marble Butter Cake is the kind of comforting bake you’ll find cooling on a kopitiam cake rack or served at a neighbour’s housewarming in an HDB estate. The classic creaming method gives a fine, melt-in-the-mouth crumb, while the cocoa ribbon adds visual drama and a gentle chocolate lift — ideal for afternoon kopi, birthday slices or a simple CNY addition on a festive spread.

Home bakers across Singapore love this recipe because it’s forgiving and suits the local palate: not overly sweet, rich with butter, and keeps well in the humid climate if stored properly. It’s also a great bake to bring to a potluck at the void deck or serve at a community get-together — slice it thinly for many mouths, or keep it thick for indulgent teatime bites.

Expect a light golden crust, soft interior and a clear chocolate swirl when you cut into it. The technique is straightforward: cream room-temperature butter and sugar, fold in eggs and dry ingredients, divide the batter and flavour half with cocoa. For a truly Singaporean twist, try a hint of citrus zest (kuih-lovers will nod) or switch a little milk for evaporated milk for extra richness — both common pantry tricks found at NTUC or Cold Storage.

Ingredients

  • 200 g unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 200 g caster sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature (approx 180 g total)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 200 g plain (all-purpose) flour, sifted
  • 2 tsp baking powder, sifted
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 60 ml whole milk, room temperature
  • 25 g unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
  • 1 tbsp hot water (to bloom cocoa)
  • Zest of 1 small lemon or orange (optional, for brightness)
  • 1 tbsp evaporated milk or yoghurt (optional, for extra richness)
  • Icing sugar for dusting (optional)

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 170°C fan (or 180°C conventional). Line and butter a 22 cm loaf tin, then line the base with baking paper for easy removal.
  2. Beat the room-temperature unsalted butter and caster sugar together using an electric mixer on medium-high until pale, light and fluffy — about 4–6 minutes. This creaming step traps air, which makes the crumb tender.
  3. Reduce speed and add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. If the batter looks like it will split, add a spoonful of the sifted flour to bring it back together. Stir in the vanilla extract and citrus zest if using.
  4. Sift together the plain flour, baking powder and salt. Fold the dry mix into the butter-egg mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk and the optional evaporated milk/yoghurt. Use a spatula and fold gently until just combined — avoid overmixing.
  5. Take about 1/3 of the batter into a separate bowl. Mix the sifted cocoa powder with 1 tbsp hot water to make a smooth paste, then fold this cocoa mix into the reserved portion until evenly coloured.
  6. Spoon alternating dollops of plain and chocolate batter into the prepared tin. Use a skewer or the back of a spoon to swirl gently through the batter to create a marble pattern; don’t over-swirl or the marbling will disappear.
  7. Bake in the preheated oven for 45–55 minutes, or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Oven times vary — start checking at 40 minutes.
  8. Cool the cake in the tin for 10–15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar before slicing if desired. Slice with a serrated knife and serve with kopi, teh tarik or a simple pot of tea.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Bring butter and eggs to room temperature before you start — this helps them emulsify for a smooth, airy batter (common tip shared by Singapore home bakers).
  • If your kitchen is humid (Singapore heat!), cool the cake completely before slicing and store in an airtight container to keep it from going soggy; you can refrigerate in very hot weather and bring to room temp before serving.
  • Use caster sugar for the lightest crumb; if you only have granulated sugar at NTUC or Sheng Siong, pulse it briefly in a blender to make it finer.
  • Check your oven type: if you have a fan (convection) oven, bake at 170°C; for conventional ovens, set 180°C. Rotate the tin halfway if your oven has hot spots.
  • To test doneness, insert a wooden skewer in the centre — a few moist crumbs are fine, but raw batter is not. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil for the last 10–15 minutes.
  • For a local twist, swap 1 tbsp milk for evaporated milk (available in most Singapore supermarkets) to enrich the batter and give a slightly caramel note.
  • Make-ahead: the cake keeps well for 2–3 days at room temp in an airtight container; slice and serve for lunchboxes (bento) or bring to family gatherings.

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