This chocolate loaf cake is a soft and moist dessert that uses staple baking ingredients and only takes 10 minutes to prepare the batter! You won't even need an electric mixer, just grab a whisk and a mixing bowl, and you're good to go. If you're a chocolate fan like me, you'll definitely want to make this easy cake for yourself!
Best Chocolate Loaf Cake Recipe
There's something so simple about loaf cakes that makes me want to bake them all the time! With just one mixing bowl and a whisk, you can make this delicious (and completely impressive) chocolate cake that is sure to please everyone's taste buds.
It is a must-try for all chocoholics out there and is perfect for any occasion, from a fancy birthday party to a typical Sunday afternoon. Considering there is no frosting necessary, it really is as easy as it gets!
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🥘 Chocolate Loaf Cake Ingredients
All you need is a collection of some household baking ingredients. What's better than a dessert that doesn't require a trip to the store?
- Eggs - 2 large, room temperature eggs.
- Sugar - 1 cup of granulated sugar.
- Butter - 9½ tablespoons of melted butter (½ cup + 1½ tablespoons).
- Milk - ½ cup of room temperature milk (or a milk substitute).
- Vanilla - 1½ teaspoons of pure vanilla extract.
- Flour - 1¼ cups of all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled.
- Cocoa Powder - ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Baking Powder - 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
- Salt - ⅛ teaspoon of salt.
- Water - ¼ cup of hot water.
- Confectioners Sugar (optional) - ¼ cup of powdered sugar for dusting over the cake before serving.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Chocolate Loaf Cake
There are no electric mixers, frosting, or complicated techniques for this amazingly delicious cake! Just grab a mixing bowl, a whisk, and a loaf pan to get started!
This recipe will make one loaf cake that can be sliced into 10 servings.
- Preheat. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a standard-sized loaf pan.
- Mix. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 large eggs and 1 cup of sugar until combined. Then, add 9½ tablespoons of melted butter, ½ cup of milk, and 1½ teaspoons of vanilla extract and whisk until mixed.
- Combine. Add 1¼ cups of all-purpose flour, ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and ⅛ teaspoon of salt and mix until almost combined, then pour in ¼ cup of hot water and finish mixing until everything is well distributed.
- Bake. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
- Cool and serve. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack. Let it cool on the rack for at least another 20 minutes before dusting with the optional ¼ cup of confectioners sugar, slicing, and serving.
This cake is a versatile dessert that can be served on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream, fresh or roasted berries, or a scoop of ice cream! Make it as indulgent as you like! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- 9½ tablespoons of butter is equivalent to ½ cup + 1½ tablespoons of butter (or 1 stick + 1½ tablespoons).
- Top this cake off with some chocolate ganache to make it extra indulgent! Simply pour 1 cup of scalding hot cream (the stage before boiling) over 4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, and then let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Slowly stir until smooth and creamy. You can drizzle it immediately or let it sit at room temperature to thicken up before pouring it over the cake.
- You don't want to overbake your cake! It is done when a toothpick inserted comes out almost clean. It is alright for it to have a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
- Fold in ¾ cup of chocolate chips or chopped walnuts if you like!
🥡 Storing
Keep your chocolate loaf cake stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for 7 days.
Freezing Chocolate Loaf Cake
Let the cake cool completely, then wrap it in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of foil (either whole or in slices). Place it into a freezer-safe bag and squeeze out any excess air. The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.
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❓ FAQ
Sure! You can enjoy this sweet cake by itself, with a dusting of powdered sugar (as I did here), or even with a chocolate ganache! You could also add chocolate or peanut butter frosting or load it up with fresh berries! There's really so much you can do with this versatile loaf cake!
For this cake, I used regular unsweetened cocoa powder. However, if you want an extra rich and dark cake, then opt for using a Dutch-processed cocoa powder. This will give your cake a dark chocolate flavor.
While loaf cake definitely resembles chocolate bread, you can serve it just as you would any other variety of cake! It tastes great warm or at room temperature and can be eaten by itself or with ice cream, whipped cream, or ganache!
🍰 Best Cake Recipes
- Orange Loaf Cake - A citrus orange cake that is topped off with a sweet orange glaze.
- Coconut Loaf Cake - Moist cake that is packed with tons of tropical flavor and coated in a coconut glaze.
- Dutch Apple Cake - Sweet vanilla cake batter is covered with cinnamon apples before baking.
- Red Velvet Cake - Classic rich red velvet cake that is coated in homemade cream cheese frosting.
- Pineapple Upside Down Bundt Cake - A beautiful and popular pineapple dessert that is sure to be a crowd favorite.
- Bisquick Strawberry Shortcake - A summertime dessert that is incredibly easy to whip up.
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📋 Recipe
Chocolate Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 1 cup sugar
- 9½ tablespoon butter (melted)
- ½ cup milk (room temperature)
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup hot water
- ¼ cup confectioners sugar (optional for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a standard-sized loaf pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 large eggs and 1 cup sugar until combined. Then, add 9½ tablespoon butter, ½ cup milk, and 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract and whisk until mixed.2 large eggs, 1 cup sugar, 9½ tablespoon butter, ½ cup milk, 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add 1¼ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoon baking powder, and ⅛ teaspoon salt and mix until almost combined, then pour in ¼ cup hot water and finish mixing until everything is well distributed.1¼ cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup hot water
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack. Let it cool on the rack for at least another 20 minutes before dusting with the optional ¼ cup confectioners sugar, slicing, and serving.¼ cup confectioners sugar
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- 9½ tablespoons of butter is equivalent to ½ cup + 1½ tablespoons of butter (or 1 stick + 1½ tablespoons).
- Top this cake off with some chocolate ganache to make it extra indulgent! Simply pour 1 cup of scalding hot cream (the stage before boiling) over 4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and then let it sit for 2-3 minutes. Slowly stir until smooth and creamy. You can drizzle it immediately or let it sit at room temperature to thicken up before pouring it over the cake.
- You don't want to overbake your cake! It is done when a toothpick inserted comes out almost clean. It is alright for it to have a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
- Fold in ¾ cup of chocolate chips or chopped walnuts if you like!
- To store: Keep your chocolate loaf cake stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days or in the fridge for 7 days.
- To freeze: Let the cake cool completely and then wrap it in plastic wrap followed by a layer of foil (either whole or in slices). Place it into a freezer-safe bag and squeeze out any excess air. The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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