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Tornado Cake Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 104 reviews
  • Author: Zoe
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings 1x

Description

This Tornado Cake is a delightful marble cake featuring a beautiful swirl pattern created by layering and swirling a cocoa-cinnamon mixture within a moist vanilla buttermilk batter. With a tender crumb and a perfect balance of sweetness and subtle spice, this cake is ideal for dessert or a special breakfast treat.

Ingredients

Scale

Cake Batter

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 cups granulated sugar
  • 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
  • 0.25 teaspoon salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Tornado Swirl

  • 0.25 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan to prevent sticking.
  2. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1.5 cups granulated sugar, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
  3. Add Wet Ingredients: Add the softened unsalted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined to avoid overworking the batter.
  4. Add Buttermilk: Gradually pour in the buttermilk while mixing, stirring until the batter is smooth and homogenous. Take care not to overmix which can toughen the cake.
  5. Prepare Tornado Swirl Mixture: In a small bowl, mix together the unsweetened cocoa powder, 0.75 cup granulated sugar, and ground cinnamon to create the swirl mixture.
  6. Layer the Batter and Swirl: Pour about two-thirds of the vanilla cake batter into the prepared baking pan in an even layer. Sprinkle the tornado swirl cocoa-cinnamon mixture evenly over this batter. Then carefully pour the remaining one-third of the batter over the swirl.
  7. Create Tornado Effect: Using a knife or skewer, gently swirl through the layers to create a tornado or marble effect. Avoid over-swizzling to maintain distinct swirls.
  8. Bake the Cake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  9. Cool the Cake: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely before serving.

Notes

  • Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake light and fluffy.
  • Use room temperature butter and eggs for better batter consistency.
  • The swirling step is key to achieving the tornado pattern—be gentle for best results.
  • You can dust the cooled cake with powdered sugar or serve with whipped cream for extra indulgence.
  • Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Tornado Cake, Swirl Cake, Chocolate Cinnamon Cake, Marble Cake, Buttermilk Cake, Moist Cake, Dessert Cake

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Find it online: https://cookingwithzoe.com/tornado-cake-recipe/