Looking for the perfect chocolatey teatime snack? This moist Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake is easy to whip up and hits the spot every time.
With just one bowl required and ingredients that most home bakers have in their pantry already, this easy loaf recipe is my go-to when that chocolate craving hits or if I want to bake something fresh for company.
As a busy mom and environmental scientist, one-bowl baking is my absolute favorite! Less clean-up means we save on both time and water! Win, win.
Green tip: Speaking of cleanup, if you have a dishwasher-use it! Comparing dishwashing to handwashing, using an efficient dishwasher uses 1/6th the amount of water to get your dishes clean!
Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need:
- Butter. Unsalted is best so you can control the amount of salt you add to the batter. Make sure your butter is softened for best results.
- Granulated sugar. For sweetness.
- Eggs. For a little lift and to bind the loaf together.
- Vanilla extract. For flavor.
- Greek yogurt. For moisture and a little bit of welcomed tang.
- All-purpose flour. This acts as the base for your batter.
- Milk. Cows or any unsweetened nondairy milk works.
- Salt. To ramp up all the other flavors.
- Mini chocolate chips. Dark chocolate or semi-sweet. Mini is preferred for better distribution of chocolate, but regular-sized chips can work too. They are heavier and tend to sink to the bottom, so if you’re using regular chocolate chips, add more to the top.
Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake Tips and Tricks
Loaf Cake Vs Pound Cake
Every pound cake is a loaf cake, but not every loaf cake is a pound cake. So what exactly do I mean by that?
Well, by definition, a loaf cake is any cake that is baked in a loaf pan. So, a pound cake is, by definition, a loaf cake.
However, a pound cake has a narrower definition. It is a cake that uses a pound of each main ingredient (flour, eggs, butter, and sugar) in the batter.
Preheat and Prep Your Pan
The first step to a flawless execution of this loaf cake with chocolate chips is properly prepping. Preheat your oven to 350°F and prep a standard 9″ x 5″ loaf pan.
You can either generously spray the pan with your cooking spray of choice, add a thin layer of butter or oil to the pan, or line it with parchment paper.
I like to half line it, adding parchment paper to the lengthier side, and spraying the wider sides as pictured below. The edges of the parchment paper act as little handles to easily lift your loaf cake out of the pan.
Another little hack I love is using clothes pins to keep the paper in place, making it easier to add the batter to the pan.
Make Sure Your Butter is Softened
The best way to get a light and fluffy texture on your chocolate chip loaf cake is to cream the butter and sugar together first.
Ensuring your butter is softened is key. The best way to soften your butter is to take it out of the refrigerator a couple of hours before you start baking to allow it to naturally come to room temperature.
Of course, we don’t always have hours to wait, so I’ll clue you in on two of my favorite tricks to soften butter quickly.
The first way is to simply place your stick of butter directly on top of your oven while it’s preheating. Flip it over after a couple of minutes to allow all sides to get warm.
An even quicker way is to put your stick of butter in the microwave for 20 seconds.
Remember we are looking for softened, not melted. You’ll know your butter is nice and soft if you poke it and your finger leaves an imprint.
Green tip: Look for organic and palm oil-free butter if you can. Buying organic means you are supporting farms that do not use damaging pesticides and fertilizers, and palm oil production is a huge driver behind deforestation.
Cream the Butter and Sugar Together
Use your hand mixer to combine your sugar and softened butter together first to form a lighter, more buttery loaf cake.
Creaming the sugar with the fat of the butter actually aerates it, making for a really good base to start creating your batter. Typically, it takes about 2-3 minutes to cream the butter and sugar.
Use your hand mixer on high until the butter is completely broken down and the sugar is well-combined.
Beat in Your Eggs Next
Once your butter and sugar are creamed together, add the eggs and beat them into the batter until it’s smooth.
It’s always best practice to crack your eggs into a separate dish first. This way, you can fish out any eggshells that might fall into the bowl before adding them to the batter.
Green tip: Did you know you can compost eggshells? Check out this article for full details on how to compost egg shells.
Cracking your eggs into a separate dish first also gives you the chance to make sure your eggs are fresh before cracking a bloody or moldy egg into your loaf batter and having to waste the ingredients already in the bowl.
Add the Vanilla Extract and Greek Yogurt
Once your eggs are integrated, add the Greek yogurt and vanilla extract to the batter and use the hand mixer again to beat and combine.
At this point, you may notice a little bit of grit in your batter but that’s okay. It’s just the acid from the Greek yogurt reacting with the fat in the butter. As your batter comes together and bakes it will smoothen out.
Combine Your Dry Ingredients
Next up, add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Use the hand mixer again to combine, until you have a thick batter.
Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, making sure all of the dry ingredients are integrated. Only mix as much as you need to in order to integrate everything.
