Easy Chocolate Bread (Chocolate Loaf Cake)
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This chocolate bread is everything I want in a cozy bake — rich, tender, and packed with chocolate in every bite. Made with simple pantry ingredients and plenty of chocolate chips, it’s an easy, sliceable loaf that feels just as right with coffee as it does for dessert.
This chocolate bread is rich, moist, and deeply chocolatey — the kind of bake that makes skipping the bakery an easy choice. The texture is closer to banana bread or a chocolate loaf cake than anything yeasted, which makes it perfect alongside a cup of coffee or tea, or sliced thick for an easy dessert when a chocolate craving hits.
It’s made with classic baking staples like cocoa powder, flour, sugars, butter, buttermilk, eggs, and plenty of chocolate chips, all coming together into a tender, sliceable loaf with serious chocolate flavor. If you want to lean even further into that richness, a little espresso powder deepens the chocolate notes without tasting like coffee.
Variations
This chocolate bread dough is versatile, allowing you to customize the taste with a variety of delicious add-ins. Here are some of my top picks:
- Chocolate nut bread: Sprinkle some walnuts or pecans through the batter before baking to add a satisfying crunch to your loaf.
- Cranberry chocolate bread: Fold in dried cranberries along with the chocolate chips for a sweet and tart flavor contrast. The tanginess of the cranberries complements the rich chocolate beautifully.
- Chocolate Orange Bread: Add orange zest or orange extract to the batter for a refreshing citrus twist.
Recipe FAQs
How do I store chocolate bread?
Store any leftover chocolate bread in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. You can also pop it in the freezer for up to two months.
Why is the espresso powder optional?
Adding a little espresso powder to chocolate desserts makes the chocolate flavor more pronounced, even though you don’t taste the coffee. You can also use instant coffee. If you don’t have any on hand or don’t want the little bit of caffeine it adds to the recipe, you can simply omit it.
Easy Chocolate Bread (Chocolate Loaf Cake)
Ingredients
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional)
- 1 teaspoon EACH: baking soda and baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 cup chocolate chips (divided)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Grease the loaf pan and then dust it with cocoa powder.
- Sift the cocoa powder into a large bowl. Add the flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, espresso powder if using, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and whisk well.¾ cup cocoa powder, 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, ½ cup brown sugar, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons espresso powder, 1 teaspoon EACH: baking soda and baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Melt the butter in a medium-sized bowl in your microwave – you can also do this in a pot on the stove. Add the buttermilk (the butter will become lumpy) and heat it for another 30 seconds in the microwave – just until the butter is melted again. Make sure it is not too hot and then whisk in the eggs and vanilla.½ cup melted butter, 1 cup buttermilk, 2 large eggs, 1 tablespoon vanilla
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in ¾ cup of the chocolate chips.1 cup chocolate chips
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan, smooth out the top, and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then transfer it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Video
Nutrition
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Moist and delicious! Thank you!
Thanks, Cynthia!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Sarah!
The rich, indulgent flavor of the chocolate paired perfectly with the soft, fluffy texture of the bread. I highly recommend trying this recipe for a delightful treat.
Thank you so much for leaving a review, Gianne!
Oh my! This recipe is going to be perfect for this weekend for Mother’s Day. I tested out the recipe in preparation and my boys ate it all in a day!
Haha that is amazing!!
SO yummy!!! We had slices for breakfast, then more after dinner for dessert! An A+ recipe.
I love a slice for breakfast, too!
I’ve made chocolate bread before, but adding the coffee and dusting the cocoa powder inside the loaf pan.. I am ruined! I will only be making it this way from now on. Thanks for sharing!!
I love it! Glad it was a winner!
This bread is chocolate overload. YUM. Nothing wrong with a chocolate overload! 🙂
Thanks, Jeff!