This is the BEST and only Chocolate Loaf Cake recipe you need. A really simple one bowl loaf cake made with just a handful of basic baking ingredients. The most incredible light and moist chocolate sponge topped with a rich and creamy icing, or you can leave it plain if you prefer.
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This might be a really simple chocolate loaf cake, but wow, does it taste good! A really light and fluffy sponge with a rich chocolate flavour and the creamy frosting just takes it to the next level.
It takes less than 10 minutes to put together and it's seriously impressive.
If you are looking for some other loaf cakes why not try our zingy Courgette and Lime Cake, comforting Coffee and Walnut Loaf Cake, festive Cranberry Bread or easy Orange Drizzle Cake?
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Why You Will Love It
- Easy - This chocolate cake loaf is so easy to make and just takes 10 minutes to prepare. Everything is done in one bowl and then you just pour it in a loaf tin and put it in the oven.
- Indulgent - This is deliciously indulgent. You can make it lighter by not adding the frosting, but we think that's the best part.
- Adaptable - We have kept this recipe really simple, and let the chocolate be the main flavour. But you can adapt this choco loaf cake with a few flavour add-ins. More of that below.
- Freezes well - This recipe makes a pretty big chocolate loaf, so unless you have a lot of people coming over, you might want to freeze some otherwise it will become dry.
Ingredients and Substitutions
A full ingredients list, along with US Customary and Metric measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Butter - We used unsalted butter for the chocolate loaf cake, and the frosting. Make sure it is at room temperature before using.
- Sugar - We used brown sugar because we love the rich caramel flavour it gives the chocolate bread. You could use caster sugar if you prefer.
- Eggs - We used medium eggs, using large eggs would change the recipe. Make sure the eggs are at room temperature before using.
- Self raising flour - This is what helps the cake rise. If you are using plain flour, the you will need to add baking powder and salt.
- Cocoa powder - This gives the chocolate flavour to the loaf cake and the frosting.
- Chocolate chips - Why not add more chocolate?! This makes it a double chocolate loaf cake. You can use milk, dark or white chocolate chips, or a mixture of them.
- Icing sugar - This is what makes the icing. Make sure to sieve the icing sugar so the frosting isn't lumpy.
- Milk - This thins out the frosting a little.
Variations
We love the combination of chocolate and orange, so you could add in a little orange extract to the chocolate loaf cake mix. Then, into the frosting you could add some fresh orange zest. You could do a mint version with mint extract too.
Instead of topping it with this frosting, you could spread some Nutella or Biscoff on top. You could also just drizzle some melted chocolate across it.
To lighten it up a little, add some raspberries or slices of strawberries on top of the chocolate loaf cake.
How to Make Chocolate Loaf Cake
Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C(fan)/350°F/Gas 4.
- Step 1: Add the butter for the cake and the sugar to a large mixing bowl (a). Cream together until smooth (b).
- Step 2: Add the eggs (a). Mix them in (b).
- Step 3: Hold a sieve over the bowl and add the flour and cocoa powder (a). Sieve in the dry ingredients (b).
- Step 4: Fold the flour and cocoa powder into the wet mixture (a). Add the chocolate chips (b) and fold these in too.
- Step 5: Transfer the batter to a lined 2lb loaf tin (a). Cook for 50-60 minutes, until the cake has risen and a skewer of sharp knife comes out clean (b). Once cooked, leave to cool for at least an hour.
- Step 6: In a bowl add the butter for the icing (a), icing sugar and cocoa powder (b). Mix well to form a smooth icing (c). Add a small amount of milk at a time to loosen the icing if it is too firm.
- Step 7: Once the cake is cooled, pipe the icing on top. Finish off with chocolate sprinkles.
Serving Suggestions
This is pretty indulgent as it is, but if you want to make it more of a dessert the why not pour some custard over it or serve with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt?
If you want to go all out with the chocolate, then serve it with a hot chocolate. We have Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate, Microwave Hot Chocolate or Baileys Hot Chocolate that would all be perfect alongside this.
Storage
Store: This chocolate loaf cake stores really well. You can keep it in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. You can also keep it in the fridge for up to a week but we find that it goes dry.
Freeze: This actually freezes really well, but ideally without the frosting on it as that doesn't defrost very well. Wrap individual slices and then put in a freezer bag.
Defrost: You can defrost this at room temperature.
