Dressy Chocolate Loaf Cake Recipes

CHOCOLATE CHIP LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and generously grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
• Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs and beat on high speed for 1 minute, then beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. The mixture will be very lumpy and appear curdled- that's ok. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Turn the mixer to low speed and as the mixer runs, slowly pour in the milk. Beat on low speed just until all of the ingredients are combined. Do not over-mix. You may need to whisk it all by hand to make sure there are no large lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The batter will be slightly thick. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
• Pour and spread batter evenly into prepared loaf pan.
• Bake for about 60-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. That time is a guideline- all ovens differ, so keep a close eye on the cake after 55 minutes. If the cake is browning too quickly on top, loosely tent with aluminum foil as it bakes.
• Cool cake in the pan set on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before removing from the pan. Feel free to continue cooling it directly on a wire rack or slice and enjoy then. (It will still be slightly warm.) You can drizzle the topping on the cake when the cake is still slightly warm after that 1 hour of cooling or wait until the cake has cooled completely to top it.
• Stir and melt chocolate chips and peanut butter together in a small saucepan over medium heat on the stove or in a heatproof bowl using the microwave. We usually use the microwave and melt in 30 second increments, stirring after each until smooth. Drizzle over cake. Topping sets into a fudge-like consistency after several hours.
• Cover leftovers tightly and store cake (with or without topping) at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

DRESSY CHOCOLATE LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Get ready: center oven rack; preheat oven to 350°; butter a 9 ½ x 5 inch loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and top out the excess; place the pan on a insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked on top of one another.
• Make the cake: sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachement, beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until very light and fluffy.
• Add in the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each one goes inches.
• Decrease the speed to low and mix in the sour cream; still working on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix only until they disappear into the batter.
• Give the batter a last stir with a sturdy rubber spatula and scrape the batter into the pan.
• Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean.
• If, after about 45 minutes, the cake looks like it is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil tent.
• Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the cake rest for about 5 minutes before turning it out onto the rack; cool to room temperature upside down.
• Fill the cake: bring the jam and water to a boil over low heat or in a microwave oven; stir to smooth it, and keep it at hand.
• The top of the cake will become the bottom layer, so if it is uneven and your cake rocks a bit on the counter, turn it right side up and use a long serrated knife to level it.
• Using a serrated knife, cut the cake into 3 even layers; put the first layer (originally the top of the cake) cut side down on a long serving plate and spread half of the jam over it.
• Cover with the middle layer and spread that layer with the remaining jam.
• Lift the top layer into place, cut side down; use a small pastry brush to chase away any crumbs on the top or sides of the cake.
• Make the frosting: fit a heatproof bowl into a pan of gently simmering water, add in the chocolate and warm, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted.
• Still working over the hot water, stir in the sour cream; don't be concerned if the cream tightens-just keep stirring gently and the frosting will become smooth and glossy.
• Remove from heat and cover the sides and top of the cake with the still-warm frosting.

CHOCOLATE LOAF CAKE WITH EASY CHOCOLATE GLAZE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C/Gas Mark 4). Grease and flour a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan or spray with a baking spray that includes flour.
• With a hand mixer, beat sugar and butter together until well blended.
• With the mixer on low speed, add the salt, vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Mix until blended.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add about 1/3 of the flour and 1/2 of the milk and mix on low speed until combined.
• Add another 1/3 of the flour and the remaining milk and mix thoroughly.
• Add the remaining flour and combine all ingredients, being careful not to overbeat the batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.
• Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for about 10 minutes.
• Carefully remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a rack.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl and set aside.
• In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter.
• Whisk in the cocoa powder and milk and continue cooking and stirring until thickened.
• Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and whisk in the confectioners' sugar. Thin out with more milk, if needed, or add more confectioners' sugar if a thicker icing is desired.
• Glaze the cake with the chocolate glaze, or frost, as desired.

DENSE CHOCOLATE LOAF CAKE - NIGELLA LAWSON

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190C/gas5. Grease and line a 23x13x7cm cm (9x5x3in) loaf tin. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating in well.
• Next fold in the melted and cooled chocolate, taking care to blend well but do not overbeat.
• You want the ingredients combined: you don't want a light airy mass. Gently add the flour, to which you've added the bicarb, alternately spoon by spoon, with 250 ml of boiling water until you have a smooth and fairly liquid batter.
• Pour into the lined loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 170C/gas mark 3 and cook for another 15 minutes. The cake will still be a bit squidgy inside, so an inserted cake tester or skewer won't come out completely clean.
• Plaace the loaf tin on a rack and leave to get completely cold before turning it out. It improves if left for a day or so before eating. This cake will probably sink in the middle because of its denseness.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE LOAF CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a 2lb/900g loaf tin with a long strip of baking parchment. To make the loaf cake batter, beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, flour, almonds, baking powder, milk and cocoa until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips, then scrape into the tin. Bake for 45-50 mins until golden, risen and a skewer poked in the centre comes out clean.
• Cool in the tin, then lift out onto a wire rack over some kitchen paper. Melt the extra chocolate chunks separately in pans over barely simmering water, or in bowls in the microwave, then use a spoon to drizzle each in turn over the cake. Leave to set before slicing.