This easy Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake is loaded with mini chocolate chips and topped with rich, silky chocolate buttercream. This cake is buttery, moist, and filled with chocolate in every bite!
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This easy Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake is the perfect dessert for a family get-together or small gathering. The cake itself is perfect- super buttery and moist, and stuffed with mini chocolate chips so that each bite you take is filled with chocolate chips.
My favorite part is the chocolate buttercream on top. It's super fluffy and rich and compliments the cake so well. This is seriously one of my favorite recipes on the blog!
If you love loaf cakes, try my Blood Orange Almond Cake. If it's not blood orange season, swap it for naval oranges. If you're a chocolate lover, look no further than my Chocolate Banana Bread Mug Cakes, or my Oreo Cheesecake Brownies!
Why You'll Love this Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
- This cake is basically a pound cake, which is arguably the best kind of cake.
- No layers to bake or frost like a 2 or 3-layer cake. Super easy in one loaf pan!
- All the ingredients come together in one bowl.
- Between the chocolate chips and the chocolate buttercream, there is no shortage of chocolate here. Calling all chocolate lovers!
- This cake is super moist so it's perfect to make a day ahead and serve the next day! Also if you have any leftovers (emphasis on *if*), this cake freezes super well! Save it for a rainy day.
Recipe Ingredients
Here are some notes on a few ingredients- please see the full ingredient list in the recipe card below!
- butter- I always use unsalted butter for baking, but if you only have salted butter on hand that is totally fine! Just omit the salt that the recipe calls for.
- milk- I tested this recipe with whole milk and suggest using that for best results.
- chocolate chips- I used mini because I think they give you more bits of chocolate spread throughout the cake, but you can absolutely use regular chocolate chips or a mix of both.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set it aside. In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and set aside.
Step 2: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one. Then add in the vanilla extract. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl when needed.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients and the milk, alternating between the two and mixing in between (dry, milk, dry, milk, dry). Mix this until it's just incorporated, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the loaf pan.
Step 4: Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool for at least 20 minutes before removing from the pan. Place on a wire cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before adding frosting and serving.
Step 5: Make the buttercream- In a large bowl, cream the butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and 1 tablespoon of cream/milk, mixing until combined. Add up to 1 more tablespoon of milk to reach desired consistency. Spread on to the cooled cake and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Any cake baked in a loaf pan is a loaf cake. Pound cake traditionally is made with a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour and usually doesn't contain a leavening agent (like baking powder) or milk. This recipe isn't a traditional pound cake, but it's still dense and moist like one!
This means you underbaked the loaf. Everyone's ovens are different, so you might need to leave the cake in a few minutes longer. Check with a toothpick before taking it out.
Sometimes add-ins will sink during the baking process (because of gravity!) but I find that the thicker the batter is, the less they sink. This cake batter is pretty thick and I found that my mini chocolate chips didn't sink too much. You can always toss the chips in flour before folding them into the batter!
If you find that your cake came out dry, that means you left it in the oven a little too long. Make sure you're using an oven thermometer to check the actual temperature of your oven. Also when baking the cake, I like to check on it around 50 minutes, and then every 5 minutes until it's ready.
Tips and Tricks
- spoon and level your flour- I always recommend spooning and leveling your flour when baking. Scooping the measuring cup right into the flour will actually compact the flour and give much more than the recipe calls for. To spoon and level, use a large spoon to gently scoop the flour into your measuring cup. Once it's full, use a flat edge (like a butter knife) to gently scrape across the top of the measuring cup.
- Don't overmix the batter- overmixing batter can give you a gummy cake, which isn't what we want here! Make sure to mix the dry ingredients and milk in each additional JUST till it's combined.
- Watch the baking time- Loaf cakes take a while to bake, so I would start checking on it around 50 minutes in. Since everyone's ovens are different, the baking times may vary.
- Cover with tinfoil- If you notice the top of your cake starting to brown before it's done, cover it with tinfoil and continue baking.
Storing & Freezing
This cake will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature, and up to 1 week in the fridge. You can freeze this cake after it has been baked and cooled completely.
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📖 Recipe
Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 1½ cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup whole milk at room temperature
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Chocolate Buttercream
- ¼ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1¼ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 1-2 tablespoon heavy cream/whole milk
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees F. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and set it aside. I like to hold my parchment paper down with small clips and then remove it once I pour the batter in.
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt and set aside.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one. Then add in the vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients and the milk, alternating between the two and mixing in between (dry, milk, dry, milk, dry). Mix this until it's just incorporated, being careful not to overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips and then pour the batter into the loaf pan.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool for at least 20 minutes before removing from the pan. Place on a wire cooling rack and allow it to cool completely before frosting and serving.
Make the chocolate buttercream
- In a large bowl, cream the butter until smooth, about 1 minute. Add in the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and 1 tablespoon of cream/milk, mixing until combined. Add up to 1 more tablespoon of milk to reach desired consistency.
Video
Notes
- Measure your flour correctly- use the spoon and measure method, or measure the ingredients using a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurements.
- Don't overmix the batter- overmixing batter can give you a gummy cake, which isn't what we want here! Make sure to mix the dry ingredients and milk in each additional JUST till it's combined.
- Watch the baking time- Loaf cakes take a while to bake, so I would start checking on it around 50 minutes in. Since everyone's ovens are different, the baking times may vary.
- Cover with tinfoil- If you notice the top of your cake starting to brown before it's done, cover it with tinfoil and continue baking.
Nutrition
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Elizabeth A. Phillippy says
Can a different flour be used in replace of All Purpose?
Possibly Oat, Rice etc.
Thank you
Kelly Hamilton says
Hi Elizabeth! Unfortunately, I haven't tested this recipe with any other flours other than all-purpose. Since flours are all made differently and weigh different amounts, swapping them out is hard. You could try 1 for 1 gluten-free flour but I'm not sure how the texture would turn out. Sorry!
Peggy McConnell says
What kind of non-dairy milk would you suggest for substitution in this recipe?
Kelly Hamilton says
Hi Peggy! I haven't tested this recipe with non-dairy milk, but I would try something creamier like oat milk if you can have that! If not almond or soy could work, it might just change the texture and baking time a bit.
Coty says
Cake is excellent but not a fan of powdered sugar frosting. Will be making 1 minute frosting instead.
Lea says
i saw this shared on FB and i had to try it out immediately and let me just say it is dangerous. could not stop eating it and I will definitely be making it again for easter brunch.
Kelly Hamilton says
So glad you found this on FB and tried it, Lea!
Sue says
I just made this recipe and it turned out so amazing! The cake is perfectly moist and the buttercream on top is delicious. My family loved it!
Kelly Hamilton says
Thanks so much for trying this recipe, Sue. So happy to hear you and your family enjoyed it.
Mary Beth Hamilton says
What an easy and simple recipe to make. The cake is so good and I did not even make the icing for it. Wonderful taste and easy to make - you won’t be disappointed!
Kelly Hamilton says
Thanks so much for trying this recipe Mary Beth! So happy to hear you enjoyed it!