Begin by preparing three 8-inch by 2-inch cake pans. Grease them well with cake release, homemade pan goop, or your favorite baking spray. Preheat your oven to 335°F (168°C), allowing it to reach the proper temperature before baking.

Before you start mixing, make sure your butter, milk, and eggs have come to room temperature. This little detail makes a big difference in baking. Ingredients that are not too cold blend together beautifully and create a smooth, stable batter with a tender texture.

Warm the water until it reaches a gentle simmer. Pour it over the cocoa powder and stir well until the cocoa is fully moistened. The mixture may appear thick and slightly uneven at first, but that is completely normal. Set it aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the batter.

In one small bowl or measuring jug, mix together ¾ cup of the milk with the oil and leave it aside.

In another container, combine the remaining milk, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Whisk gently until the eggs are broken up and everything is evenly blended. Set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix for about 10 seconds, just enough to distribute the ingredients evenly.

Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients. Mix on low speed until the mixture looks like fine, coarse crumbs, similar to damp sand. This method, known as reverse creaming, helps create a cake with a wonderfully soft, moist, and delicate crumb.

Pour in the milk and oil mixture, then continue mixing on low speed until all the dry ingredients are moistened.

Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat the batter for 2 minutes. This step is important because it develops the cake’s structure and helps the layers rise properly. Skipping this step can cause the cake to become weak and sink after baking.

Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, then lower the mixer speed again.

Add the egg mixture in three separate additions, allowing the batter to mix for about 15 seconds after each addition. Scrape the bowl once more to make sure every ingredient is fully incorporated into the batter.

Take about one-third of the prepared batter and gently mix it with the cooled cocoa mixture. Fold until the chocolate batter is smooth and evenly combined.

Now it is time to create the beautiful marble effect. Spoon the batter into your prepared pans in layers, beginning with vanilla batter, followed by chocolate batter, and finishing with another layer of vanilla.

Using a butter knife, gently swirl the two batters together. Be careful not to overmix, as too much swirling will remove the beautiful marble pattern inside the cake.

Bake the cakes for 35 to 40 minutes at 335°F (168°C), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean with only a few crumbs attached. The cake should still be moist and should not have started pulling away from the sides of the pan.

As soon as the cakes come out of the oven, gently tap each pan firmly on the countertop once. This releases trapped steam and helps prevent the cakes from shrinking too much.

Allow the cakes to rest in their pans for 10 minutes. A little shrinking is completely normal. Carefully turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely.

For easier handling and a moister cake, I recommend chilling the layers before decorating. You can also wrap the cooled cakes tightly in plastic wrap and freeze them. Allow frozen cakes to thaw while still wrapped before adding frosting.

Place the chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl.

Warm the cream gently until it begins to simmer. Do not allow it to boil, as overheated cream can cause the ganache to become grainy.

Pour the warm cream over the chocolate and leave it untouched for 5 minutes. This gives the chocolate time to soften and melt.

Add the vanilla extract and salt, then whisk everything together until the ganache becomes smooth, glossy, and creamy.

Transfer the ganache into a shallow dish and allow it to cool until it reaches a thick, spreadable texture similar to peanut butter. This usually takes around 20 minutes.

Spread the ganache over the cake, then place the finished cake in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes to help it set.

This marble cake is also delicious with classic buttercream or chocolate Swiss meringue buttercream if you prefer a lighter frosting.

For a beautiful velvet finish, lightly dust the top with cocoa powder using a clean, soft brush.

Warm the cream until it is steaming but not boiling.

Pour it over the chocolate and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.

Whisk until the mixture becomes smooth and shiny.

Let the drip cool slightly until it is just warm to the touch before adding it to your chilled cake.