Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

Name: Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 60 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (188g); 1 1/2 tsp baking powder; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 stick); 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/4 cup light brown sugar; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 2 tsp vanilla extract; 2/3 cup buttermilk; 1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips; 3 oz semi-sweet chocolate; 1/4 cup heavy cream; 1 tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature

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This chocolate chip loaf cake is buttery, rich, loaded with chocolate chips and then topped with a silky chocolate ganache.

slices cut of chocolate chip loaf cake on white plate

When it comes to dessert, you can never go wrong with chocolate - from s'mores cupcakes to an Oreo tart to chocolate orange mousse to chocolate peanut butter ice cream.

But a lot of desserts take some time to prepare, including all of the above. And that's where this chocolate chip loaf cake comes into play. Instead of making a layered cake, this is smaller and quicker to prepare. Plus no fancy decorating.

It's perfect for holidays like Mother's or Father's Day, or if you just want some cake.

Why This Recipe Works

Buttery - This cake is just like a traditional yellow cake, but just scaled down. Your really taste the butter in every bite.
Texture - By using buttermilk, you get a light crumble cake that is similar to pound cake.
Simple - There is no fancy decorating and you use standard baking equipment. The cake can be ready in an hour, which makes for a great last minute dessert.

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Why This Recipe Works
Ingredient Notes
Ingredient Swaps
Step-by-Step Photos
FAQs
Equipment
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
Other Dessert Recipes
Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

overhead shot of ingredients for chocolate chip loaf cake

Ingredient Notes

Flour - Ensure your flour is fresh and properly measured. Sift it if needed to avoid lumps and achieve a smooth batter.
Baking powder - Check the expiration date to ensure its effectiveness in leavening the cake.
Salt - Use a fine-grain salt. It enhances the overall flavor of the cake and balances the sweetness.
Unsalted butter - Use good-quality unsalted butter to control the salt content in your recipe. Make sure it's softened to room temperature for easy incorporation into the batter.
Sugar - Granulated sugar adds sweetness to the cake. Ensure it's well-dissolved during the mixing process. Brown sugar contributes moisture and a subtle caramel flavor. Pack the brown sugar when measuring for accurate amounts.
Eggs - Use fresh eggs at room temperature. This helps them incorporate more evenly into the batter and contributes to a smoother texture.
Vanilla extract - Opt for pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. It enhances the overall taste of the cake.
Buttermilk - Adds a slight tang and helps with the moistness of the loaf cake. Shake or stir the buttermilk before measuring.
Mini chocolate chips - Mini chocolate chips are preferred for even distribution throughout the batter.
Ganache - For the ganache, you'll need high-quality chocolate, heavy cream and butter. Choose a chocolate with a cocoa percentage that suits your taste preferences, whether it's bittersweet, semisweet, or milk chocolate. Adjust the chocolate-to-cream ratio based on your desired ganache consistency (thicker or thinner).

Ingredient Swaps

Like any recipe, you can mix up some of the ingredients. Some variations include:

If you want to go a little healthier than all-purpose flour, try whole wheat flour or use half whole wheat and half all-purpose. If you are gluten-free, I recommend Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour.
For a dairy-free option, you can use margarine or a dairy-free butter substitute instead of butter. Coconut oil is another alternative, but it may impart a slight coconut flavor.
If you want to make this recipe vegan, you can make chia eggs instead of eggs. Just mix 2 tablespoon of chia seeds with 5 tablespoon water and let sit for 5 minutes before adding to the apple cinnamon bread. You can also use same amount of flaxseeds. Also replace the butter with oil.
Buttermilk is perfect for the cake, but sour cream or whole milk can be used. If going vegan, try coconut milk.

Step-by-Step Photos

Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.

process shots of mixing dry ingredients in bowl and wet ingredients in bowl

Whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside. Beat together the butter and sugars until combined before adding the eggs and vanilla extract.

process shot of mixing the remaining ingredients in bowl for cake

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk and ending with the flour. Fold in the chocolate chips.

process shots of adding cake batter to loaf pan and baking

Grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan. Add the mixture to the pan and bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes or until done.

process shots of making ganache and topping cake with it

Make the ganache by heating the cream and butter in a pan until it simmers. Pour into a bowl with the chocolate. Let sit for 2 minutes before stirring until the chocolate is melted. Pour the ganache over the cooled cake and allow to set.

FAQs

Yellow Cake vs. White Cake

White cake uses mostly or only egg whites while yellow cake uses whole eggs which gives it a yellow hint.

Also yellow cake is made with all-purpose flour where white cake is usually made with cake flour.

You can't go wrong with either, but I'm partial to the more custardy flavor of yellow cake.

What If I Don't Have Buttermilk?

If you don't have buttermilk you can easily make it at home. Simply add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes and it’s ready.

How Do I Keep Chocolate Chips From Sinking?

If you are worried about your chocolate chips going to the bottom of the cake, just toss in some flour beforehand. I find you don't need to do this as it is a fairly thick batter.

Why Did My Cake Sink in the Middle?

This is the tell tale sign that the cake was underbaked. You know the cake is down when you insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.

Why is My Cake Dry?

This means that the cake was more than likely overbaked. Every oven is different so start checking doneness at 50 minutes and check every 5 minutes after that.

How Long Does Cake Last?

To maximize the shelf life of the loaf cake, place it in a covered airtight container or cover with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out.

• Cake at room temperature will last 2-3 days
• Cake in the fridge will last 1 week
• Cake in the freezer will last 4 months

Equipment

The equipment you use is important to how the cake turns out. What is needed is the following:

Stand mixer - You can also use a hand mixer with mixing bowls.
Large bowl - need a bowl to be able to mix together the ingredients.
Loaf pan - you want a 9 x 5 loaf pan to bake the cake.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

All refrigerated items should be at room temperature, which helps the batter mix easily and evenly.
You know the cake is done when you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean.
If the cake is browning too quickly, place some aluminum foil loosely on top.
Allow the cakes to completely cool before adding the chocolate ganache, otherwise it will melt.
If the ganache is too think, stir in a some more warm cream and if too thin, add some more chocolate in tablespoon increments.

Other Dessert Recipes

If you’ve tried this chocolate chip loaf cake or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! Another simple recipe is applesauce coffee cake. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.