Moist Chocolate Loaf Cake with simple ingredients, fudgy texture & done in under an hour. Perfect for any chocolate craving.
If you're craving an actual cake, go for Chocolate Layer Cake.
Chocolate Craving Loaf is moist and rich and topped with a simple chocolate frosting. It's one of the easiest chocolate loaves to make and needs very little prep and basic kitchen tools: it's perfect for making ahead in a pinch .
This easy chocolate loaf cake transforms a legendary layered chocolate cake into a single, perfectly sliceable loaf that delivers the same fudgy, bakery-worthy chocolate flavor without the fuss of stacking layers or elaborate decoration.
If you love chocolate loafs, try Double Chocolate Banana Bread and Zucchini Brownies next.
Why I Love This Recipe
- A chocolate loaf cake from scratch with deep, dark chocolate flavor that rivals anything from a bakery .
- The frosting is unlike anything else. Three ingredients - melted chocolate chips, butter and light corn syrup - whip into the silkiest, most delicious chocolate frosting I've ever spread on a cake. It's not too sweet, which means the whole slice feels balanced rather than overwhelming. It's the kind of frosting that makes people ask "what's in this?".
- It's perfectly portioned. It's a small family sized loaf with no leftovers piling up on the counter for a week. The recipe scales easily if you need more, but the single batch is ideal for satisfying a chocolate craving without the commitment of a full layer cake.
Ingredients You'll Need
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the necessary structure for the loaf while maintaining a soft, tender crumb.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder: Dutch-process cocoa is preferred for a darker color and smoother, less acidic flavor, but natural cocoa works beautifully too. The key is using unsweetened cocoa - the recipe already has plenty of sweetness.
- Sugar (Granulated): Sugar sweetens the cake and plays a crucial structural role. Granulated sugar is neutral and balances the richness of the cocoa.
- Eggs: Room-temperature eggs emulsify more evenly into the batter, preventing a lumpy or uneven texture. They also help create a moist loaf.
- Butter, Sour Cream and Buttermilk
- Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the cake and aids in moisture retention; it also helps the loaf develop a slightly crisp exterior .
- Baking Powder: It react with the acidic ingredients to ensure your loaf rises beautifully without being dense.
- Frosting: Semi-sweet chocolate chips, butter and light corn syrup.
How to Make Chocolate Loaf Cake
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients, measurements & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Step 1. In a large bowl add butter and sugar and cream both together with a hand mixer for about 2-3 minutes until light in color. Add the sour cream and mix through.
Step 2. Add your eggs, one at a time, mixing each in before adding the next. Add your vanilla and mix through.
Step 3. In a medium bowl add your flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and whisk together.
Step 4. Switch to a wooden or mixing spoon and alternate adding your buttermilk and flour. Add about a third of your flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix in. Add about half of the buttermilk and mix in. Continue with another third of your flour, the remaining buttermilk, mix and then add the remaining flour and mix just until the flour is completely mixed in.
Step 5. Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and bake for about 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake.
Step 6. In a small heat-safe bowl, add chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup. Place in the microwave and heat for about 20 seconds at a time until the chocolate is melted. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then pour ganache over your pound cake.
Chocolate Craving Loaf
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Equipment
- 9" loaf pan
- parchment paper
- Mixing bowls of different sizes
- measuring cups and spoons
- hand mixer
- wooden spoon and spatula
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder sifted
- 1¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup buttermilk
Ganache
- 4 oz semisweet chocolate chips
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoon light corn syrup
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9" loaf pan with pan spray and parchment paper.
- In a large bowl add butter and sugar and cream both together with a hand mixer for about 2-3 minutes until light in color. Add the sour cream and mix through. Add your eggs, one at a time, mixing each in before adding the next. Add your vanilla and mix through.
- In a medium bowl add your flour, sifted cocoa powder, baking powder and salt and whisk together.
- Switch to a wooden or mixing spoon and alternate adding your buttermilk and flour. Add about a third of your flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix in. Add about half of the buttermilk and mix in. Continue with another third of your flour, the remaining buttermilk, mix and then add the remaining flour and mix just until the flour is completely mixed in.
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth out. Place the pan in your preheated oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cake. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes in the pan and then lift the cake out with the parchment paper and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- In a small heat-safe bowl, add chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup. Place in the microwave and heat for about 20 seconds at a time until the chocolate is melted. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then pour ganache over your pound cake. Enjoy!!
Pro Tips for the Best Chocolate Loaf Cake
These expert tips will elevate your chocolate loaf cake recipe from good to unforgettable:
- Use Dutch-process cocoa for a deeper, darker color and a smoother, richer chocolate flavor with less bitterness
- Bring your eggs and dairy to room temperature before you begin - cold ingredients don't emulsify as well and can lead to an uneven batter
- Don't overmix after adding flour - stir until just combined to keep the crumb tender
- Measure flour correctly - spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off; never scoop directly from the bag, which packs in too much flour and leads to a dry loaf
- Use a light-colored metal loaf pan - dark pans absorb more heat and can over-brown or dry out the edges before the center cooks through
- Line with parchment paper with an overhang - this makes removing the baked loaf clean and fuss-free
- Don't skip the cooling time - slicing a warm chocolate loaf causes it to crumble and fall apart.
My frosting is too runny or thin
- The cake was still warm when you frosted it. Warm cake melts the chocolate. Always cool completely.
- If the frosting is still too runny, stir in powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time until it thickens to a spreadable consistency.
My frosting tastes bitter or not sweet enough
This is by design. The frosting has no added sugar - it's meant to contrast the sweet cake. If you prefer a sweeter topping, substitute half a batch of classic chocolate buttercream, or stir 2-3 tablespoons of powdered sugar into the sour cream before adding it to the melted chocolate.
What Corn Syrup Actually Does in Frosting
Light corn syrup serves two main purposes: it adds shine and prevents the frosting from crystallizing or hardening unevenly. If you skip it entirely without substituting, your frosting may lose its glossy finish and not set as smoothly.
What Can I Use Instead of Corn Syrup for Frosting?
Use agave nectar or honey - the flavor blends in and the texture stays smooth .
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this cake in a 8×8 pan? Yes. Pour the batter into an ungreased or parchment-lined 8×8 dish. The cake won't be as tall, so reduce the bake time to 28-32 minutes. Check with a toothpick at 28 minutes.
Can I double the recipe for a layer cake? Yes - double all ingredients and divide between two 8×8 pans or two 9-inch round pans. The frosting recipe will also need to be doubled.
Can I make this cake without eggs? You can substitute 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water, rested 5 minutes) for the single egg. The texture will be slightly denser but still fudgy and moist.
How to Store & Make Ahead
- Refrigerator: Store frosted cake in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cake for up to 3 months, tightly wrapped in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Thaw overnight on the counter, still wrapped, to prevent condensation from making the surface sticky.
- Make ahead tip: Bake the cake 1 day ahead and store unfrosted at room temperature wrapped in plastic. Make frosting fresh the day you serve it for best texture
Carrie says
Thank you so much for this incredible chocolate cake recipe! This is my go-to on weeknights, but when birthdays or holidays roll around, I pull out the 2-layer cakes too. Honestly, both re winners in our house. It's the best chocolate cake I've ever made — delicious, easy, and absolutely foolproof!
Olya Shepard says
It's a perfect weeknight chocolate cake loaf!