Dannii's Top Tips
- Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature before using.
- For some extra warmth, add some vanilla extract. Not essence though, as it gives it artificial flavour.
- Make sure to grease and line your loaf tin before adding the chocolate batter.
- If your cake starts to look like it is burning on top, cover it in foil and continue cooking until a skewer comes out clean.
- To ensure that your cake is cooked all the way through and doesn't burn either, use an oven thermometer to make sure it gets to the correct temperature for the recipe.
- Don't over mix the batter once you add the flour. This can cause the cake to not rise.
- You could make this into a sandwich cake by slicing it in half and putting some buttercream in between the slices and then more on top.
- Make sure cake loaf cake is completely cooled before adding the topping, otherwise it will just melt.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you find it difficult to have just one slice of cake, why not try making cupcakes instead as they are individually portioned. To make 8 cupcakes, follow the recipe up until you would pour it into a loaf tin. Then divide the mixture between 8 cupcake cases that are in a muffin tin. Bake in a preheated oven at 200°C/180°C(fan)/400°F/Gas 6 for 18-20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
To make a vegan version of this loaf cake, swap the butter for a vegan margarine and then use an egg alternative. Our favourite egg alternative for baking is a "chia egg". For each egg you need, mix together 1 tablespoon of crushed (in a pestle and mortar) chia seeds and 2 tablespoon water. Leave it in the fridge for 20 minutes. You would need to make sure the chocolate is vegan and use a milk alternative too. You can also use half a very ripe banana, mashed, in replacement of each egg needed. However, this will give the cake a very banana flavour.
If you use gluten free flour and make sure that there is no cross contamination, then this can be gluten free.
This recipe needs a 2lb loaf tin. If you only have 1lb loaf tin then you will need to halve the ingredients.
A knife should come out clean when the loaf cake it fully cooked.
More Chocolate Recipes
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Recipe
Chocolate Loaf Cake
Ingredients
Cake
- 225 g (1 cups) of Butter - unsalted
- 225 g (1 cups) of Dark brown sugar
- 4 Eggs
- 200 g (1.66 cups) of Self-raising flour
- 20 g (4 tablespoon) of Cocoa powder
- 50 g (0.25 cups) of Chocolate chips
Frosting
- 125 g (0.5 cups) of Butter - unsalted
- 220 g (1.75 cups) of Icing sugar
- 30 g (6 tablespoon) of Cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon of Skimmed milk
Instructions
To make the cake
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/160°C(fan)/350°F/Gas 4.
- Add 225 g of Butter and 225 g of Dark brown sugar to a large mixing bowl. Cream together until smooth.
- Add 4 Eggs and mix them in.
- Hold a sieve over the bowl and add 200 g of Self-raising flour and 20 g of Cocoa powder. Sieve in the dry ingredients.
- Fold the flour and cocoa powder into the wet mixture. Add 50 g of Chocolate chips and fold these in too.
- Transfer the batter to a lined 2lb loaf tin. Cook for 50-60 minutes, until the cake has risen and a skewer of sharp knife comes out clean.
- Once cooked, leave to cool for at least an hour.
To make the frosting
- In a bowl add 125 g of Butter, 220 g of Icing sugar and 30 g of Cocoa powder. Mix well to form a smooth icing.
- Add a small amount of 1 tbsp of Skimmed milk at a time to loosen the icing if it is too firm.
- Once the cake is cooled, pipe the icing on top. Finish off with chocolate sprinkles.
Recipe Video
Recipe Tips
- Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature before using.
- For some extra warmth, add some vanilla extract. Not essence though, as it gives it artificial flavour.
- Make sure to grease and line your loaf tin before adding the chocolate batter.
- If your cake starts to look like it is burning on top, cover it in foil and continue cooking until a skewer comes out clean.
- To ensure that your cake is cooked all the way through and doesn't burn either, use an oven thermometer to make sure it gets to the correct temperature for the recipe.
- Don't over mix the batter once you add the flour. This can cause the cake to not rise.
- You could make this into a sandwich cake by slicing it in half and putting some buttercream in between the slices and then more on top.
- Make sure cake loaf cake is completely cooled before adding the topping, otherwise it will just melt.
Nutritional Information
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The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
As all appliances vary, cooking times are a guide. Please note that by changing the serving size, the cooking time may also need to be altered.
Anna says
This was amazing. Really light and fluffy and my kids loved it.