Marble Pound Cake 5 Ingredients No Eggs

I love making pound cakes such as my classic Vegan Pound Cake, Orange Pound Cake, or Vegan Lemon Pound Cake, but today I wanted to make my simple version of the classic French marble cake.
This pound cake is made without swirling the batter. Instead, the technique works by layering dollops of alternating dough on top of each other. But the classic recipe has too many ingredients and takes quite a bit of time, so I tried to simplify it as much as possible, and I managed to take it down to just 5 ingredients.

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need 5 ingredients to make the dough.

Self-Rising Flour – Self-rising flour ensures the cake rises properly. If unavailable, replace it with 2 cups of all-purpose flour plus 3 teaspoons of baking powder. Avoid almond or coconut flour, which will change the texture and make the cake too dense. I haven’t tried gluten-free flour blends yet. Vanilla Plant-Based Yogurt – Yogurt adds moisture, flavor, and tenderness. If using plain plant-based yogurt, add 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract to prevent the cake from tasting bland. Soy, almond, or coconut yogurt all work fine. Light Olive Oil – Olive oil brings moisture without overpowering the flavor. You can substitute with melted vegan butter, sunflower oil, or vegetable oil. I prefer to avoid high-flavor oils for this cake, like avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil. Sugar – Sugar sweetens the batter and contributes to the soft crumb. Use coconut sugar or brown sugar for a richer taste, but note that these will darken the batter slightly. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – Cocoa powder is used to make the chocolate swirl. It dissolves easily with warm water to form a smooth chocolate mixture. Dutch-processed cocoa offers a richer color, while natural cocoa has a more intense flavor. Vanilla Extract – I use this optional ingredient if my yogurt isn’t strongly flavored or plain. It’s not necessary if the yogurt already has a bold vanilla taste.