Chocolate Loaf Cake

Name: Chocolate Loaf Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 95 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon multipurpose gluten free flour; 5 tablespoons cocoa powder; 3/4 cup granulated sugar; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 2 pinches kosher salt; 2 heaping tablespoons cornstarch (26g) mixed with 3 tablespoons water; 1 1/2 cups milk; 1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar; 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips; 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mini chocolate chips; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (or vegan baking stick)

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This Chocolate Loaf Cake is a super moist triple chocolate cake! The base is a chocolate chocolate chip loaf cake and it is topped with a luscious chocolate drizzle; each bite is oozing with decadence! This is such an easy dark chocolate cake; no mixer is used at all! Perfect for when you're craving a chocolate dessert but don't want to spend all day in the kitchen! If that wasn't enough, this mini chocolate cake is gluten free, nut free, eggless and can easily be made vegan with a few tweaks! It's a must try for all you chocolate lovers!

Chocolate ganache drips seductively down a stack of three slices of Chocolate Loaf Cake.

This simple Chocolate Loaf Cake recipe could not be easier to make! No mixer is used at all; all you need is a whisk, a spoon and a spatula! My home is filled with chocolate lovers and they're always craving chocolate cake. This gluten free chocolate cake recipe is absolutely perfect for when the craving hits. Rich decadent flavor that only takes 15 minutes to whip up. Yes, it takes 65 minutes to bake but trust me it's well worth the wait!

For more triple chocolate recipes, try my Triple Chocolate Layer Cake, my Blackout Cake, my Triple Chocolate Cookies and my Triple Chocolate Scones.

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Reasons to Love this Loaf Cake
Ingredient Notes
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make Chocolate Loaf Cake
Expert Baking Tips
Recipe FAQS
Other Loaf Cake Recipes You'll Love
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Loaf Cake

Reasons to Love this Loaf Cake

Allergy Friendly- This easy chocolate loaf cake is gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
Soft & Fluffy- The eggless chocolate cake is super soft and delicious like with my Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.
Triple the Chocolate- This recipe has chocolate cake, chocolate chips and chocolate drizzle.
Easy To Make- The batter and ganache mix up with a whisk and spatula...no mixer is needed!

Ingredient Notes

Separate containers of butter, cornstarch water, gluten free flour, baking powder, baking soda, chocolate chips, milk, granulated sugar, vanilla, kosher salt, white vinegar, granulated sugar, cocoa powder and vegetable oil.

Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility. I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s free of the top 9 allergens. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce and prevents them from falling apart.
Cocoa Powders- Use Natural Unsweetened and Dark. Do not only use Dark as it will make the loaf cake too dry and bitter.
Cornstarch and Water- This is an eggless chocolate cake so this mixture helps bind everything together.
Granulated Sugar- I use this instead of brown sugar to keep the loaf light. Brown sugar will tend to make the cake denser and chewier due to the added moisture content.
Milk- If there are no dairy allergies or if you’re not vegan, you can use regular whole milk. For non-dairy, use a dairy-free milk of your choosing.
White Vinegar- We mix it in the milk to create a homemade buttermilk.
Mini Chocolate Chips- This loaf is loaded and topped with mini chocolate chips like in my Heart Shaped Chocolate Chip Cookies. To keep vegan, make sure to use gluten free/vegan chocolate chips. I love these allergy friendly chocolate chips.

See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.

Substitutions and Variations

Make this into a Vegan Chocolate Cake

Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan.
Only use a non-dairy milk of choice.
Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter for the ganache.

How to Make with All Purpose Flour

Use 1 ½ packed cups AP flour (252 grams).
Use 1 cup milk.
Use ⅓ cup plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil.

This recipe has not been tested with all of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!

The cake is perfectly balanced between the chocolate ingredients and the lightness of the cake.

How to Make Chocolate Loaf Cake

Here are the step by step instructions for making this simple chocolate loaf cake with chocolate drizzle!

White buttermilk in a measuring cup with a spoon.

Step 1: Make The Homemade Buttermilk

Measure out the milk and stir in 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Let sit for 5-10 min then stir again. The milk will appear chunky; that’s normal.

A whisk with the chocolatey dry ingredients.

Step 2: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Step 3: Make The Cornstarch Water

In a medium bowl, mix the cornstarch and water until it is thin and watery. It will be thick and tacky at first.

Step 4: Add The Other Liquid Ingredients

Into the homemade buttermilk, whisk in the cornstarch water, vegetable oil and vanilla until fully combined.

Mixing the wet and dry ingredients with chocolate chips into a batter.

Step 5: Combine The Ingredients then add Chocolate Chips

Using a whisk, slowly mix the liquid ingredients into the dry until just combined. If it gets too thick, switch to a spatula.

Use a spatula to fold 1 ½ cups of mini chocolate chips into the batter until combined.

Filling a loaf pan with the chocolate loaf cake batter.

Step 6: Add Batter to Pan and Sprinkle Chocolate Chips

Add the batter into a parchment lined 9 x 5 loaf pan and smooth the top with a butter knife.
Then sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips on top of the batter. Gently push down on the chips to make sure they stick to the batter.

Fresh, warm and risen Chocolate Loaf Cake in a pan.

Step 7: Bake and Cool

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 65 minutes until the loaf is risen and springy.

Let cool for 15 minutes in the pan.

Drizzling the chocolate ganache recklessly atop the cake,

Step 8: Make the Chocolate Drizzle and Pour on the Loaf

Place chocolate chips and butter in a heat safe bowl. Microwave them together in 10-15 second increments, stirring after each time, until the chocolate chips and butter are fully melted and combined.

Lastly, pour the chocolate on top of the cool cake.

Expert Baking Tips

For the Loaf

Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. Or read the gram measurement.
Make The Homemade Buttermilk- Measure out 1 ⅓ cups of milk of choice. Add in one 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and stir to combine. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then stir again. It will appear chunky and that’s normal.
Smooth the Batter- When the batter is in the loaf pan, gently smooth the top with a butter knife prior to baking.
Leave a Parchment Overhang- When lining the loaf pan with parchment paper, make sure to leave about a one inch overhang on either side of the loaf pan. This way, when the loaf has cooled a bit after coming out of the oven, you can just lift the entire loaf out using the parchment overhang. In addition, this prevents you from having to grease the loaf pan. I find that greasing the pan can make the cake soggy on the bottom.

For the Chocolate Drizzle

Melt the Chocolate and Butter, Slowly- If you rush this process and try to even heat the chocolate in 20 second increments (instead of 15 second increments), you can overheat the chocolate. If that happens it will seize up and basically not be usable.

Recipe FAQS

Can the loaf be made ahead of time?

Yes. Most gluten free baked goods are best made the same day, but you can make this cake the night before.

Once the drizzle has hardened, wrap it in aluminum foil and then place it in the fridge.

Do not leave it at room temperature since the drizzle contains butter.

Can I make this loaf cake into muffins?

I have a recipe for chocolate muffins and it is slightly different. I'd refer to my Gluten Free Chocolate Muffins or my "Oreo" Muffins.

Do I need the chocolate drizzle?

Absolutely not but it is so delicious! You can even top the cake with Chocolate Fudge Frosting or even Cream Cheese Frosting!

How do I store this Chocolate Loaf Cake?

Storing: Once the cake has been sliced, cut the entire loaf into slices, wrap each slice in foil and store in a zip top bag in the fridge for 2 days.

When ready to eat, let the slices sit on the counter, in the foil for about an hour or until the cake is room temperature and soft. Or unwrap it and pop in the microwave for 12 seconds. Be careful not to burn your mouth on the hot chocolate topping and chips.