Easy Chocolate Loaf Cake

My Easy Chocolate Loaf Cake is a deliciously dense and rich chocolate cake, that is simple to bake and perfect served with your afternoon cuppa.

When it comes to the perfect chocolate loaf cake, this recipe for rich chocolate cake is my all time favourite.

Rich chocolate cake with a dense texture more like a loaf. It's packed full of chocolate flavour but is not overly sweet, which makes it so very moreish!

This chocolate loaf batter is really adaptable and later in the post you can see we used this recipe to make individual Heart Shaped Chocolate Cakes. These are the perfect Valentine's Chocolate Cake.

This simple chocolate loaf cake recipe is straight-forward too, so a great recipe for children who enjoy baking.

Why you'll love this recipe:

• The perfect balance of flavours as the rich chocolate flavour of the cocoa, works beautifully with the sweet vanilla and molasses flavour of the light brown sugar.
• Make ahead as this cake will store for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
• This is a straight-forward bake using simple ingredients that is suitable for all levels of baker.

How to make our Easy Chocolate Loaf Cake recipe:

• Preheat the oven to 170C/150CFan.
• Grease the loaf tin with butter and flour.
• Alternatively line the tin with baking parchment or a paper loaf tin liner.

• Sift the flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt into the bowl.
• Stir everything together until well combined and set aside.

• Place the butter into a large mixing bowl and beat until soft and smooth.
• An electric mixer makes light work of this. However, you can also use a hand mixer or a wooden spoon and a bit of elbow grease.
• Add the light brown sugar and the caster sugar to the butter and beat together until light and fluffy.

• Add the egg and mix until well combined.
• Now add the buttermilk and vanilla extract and mix again.
• Worth noting that the batter will look a bit lumpy at this point - that is quite normal (see photo above left).
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine to a smooth batter. Take care not to beat and overwork the batter at this stage.
• Pour the batter into the lined loaf tin and place the tin into the preheated oven.
• Bake for 60 minutes, until the cake is cooked through.
• Check the cake is cooked by inserting a cocktail stick into the centre of the cake - it should come out clean.
• Place the loaf tin on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.
• Then remove the loaf from the tin and set back on the wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe ingredients & substitutions:

• Butter: we have used unsalted butter but you can use butter too. Just remember to take the butter out of the fridge in enough time for it to soften.
• Sugar: we use a combination of light brown sugar and granulated sugar in this cake recipe.
• Egg: use one large sized egg.
• Buttermilk: adds flavour as well as moisture to this cake. If you don't have buttermilk then follow the instructions for making an easily substitute for buttermilk as explained below.
• Vanilla Extract: we always use a good quality vanilla extract in our baking as it makes a big difference to the flavour of the cake. You can use vanilla essence at a push but it doesn't have the same hit of vanilla.
• Plain flour (all purpose flour): is used in this cake, along with some Bicarbonate of Soda to help the cake rise.
• Natural Cocoa Powder: is added to the cake and is the ingredient that gives it that rich chocolate flavour. If using Dutch-processed cocoa powder see below for adapted recipe measurements.

How do you make buttermilk?

If you can't find buttermilk in your local store, then it is really simple to make your own version at home and I do this when I run out.

• You can use any type of milk, including dairy free milk, and add lemon juice or vinegar to sour it.
• The basic ratio for making your own buttermilk is 240ml milk to 10ml lemon juice or vinegar.
• Stir together until smooth.

Natural Cocoa Powder/Dutch-Processed:

When it comes to cocoa powder there are 2 different types, natural cocoa powder as we have used here, and Dutch-processed. Whilst similar products, they do react differently when added to baked goods as Dutch-processed cocoa already has raising agents added to it.

This recipe uses natural cocoa powder and ½ teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. If you are using Dutch-process cocoa powder use ¼ teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda and ½ teaspoon baking powder.

For a really comprehensive and thorough explanation of the 2 types I would highly recommend reading this post from Sally's Baking Recipes Dutch-process Vs Natural Cocoa Powder which explains it all beautifully!

Recipe variations:

• Make a Chocolate Orange Loaf Cake by adding the grated zest of 2 oranges to the cake batter. You could further amplify the orange flavour by drizzling over some melted chocolate orange or a water icing flavoured with orange juice.
• For a Double Chocolate Loaf Cake, stir some chocolate chips through the cake batter just before pouring into the tin.
• You can use this cake batter to make chocolate cupcakes or chocolate muffins. We used a Nordic Ware Bundt Tin to make smaller individual cakes. Just make sure you cut back on baking time. For example we cooked these smaller cakes for 20 minutes at 150CFan.
• This cake batter will make approximately:
  • 12 small bundt cakes
  • 18 chocolate muffins
  • 24 chocolate cupcakes

• The drizzle icing for these mini bundt cakes is made by blending icing sugar and a little water. We used beetroot powder to colour the icing as it is an entirely natural product, with no nasty additives, but does not impart a strong flavour.

Chocolate loaf cake toppings:

This is rich, dense cake with a proper hit of chocolate and I like it sliced and served just as it is. However, you can also ice the cake if you so desire. Here are some suggestions for chocolate loaf cake toppings:

• Top with a chocolate ganache and some fresh berries as I've done here. I've attached instructions on how to make chocolate ganache in the notes section of the recipe card below. If you would like additional process photos to help your out, go my my Chocolate Victoria Sponge Cake post.
• Melt some chocolate in a bowl and drizzle sparingly over the top of the cake.
• Add some butter icing to the top - you could go with vanilla or chocolate butter icing.
• Use a simple coloured glaze made by blending icing sugar and water, that's what we did for the heart shaped bundt cakes in the image above.

Can Easy Chocolate Loaf Cake by made ahead?

This is a great make ahead loaf cake. Simply bake the cake and allow it to cool completely before placing into a container with a lid.

• Counter Top: this loaf can be stored for up to 5 days in an airtight container on the counter top.
• Freezer: once frozen this loaf will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. You can either freeze the whole cake or alternatively, slice the chocolate loaf and freeze in individual slices, ready to pull out of the freezer any time you fancy a sweet treat.

Useful hints and tips:

1. Equipment: we have used an electric mixer to make light work of creaming the butter and sugar together. However you can also use an electric hand mixer, or a wooden spoon and a bit of elbow grease to beat the ingredients together.
2. We have used a loaf tin however you could use a round or square cake tin or a large bundt tin. Just adjust cooking times accordingly.
3. Take time to sift the flour and cocoa powder as this will ensure a smooth cake batter and no lumps of cocoa powder in your cake.
4. Make extra to freeze: When I've got the oven on, I've been known to double the recipe and make 2 loaves, one cake to enjoy now and the other to freezer for later. Just make sure you divide the batter between 2 loaf tins and don't be tempted to put it all into one tin.
5. Allergy advice: soya free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.

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Additional recipe suggestions:

If you like this recipe then try some of our other great tasting cake recipes:

• Chocolate Victoria Sponge Cake
• Flourless Chocolate Orange Cake
• Flourless Chocolate Cake with Amaretto
• Rhubarb & Ginger Cake
• Best Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
• Rhubarb & Almond Loaf Cake
• Rhubarb & Orange Loaf Cake
• Classic Victoria Sponge
• Orange Cake
• Apple & Cinnamon Cake
• Spiced Pumpkin Cake
• Sticky Gingerbread

If you love baking then have a look at my Fun Baking with Kids, or Best Cake Recipes posts. Here you'll find lots of hints and tips as well all our favourite baking recipes that are suitable all ages and abilities.