Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake

Packed with rich, melty chocolate chips in every bite, this easy-to-make Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake is suited to breakfast, dessert, or an anytime snack. With a golden, tender crumb and the right amount of sweetness, it's a nostalgic treat everyone will love.

Technically, this chocolate chip loaf is a quick bread. It's made the same way as our banana and strawberry bread but because of the chocolate, it's a bit more decadent.

The secret to this moist, chocolatey loaf is the buttermilk. It keeps the bread nice and fluffy. choose good-quality chocolate chips (or shaved chocolate) with at least 60% cocoa for a rich, smooth taste.

What you will need

The ingredients are simple and easy to find and you won't need fancy equipment.

• Flour All-purpose.
• Baking soda Reacts with the buttermilk to give the bread its rise.
• Cinnamon Adds warm spice.
• Salt To counteract the sweetness.
• Eggs Helps the loaf rise.
• Sugar we use a combination of white and dark brown sugar for flavor and texture.
• Unsalted butter Fat to give the bread richness.
• Buttermilk our go-to ingredient for light, fluffy breads and muffins.
• Vanilla Flavors the bread, and intensifies the chocolate.
• Chocolate chips We use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use bittersweet or milk chocolate chips. Our go-to supermarket brand is Ghirardelli. You can also chop up good-quality chocolate bars for a smoother chocolate flavor.

Step-by-step instructions

Here is a quick overview of how to make a chocolate chip loaf. Before starting, preheat the oven to 350℉. Prepare an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan with baking spray or line it with parchment paper.

Step 1. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (minus the sugar).

Step 2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sugars, and vanilla until combined.

Step 3. Add the buttermilk, followed by the cooled, melted butter.

Step 4. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Step 5. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Step 6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.

Bake the loaf for 45-55 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean (no crumbs stick to it).

Expert tips

• Make sure the buttermilk and eggs are at room temperature, or they will not mix properly.
• To prevent the chips from sinking into the batter, coat them in a little flour first.
• For a prettier presentation, reserve a few tablespoons of chocolate chips to add to the top right before baking.
• Instead of chocolate chips, use good-quality chocolate bars (at least 60% cocoa), for an even better chocolate flavor. Chopped chocolate will melt more evenly into the batter, leading to pure melty goodness in every bite.

Mix it up

You can customize your loaf with a few simple swaps. Which one will you choose?

• Feel free to add nuts for even more texture. If adding nuts, replace ½ cup of the chips with the nuts so the batter doesn't dry out.
• Swirl in ⅓ cup peanut butter to the batter before baking.
• Mix up the chips! Try toffee or peanut butter chips along with the chocolate.
• Add espresso powder to the dry ingredients for a mocha twist.
• Replace ½ cup of the buttermilk with ripe, mashed bananas for a banana chocolate chip loaf.

Serving suggestions

Chocolate chip loaf cake is best served slightly warm, allowing the chocolate chips to be soft and gooey. It pairs wonderfully with coffee tea or a cold glass of milk.

For a double dose of chocolate, pair a warm slice with hot chocolate or slather on some chocolate tahini spread or peanut butter for a nutty topping.

Keeping leftovers

Store the bread on the counter for 3 days wrapped in plastic wrap. Place a paper towel over the top to absorb some of the moisture.

If you make a lot of quick breads or loaves, we recommend investing in a portable loaf storage container. It's convenient for transporting and storing all your homemade breads.

This bread also freezes well. Wrap tightly in food-safe wrap, then place it in a freezer bag and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Kitchen questions

Our chocolate chips sank to the bottom. What did we do wrong?

Because of their weight, chocolate chips (or fruit) will sink to the bottom of quick breads or muffins. coat the chips in 1-2 teaspoons of flour before adding them to the batter. The flour will act as an additional buffer to help suspend the chips in the batter and prevent sinking.

Can we make chocolate chip muffins instead?

Absolutely! Instead of a loaf pan, pour the batter into a lined 12-cup standard muffin pan. Bake at 425℉ for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes, turn down the heat to 350℉ and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until golden brown. For taller muffins, fill only 10 wells. More batter will yield taller muffins.

Chocolate should be a food group!

Ingredients

Makes 10

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 tsp for coating the chips
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp kosher or fine sea salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup white granulated sugar
• ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
• ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 1½ cups semisweet chocolate chips, plus more for the top (can also use bittersweet or milk chocolate chips)
• 1-2 tbsp turbinado sugar (Sugar in the Raw) for topping, optional

Equipment

• 8x4-inch loaf pan

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line an 8x4-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, or coat the pan with baking spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, sugars, and vanilla until blended. Whisk in the buttermilk and the cooled butter. Add this mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir until no flour streaks appear.

4. In a small bowl, toss the chocolate chips in the remaining 1-2 tsp of flour until lightly coated. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter until evenly distributed. Do not over-mix.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. If you reserved some chocolate chips, sprinkle them over the top, followed by the turbinado sugar. Bake for 45-55 minutes until golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Kitchen notes

• Use good-quality chocolate. We prefer chocolate bars with at least 60% cocoa that we chop myself instead of commercial chocolate chips.
• To make muffins: Instead of a loaf pan, pour the batter into a lined 12-cup standard muffin pan. Bake at 425℉ for 6 minutes. After 6 minutes, turn down the heat to 350℉ and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until golden brown. For taller muffins, fill only 10 wells. More batter will yield taller muffins.