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This Chocolate Loaf Cake is easy to make and perfect for any occasion. It’s rich, moist, and packed with deep, chocolatey goodness. A gorgeous chocolate glaze is poured over the top, making this cake chocolate lovers’ favorite.
A loaf cake is really any cake thats baked in a loaf pan. Today we’re focusing on this moist chocolate loaf cake!
It may look like bread, but this loaf cake is definitely dessert -a dessert that’s great any time of the day. Have a slice for breakfast, brunch, or anytime you’re craving chocolate (isn’t that always??). It’s also such a great dessert to make because it is very freezer friendly!
As a pastry chef, I know a good chocolate cake when I see one, and this chocolate loaf is moist, fluffy, and extra chocolatey thanks to an addition of easy to make chocolate ganache as a topping. You can also top this loaf cake with whipped chocolate frosting or a decadent chocolate fudge frosting. Both are light and airy!
This is my go to cake recipe when I’m in the mood for a chocolate dessert but don’t want to make a whole chocolate bundt cake or brownie cake. It’s perfect for just my family to snack on at home over the weekend. Moist and decadent Chocolate filled cupcakes are also a fun dessert to make with kids!
WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE THIS RECIPE
- It has a bread-like shape but a delicious chocolate cake taste and texture.
- The fudgy chocolate ganache topping!
- No loaf pan? No problem. The batter can just as successfully be baked in a different pan. Try an 8″ round to substitute.
- It’s straightforward and great for baking beginners.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED
- Sugar – Granulated white sugar to sweeten.
- Flour – All-purpose flour acts as the structure of the loaf batter. It’s what makes its shape.
- Cocoa powder – Gives the loaf cake rich chocolate flavor. You can use unsweetened cocoa powder, dutch-process, or dark chocolate cocoa powder.
- Baking soda & baking powder – Leavening agents help loaf cakes and baked goods rise properly.
- Kosher salt – Improves the texture and makes everything sweet taste pleasantly sweeter.
- Eggs & vegetable oil – They help create an extra moist and tender loaf cake.
- Vanilla Extract – Elevates the sweet, creamy-like flavors and makes loaf cake taste like dessert.
- Buttermilk – To add moisture and subtle tangy flavor to the cake.
- Warm coffee – Coffee brings out the chocolate flavor in the cake, but you won’t taste it at all. You can sub hot water for coffee.
- Chocolate ganache – You’ll need a 2:1 ratio of chocolate chips or chunks to cream for the ganache.
HOW TO MAKE Chocolate loaf Cake
Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350° F and spray a loaf pan with baking spray.
Mix dry ingredients: In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Mix on low speed for 15 seconds.
Whisk wet ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs, buttermilk, vanilla extract, coffee, and vegetable oil together until combined.
Make loaf cake batter: Add the wet mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients, and mix on low- medium speed until fully incorporated (1-2 minutes).
Bake and cool: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes clean. Let cool completely.
Make chocolate ganache: In a small bowl, heat the cream in the microwave in 30-second increments until hot (or on the stovetop just until the edges start to simmer). Immediately pour the hot cream over a bowl of chocolate, and let it sit for 3 minutes without stirring. Then stir with a spatula until smooth. Smooth the ganache over the chocolate loaf cake once cooled. Enjoy!
What keeps this cake so moist
This loaf cake has a combination of vegetable oil and buttermilk which keeps the cake tender with a light crumb and incredible moist! Make sure not to over bake the cake or it can dry out.
TIPS FOR RECIPE SUCCESS
- Make sure the refrigerated ingredients (egg and buttermilk) are set out in advance to bring to room temperature. If they’re too cold, the batter won’t combine as well and won’t bake evenly in the oven.
- The best temperature to bake loaf cakes is 350. This ensures that the cake bakes evenly at the bottom, middle, and top. If the oven were at a higher temperature, the top and sides would bake first and leave the middle raw.
- When cream reaches a boiling point, it curdles, so keep an eye on the cream as it heats in the microwave or on the stove. Once the liquid around the perimeter simmers, remove it from the heat.
- Use a spatula and not a whisk to combine the chocolate and cream. A whisk will aerate the ganache and you don’t want bubbles inside!
STORAGE AND FREEZING
Storing: If you have any extra slices of chocolate loaf cake, they’re best kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Freezing: Bake a loaf now and one to freeze and enjoy later. Let the loaf cool, then wrap it in a couple of layers of plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag. Keep frozen for up t2 months. If you are planning to freeze a loaf, don’t glaze the cake until you are ready to serve.
FAQ
What are the best loaf pans for chocolate bread?
The best loaf pans to use are light-colored metal because they distribute heat evenly, creating a perfectly baked loaf of chocolate cake.
How do you serve chocolate loaf cake?
Serve your chocolate loaf just as you would chocolate cake. It’s delicious served warm with a scoop of ice cream, drizzled with chocolate sauce, whipped cream, or topped with sprinkles.
What else can I top the cake with? You can pour chocolate chips on top of the batter and bake like that instead, or you can top with chocolate buttercream or cream cheese frosting.
More Chocolate Cakes
Moist and Easy Chocolate Loaf Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 ½ cups white sugar 300g
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour 160g
- 2 /3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 65g
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- 2 eggs large room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup buttermilk at room temperature
- 1/3 cup coffee warm
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
For the ganache
- 4 oz semi sweet chocolate
- 2 oz cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and spray a loaf pan with baking spray.
- In the bowl of a hand or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1 ¼ cup flour, 2/3rd cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ tsp baking powder, and ¼ tsp kosher salt. Mix on low speed for 15 seconds.
- In a medium sized bowl combine the 2 eggs, 2/3rd cup buttermilk, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/3rd cup coffee, and ¼ cup vegetable oil. Whisk until combined.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix on low- medium speed for 1-2 minutes until fully incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake and make the ganache.
- Add the 4 oz of chocolate to a heat safe bowl, preferably shallow. In another small bowl, heat the 2 oz of cream in the microwave (30 seconds at a time, 2 x should be OK) or over the stove top just until the edges start to simmer. Do not bring to a full boil or the cream will curdle. Pour the cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 3 minutes- Do not stir yet!
- After 3 minutes. Stir with a spatula until smooth. Smooth the ganache over the chocolate loaf cake.
Making this today! It looks really moist. I’m intending to flavor one loaf with spiced rum and another with peppermint. I’ll let you know how it turns out.
Yay great, cant wait to hear how it comes out, those flavors sound delish!
I tried this recipe and loved it ! Do you think I can use it to make a (4 layers) layer cake ? I’m affraid it’s so soft it’ll collapse !
Hi Valerie! Yes its is super soft! I have made it into a layer cake- as long as you are not making a tiered cake, like a 6″ one on top of an 8″ one it should be fine!
1/3 cup coffee means what exactly? Coffee granules or diluted with water?
Black coffee. Either from a pot or made from instant coffee.