Chocolate Loaf Cake

This Chocolate Loaf Cake is dark and dreamy, double chocolatey and so simple to make. It’s the perfect dessert for the chocolate lover in your life, especially this Valentine’s Day!

It’s been a hot little minute since I’ve shared something chocolatey around these parts. Shame on me.

I got my love of chocolate from my father. He’s was a Godiva chocolate lover. Just one piece of chocolate a day he would say. That’s all he needed. But he also loved his desserts, so I made this Chocolate Loaf Cake with him in mind.

Like I’ve mentioned before here at the BHK, I love making loaf cakes because sometimes I don’t want a whole layer cake or a 9×13-inch cake lying around. Too much temptation. A smaller 9×5-inch loaf does the trick.

I also find that if I have any leftover slices I place them in a Ziplock freezer bag so when I have a craving, I can just pop a slice out, let it come to room temperature and enjoy.

Step-By-Step Instructions

The first step will be to whisk together your flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined.

The second step is to cream together your butter and granulated sugar, followed by your eggs, one at a time and lastly your vanilla extract.

The third step is to add half the flour mixture to your butter mixture, beating at low speed to combine. Then you will add all the milk, followed by the remaining flour mixture and mix until the batter is smooth.

The fourth step is to pour the batter into your lightly greased loaf pan and bake until a tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out cleans, roughly 60-70 minutes.

The final step is tomake your chocolate ganache by first bringing your heavy cream and corn syrup to a simmer in a small saucepan. You will add your chopped semisweet chocolate and salt to a bowl and then pour the warm heavy cream mixture over the chocolate, add your vanilla extract and let it stand covered for one minute before whisking until totally smooth.

You will let the loaf cool for ten minutes and then you can loosen the edges with a knife and turn it out onto a wire rack.

Once the loaf has cooled, pour the ganache over the top of the loaf and let it set before serving.

This loaf would be just lovely for your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day. I know I’d enjoy it…hint hint.

Please let me know if you give the recipe a try. And if you have any questions about the recipe, just drop a comment below. Enjoy!

Chocolate Loaf Cake

Author: MaryAnn Dwyer

Servings: 8 servings

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This Chocolate Loaf Cake is dark and dreamy, double chocolatey and so simple to make. It's the perfect dessert for the chocolate lover in your life, especially this Valentine's Day!

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Ingredients  

Loaf Cake

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. table salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup milk

Chocolate Ganache

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
• 4 oz. chopped semisweet chocolate
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions 

Loaf Cake

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray your loaf pan lightly with nonstick baking spray. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together your flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt until well combined. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together your butter and granulated sugar until smooth. Add your your eggs, one at a time followed by your vanilla extract.

  You will add half the flour mixture to your butter mixture, beating at low speed to combine. Then you will add all the milk, followed by the remaining flour mixture and mix until the batter is smooth.
• Pour the batter into your prepared pan and bake until a tester inserted in the center of the loaf comes out cleans, roughly 60-70 minutes.
• Let the loaf cool for ten minutes and then you can loosen the edges with a knife and turn it out onto a wire rack.
• Once the loaf has cooled, pour the warm ganache over the top of the loaf and let it set before serving.

Chocolate Ganache

• Bring your heavy cream and corn syrup to a simmer in a small saucepan. You will add your chopped semisweet chocolate and salt to a bowl and then pour the warm heavy cream mixture over the chocolate, add your vanilla extract and let it stand covered for one minute before whisking until totally smooth.

Notes

I used Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Bars for my ganache topping. 

For this recipe, I used my 9x5-inch loaf pan. 

Check your loaf at 60 minutes with a tester inserted in the center of the loaf. If it comes out clean it's done, if not continue to bake until the tester comes out clean.

Make sure to measure your flour correctly by spooning the flour into your measuring cup and leveling off with a knife.

Keyword: chocolate, chocolate ganache, loaf cake

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

Loaf cake slightly adapted from King Arthur Flour