Description
Chocolate ganache loaf cake is the BEST cake for chocolate lovers! Rich and fudgy, you’ll love this easy loaf cake topped with glossy chocolate ganache!
Ingredients
Cake
- 1 1/4 cups (175 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (32 g) Dutch process unsweetened cocoa
- 3/4 tsp (3 g) baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup (112 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (50 g), at room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp (6 g) vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (180 g) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp instant espresso
- 1/4 cup (60 g) boiling water
- 2/3 cup (114 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Ganache
- 4 oz (113 g) semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- pinch of salt
- 6 Tbsp (90 g) heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray. Line pan with parchment paper, letting excess extend over sides of pan.
- Make cake: Whisk together flour, cocoa, 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 egg and vanilla. Combine buttermilk and sour cream in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add half of flour mixture, beating just to combine. Add buttermilk mixture, then finish with remaining flour mixture. Dissolve espresso powder in boiling water and slowly mix in just to combine. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Pour batter into prepared pan; smooth top with an offset spatula and tap sharply to reduce air bubbles.
- Bake loaf cake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached and cake springs back to the touch. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Carefully lift cake from pan and cool completely on wire rack.
- 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.
- Spoon warm ganache over cake and let set before serving.
- Store leftover cake at room temperature overnight (tightly covered) or in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Notes
Cocoa powder: Dutch process cocoa has a more intense chocolate flavor and results in a darker, fudgier loaf cake than natural unsweetened cocoa powder. I use and recommend Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa.
Freezing Instructions: 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.
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