This Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake is moist, buttery and packed with chocolate chips! It’s topped with a simple chocolate ganache and is so easy to make! If you’re a fan of chocolate, this recipe is for you!
This Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake has the soft texture of cake and the chocolatey, buttery flavor of chocolate chip cookies! It’s the best of both treats!
How can you make a moist vanilla loaf cake even more delicious? Add some chocolate chips! This cake is the perfect combination of vanilla and chocolate!
If you love chocolate chip cookies, try my Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies! For more loaf cake recipes, try my White Chocolate Raspberry Loaf Cake and this Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- This chocolate chip cake loaf will satisfy your chocolate cravings! It’s made with over a cup of chocolate chips and topped with chocolate ganache!
- It’s a cake but in loaf form. You can enjoy a slice of this delectable cake for breakfast, an afternoon snack or dessert!
- You probably already have all the ingredients you need to make it in your pantry.
- It’s rich, buttery and delicious.
- This easy chocolate chip loaf cake doesn’t require fancy decorating.
- It’s an easy recipe that bakes up in about an hour.
INGREDIENTS
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Unsalted butter, room temperature
- Oil, vegetable or canola
- Granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- Vanilla extract
- Buttermilk, room temperature
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips, regular or mini sized, divided
- Semi-sweet chocolate-chocolate baking bars work best for this ganache. They melt better and more evenly than chocolate chips. I recommend semi-sweet. It is not as dark as bittersweet and not as sweet as milk chocolate.
- Heavy cream-Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream.
SUBSTITUATIONS & VARIATIONS
- Milk-instead of buttermilk, use whole milk.
- Ganache– instead of ganache, enjoy the cake without a topping!
- Chocolate chips-swap in butterscotch or peanut butter chips for the chocolate chips.
STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
Here are the directions on how to make and bake this easy chocolate chip loaf cake recipe. Please see recipe card below for detailed directions and list of ingredients.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- Beat the butter and sugar for 1-2 minutes until creamy and light. Add the oil and beat another minute.
- Add the eggs followed by the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients alternatively with the buttermilk. Stir in 1 1/4 cups of the chocolate chips until just incorporated. Pour the batter into a prepared loaf pan. Top with the remaining chocolate chips.
- Bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 55-70 minutes until the cake is a toothpick comes out mostly clean inserted in the center of the cake. Cool completely before frosting with the ganache.
ABOUT THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE TOPPING
You can’t beat a simple two-ingredient chocolate ganache for a topping! If you love ganache, you will love my Mini Chocolate Cake which features both a ganache filling and topping!
The topping for this chocolate chip loaf cake is silky, shiny, made with a just two ingredients and so quick and easy to make!
INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- Chocolate: I use semi-sweet bars of chocolate. I recommend chocolate bars over chocolate chips.
- Heavy Cream or Heavy Whipping Cream: Makes it super rich and spreadable.
RECIPE FAQS
Ganache is made with chocolate and heavy cream. Frosting is usually made with butter and powdered sugar. Ganache has a pourable consistency while frosting is usually fluffier and sweeter.
Your cake is done when the top springs back when you touch it and a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. For more tips on this topic, check out this thorough article called How to Tell When Cake Is Done by King Arthur Baking.
EXPERT BAKING TIPS
Tip #1: Use mini chocolate chips. For a greater distribution of chocolate, use mini chocolate chips!
Tip #2: Line pan with parchment paper. Line the pan with parchment paper and leave an overhang of a few inches on two of the sides. This will make it easier to lift the cake out of the pan.
Tip #3: Cover with aluminum foil. If you notice the top of the cake browning too much, place a sheet of aluminum foil loosely over the cake. This will keep the top from browning too much.
Tip #4: Chop the chocolate finely. When making the ganache, chop the chocolate into small, even pieces. This will help the chocolate melt faster and more evenly.
STORAGE
Room temperature: Store the cooled chocolate chip pound cake loaf in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Wrap the chocolate chip loaf cake with plastic wrap. Place the loaf in a freezer safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for a few hours.
Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf cake
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This moist, soft Chocolate chip loaf cake is filled with with chocolate chips! It’s an easy recipe to make that’s even easier to decorate. It’s everything you love about cake and chocolate chip cookies with luscious chocolate ganache on top!
Ingredients
FOR THE CHOCOLATE CHIP LOAF CAKE
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup oil, vegetable or canola
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, regular or mini sized, divided
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 5 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- With a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes until creamy and light. Add the oil and beat one additional minute.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Turn the mixer down to medium speed, add the eggs one at a time followed by the vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients alternatively with the buttermilk. Beat until dry ingredients are just incorporated, being careful not to overmix. Stir in 1 1/4 cups of the chocolate chips until just incorporated. Spoon or pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top with the remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips.
- Bake 55-70 minutes until the cake is a toothpick comes out mostly clean inserted in the center of the cake. Remove the cake from the oven and set on a cooling rack to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Turn the cake out and allow it to cool completely on the rack.
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE
- Place the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan on medium heat, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Do not let it get to a boil. Pour the heavy cream over the chocolate. Do not stir. Let stand 3-4 minutes then stir slowly with a metal spoon until the chocolate has melted and is completely combined with the heavy cream. Spread the ganache over the cooled cake.
Notes
Milk: Use whole milk as a substitute for buttermilk.
Heavy Cream or Heavy Whipping Cream: Use heavy cream or heavy whipping cream for the ganache. Do not substitute whole milk or half and half in place of the heavy cream.
Storage: Store the cooled cake it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freezer: Wrap the chocolate chip loaf cake with plastic wrap. Place the loaf in a freezer safe bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for a few hours.
Keywords: chocolate chips, cake, loaf cake, chocolate, ganache, cake
I love baking & enjoying loaf cakes. This recipe is the best I’ve ever made & Ever Tasted!
★★★★★
I’m so happy you enjoyed this Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake! Thanks so much for making it and for taking the time to comment! XO Natalie
Amazing cake! A must try … made it for my family over the holidays and they all loved it. Will be making again for sure .. Thank you for the great recipe.
★★★★★
Hi Joan! Thanks so much for making this loaf cake. I’m so happy it was a hit!! XO Natalie