This easy chocolate chip loaf cake is great for when you need a smaller portion of cake but still want the full cake experience! This moist vanilla cake is studded with chocolate chips. Finished with a chocolate ganache that's been whipped to lighten it up, this petite cake is perfection.
Ingredient Highlights
This chocolate chip loaf cake has pretty basic pantry staples in the recipe, but here's a highlight of a few important ones.
- Butter- I use unsalted butter in all of my recipes. Doing this allows me to control the amount of salt in the recipe but adding the salt myself, so I highly recommend that you use unsalted as well. If you only have salted butter, reduce the salt by half in the recipe.
- Sour Cream- Sour cream adds moisture to the recipe. You won't taste the tanginess of the sour cream so don't worry about that. Sour cream also has a high fat content so this helps create a rich but tender cake.
- Chocolate Chips- The namesake of the cake, chocolate chips are an important ingredient! I like to use a high quality chocolate like Ghiradelli or Guittard. I chose a semi-sweet chocolate for the chocolate chip loaf cake but it you prefer milk chocolate and a bit sweeter cake then go for it.
Tips for making a loaf cake
Loaf cakes feed smaller crowds, don't require the fuss of a layer cake and are pretty cute! Follow these tips for the best chocolate chip loaf cake.
- Measure the flour correctly!- Ok, if you've been following along for awhile, you know I say this in most posts. That's because it's so important! If you don't have a scale to measure the flour, then use the scoop and level method to measure the flour (I use a measurement of 128 grams equals 1 cup). Use a spoon to scoop flour into your measuring cup and then the end of the spoon or a knife to level it off. Don't pack it down and dont scoop the flour using the measuring cup or you will end up with too much flour and a dry cake. Check out this great article on measuring flour.
- Room Temperature Ingredients- This one is a bit of a broken record too but another good rule of thumb for most baking recipes. When adding ingredients that are straight from the fridge and really cold, it can mess up the texture of the cake. Room temp ingredients allow all ingredients to emulsify together evenly resulting in light and fluffy baked goods.
- Don't overmix- Again, this goes for most baking recipes. Mixing too much once the flour is added will over-develop the gluten and make your cake tough and dry. Just mix the dry ingredients in until the last streaks of flour almost disappear.
How to make whipped ganache
The topping for this chocolate chip loaf cake is extra. But in the best way possible! It's a super simple but impressive topping. It consists of two ingredients: heavy whipping cream and chocolate.
It's a great idea to use high quality chocolate like I mentioned above. If using a lower quality chocolate chip for the loaf cake, you may want to use a good quality chocolate bar for the ganache.
Lower quality chocolate doesn't always melt as well and can leave a grainy feel in the final product. If you've used high quality chocolate chips in the cake then those will be fine for the ganache.
Heat the whipping cream over medium low heat until barely simmering with bubbles around the edge of the saucepan. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and stir until the chocolate is completely melted.
If the chocolate doesn't melt completely, microwave it in 10 second increments, stirring each time to make sure it doesn't burn.
Refrigerate the cream and chocolate for at least an hour. Then you'll use a mixer to whip it until it's light and fluffy, just like a chocolate buttercream!
A stand mixer will work the best, but you can use an electric mixer as well. It will just take a little bit more time. The color will lighten and the mixture will be fluffy.
Completely cool the cake before frosting it!
Coating the chocolate chips in an extra tablespoon of flour prevents the chips from sinking down to the bottom of the cake while baking.
The cake needs to be stored in an air-tight container. Ideally, if the cake has been cut, place a piece of wax paper or parchment paper on the end to completely seal it from any air. If stored correctly, it will last 2 to 3 days at most before becoming dry.
The cake can be frozen. You can wrap the whole cake or part of the cake in plastic wrap and then wrap it in foil and place it in a plastic zip top bag for an extra layer of protection. It will be good for 2-3 months stored this way.
If you don't have sour cream, you can substitute Greek yogurt instead. Make sure to use a full fat greek yogurt, not low-fat or non-fat.
For more cake recipes, check out these:
- White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake
- Apple Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Chocolate Sheet Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream
- Chocolate Mocha Cake
Tag me on Instagram @themarblekitchenblog if you make this and leave a star rating and comment below! Thank you and enjoy!
Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake with Whipped Chocolate Ganache
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus 1 tablespoon, divided
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 3 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk whole or 2%
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 6 oz
Whipped Chocolate Ganache
- ½ heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 6 oz
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the 2 long sides.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt.
- Using an electric mixer (stand or hand-held), cream together the sugar and butter on medium high speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well.
- Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Add half of the milk, and mix until just combined. Scrape down the bowl and repeat with the other half of dry ingredients and the other half of the milk. Only mix until just combined.
- Combine the chocolate chips and the 1 tablespoon of flour and toss to mix. Add to the batter and fold in until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake for 45-50 minutes until a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs when inserted in the middle.
- Let the cake cool. Once cooled, run a knife down the 2 sides without the parchment overhang and then remove the cake from the pan using the parchment paper. Place on a serving plate and frost with the whipped chocolate ganache.
Whipped Chocolate Ganache
- Place the chocolate chips in a medium bowl.
- Heat the heavy cream in a small saucepan on the stove over medium heat until simmering with small bubbles forming around the edge of the pan.
- Remove the cream from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth. If not all the chocolate melts, microwave for 10 seconds increments until melted.
- Place in the refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Once chilled, use a stand mixer or an electric mixer to mix the ganache until light and fluffy.
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