Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake with Chocolate Ganache

This simple and delicious chocolate chip loaf cake topped with chocolate ganache is the perfect cake to make when you crave chocolate! The cake is rich and buttery, similar to a chocolate chip pound cake, and each bite is tender and filled with mini chocolate chips.

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Say hello to my favorite easy loaf cake! Super plush and moist, I love this cake for dessert or sliced up with my afternoon coffee. It’s perfect for last minute cravings too: whip up the batter in just 20 minutes and you’re ready to bake this chocolate chip-studded cake!

As I’ve learned through my recipe tests, whole milk and sour cream ensure a soft, tender crumb. For best results, use full fat dairy and be sure to add the two-ingredient chocolate ganache topping!

Love loaf cakes? Find more inspiration in my collection of loaf cake recipes!

Ingredient Notes

I tested this loaf cake with and without almond extract, and I personally love the flavor a 1/2 teaspoon of extract adds. The cake doesn’t taste excessively like almond, the extract simply rounds out and adds depth to the flavors. If you’re not a fan, feel free to skip it.

And don’t forget the chocolate chips! I recommend using mini semisweet (or mini dark) chocolate chips for plenty of chocolate in each bite! Mini chocolate chips also stay nicely suspended in the batter.

How to Make Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and almond extract until combined.

With mixer on low speed, add eggs one at a time. 

With mixer on low speed, add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with wet ingredients (begin and end with flour mixture).

Toss mini chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon reserved flour mixture (this prevents the chips from sinking to the bottom of the cake) and gently fold into the batter with a rubber spatula.

Pour batter into a parchment-lined loaf pan. Smooth the top with an offset spatula and tap loaf tin sharply to prevent air bubbles.

Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few dry crumbs attached (some melted chocolate is ok!).

Cool loaf cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, top with chocolate ganache.

Easy Chocolate Ganache

1. Place 4 ounces chopped chocolate and a pinch of salt in a medium heat-proof bowl.
2. Bring 6 tablespoons heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan, heating until bubbles form at the edge of the pan.
3. Pour warm heavy cream over chocolate. Cover the bowl and let stand for 1 minute, then stir with a spatula until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.
4. Spoon warm ganache over cake and let set before serving.

Our best chocolate loaf cake recipes:

• Chocolate Ganache Loaf Cake
• Triple Chocolate Loaf Cake
• Chocolate Pound Cake

Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake with Chocolate Ganache

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 4 reviews

• Author: Laura Kasavan
• Prep Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 1 loaf, 12 slices
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Simple and delicious chocolate chip loaf cake topped with chocolate ganache! Each bite is tender and filled with chocolate chips.

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Ingredients

Cake

• 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp (5 g) baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
• 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tsp (8 g) vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp (2 g) pure almond extract
• 2 large eggs (100 g), at room temperature
• 1 cup (240 g) whole milk, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (212 g) mini semisweet chocolate chips

Ganache

• 4 oz (113 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
• pinch of salt
• 6 Tbsp (90 g) heavy cream

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line the loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. Make cake: Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon flour mixture to toss with chocolate chips.
3. Beat butter and sugar in a large mixer bowl at medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and almond extract. Reduce speed to low and add eggs one at a time. Combine milk and sour cream in a small bowl. Beat in flour mixture in three additions, alternating with milk mixture (begin and end with flour mixture), just until incorporated.
4. Toss mini chocolate chips with reserved flour mixture before gently folding into batter. Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top with an offset spatula and tap sharply to reduce air bubbles.
5. Bake loaf cake for 60 to 65 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few dry crumbs attached (some melted chocolate is ok!). Start testing for doneness after 55 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes; carefully remove cake from pan and cool completely.
6. Make ganache: Place chopped chocolate and salt in a medium heat-proof bowl. Bring heavy cream to a simmer in a small saucepan, heating until bubbles form at the edge of the pan. Pour warm heavy cream over chocolate. Cover the bowl and let stand for 1 minute, then stir with a spatula until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is smooth.
7. Spoon warm ganache over cake and let set before serving.
8. Store leftover cake at room temperature overnight (tightly covered) or in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Equipment

Loaf Pan

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Stand Mixer

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Notes

Whole milk: If you don’t have whole milk on hand, stir together 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1/2 cup water as a substitute for 1 cup whole milk.

Freezing Instructions: Once fully cool, wrap cake in plastic wrap and a freezer bag and freeze up to 2 months. The day before serving, let the cake thaw overnight in the refrigerator (still wrapped to prevent condensation), then bring to room temperature. Add the ganache topping before serving.

To freeze cake slices, use a serrated knife to slice the cake and wrap each slice in plastic wrap. Store the slices in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to serve, thaw slices at room temperature.