In other words, you want to avoid over-beating your batter, so take it slow and work your hand mixer in a circular motion to combine everything.
Add the Milk with the Hand Mixer On
Once you have your dry ingredient integrated, you’ll have a very thick batter. It’s time to thin it out with the milk.
With the hand mixer on low, slowly add the milk, stirring as you add it. The milk will integrate smoothly into your loaf batter and thin it out.
Conserve Some Chocolate Chips
Add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the batter and conserve 1/4 cup to add on top for the ultimate chocolate chip treat.
If your chocolate chips are denser than your cake batter, they will sink. To avoid all of your chocolate chips sinking to the bottom, it’s best to use mini chocolate chips (they’re less dense and won’t sink as easily!).
However, if you’re still worried about them sinking or if you want to use regular chocolate chips, a quick tip to avoid sinking is to toss them in flour. This will help float them in your batter.
Once you add the chocolate chips to the batter, use a rubber spatula to gently fold them in.
Fill Your Loaf Pan
Once your batter is ready, all that’s left to do is fill up your pan and bake it!
Add the batter to the loaf pan and use a spatula to smooth it out. Then, add the remaining chocolate chips that you conserved to the top of your loaf cake.
This is completely optional, but if you want to add a little caramelized crisp on the top of your loaf, sprinkle the top with a handful of granulated sugar.
Then, bake it on the top rack for 60-75 minutes. Check it after 60 minutes to see if a toothpick comes out clean. If it needs more time, but you notice the top is already cooked, tent the top with aluminum foil.
Simply, grab an oversized piece of aluminum foil and drape it over the top of the loaf pan, so that it is tight on all four sides, but has some airflow in the center. This will prevent the top from burning but allow the center to continue to cook.
Storing Your Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
This chocolate chip loaf cake will stay fresh for about 7-10 days in the refrigerator. Make sure to cover it or store it in an airtight container to avoid the loaf drying out.
To freeze, simply store in an airtight freezer bag or freezer-safe container. It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just allow it to thaw and reach room temperature before enjoying!
Green tip: Did you know that of the billions of pounds of food wasted annually, it is estimated that 50% of it happens in our homes? Decrease your contribution to food waste by properly storing and later enjoying leftovers!
Serving Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
I love serving this chocolatey loaf cake with tea or coffee or maybe even this Iced White Chocolate Mocha if I’m feeling extra fancy!
This delicious loaf is tasty enough on its own, but is also absolutely delicious with whipped cream, fresh banana, peanut butter, or one of my homemade sweet sauces:
Why You Should Make This Moist Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
- It’s moist. This loaf cake stays together well without flaking apart.
- It’s chocolatey. Plenty of tasty tiny chocolate chips floating throughout the cake to give you chocolate in every single bite.
- It has a crisp exterior. Baked to perfection with a golden brown top.
If you’re loving this Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake, and want similar recipes, check out these Chocolate Chip Muffins and Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding.
Moist Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
Print Save RateEquipment
- Hand Mixer (optional)
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (½ cup = 1 stick)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (preferably at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup plain Greek Yogurt
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk (dairy or unsweetened non-dairy)
- 1 ¼ cup mini chocolate chips (semi-sweet or dark chocolate)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 9-inch loaf pan by greasing with cooking spray or lining with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer or whisk to cream together the butter, and sugar until well combined (about 3 minutes).
- Add the eggs and use the hand mixer on high to beat in until smooth.
- Next, add the vanilla extract and Greek yogurt and combine. At this point you may notice the batter is a little bit grainy—that's okay!
- Then, add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix to combine. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, making sure you integrate all of the dry ingredients. Mix only as much as you need to.
- With the mixer on low, slowly add the milk to thin out the batter.
- Finally, fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips. Set the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips aside to use later.
- Transfer your batter to your prepared loaf pan and use a spatula to smooth out the top. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.
- Bake on the top rack for 60-75 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow your chocolate chip loaf cake to cool completely before slicing into it and enjoying!
Pro Tips
- If you want a crispy top, sprinkle a handful of granulated sugar on top of your loaf before placing it in the oven!
- Option to sprinkle your loaf with powdered sugar for extra sweetness.
- Chocolate lover? Me too! You’ll love the collection of my best chocolate recipes.
- Whether you’re hosting a party, it’s someone’s birthday—or it’s just a rainy Tuesday!—this selection of my best cake recipes has a great cake for every occasion.
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2 thoughts on “Moist Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake”
Im definitely gonna have to try this recipe
Would I be able to add pecans to it as is or do i need to add something to help toughen it up like banana bread?
Hi Jessie! You can definitely add pecans but just make sure to chop them (roughly the size of the mini chocolate chips). I haven’t tested it, but I’m confident if you do so they won’t all sink to the bottom! Let me know <3