You can make this delicious soft and moist chocolate loaf cake with simple ingredients and stop your chocolate cravings easily! It takes less than 10 minutes to prepare the batter. No mixer needed!
Chocolate lovers will love today’s recipe. Just like my chocolate cookies with cocoa powder, you can stop your chocolate cravings with this easy recipe.
If you are a fan of my cocoa powder cookies, I’m sure you’ll enjoy this easy chocolate cake with cocoa powder. Seriously, making this cake is as simple as making my cocoa cookies.
This recipe is great for those days when you crave chocolate but only have cocoa powder. Just make this cake and stop your craving!
It takes almost 10 minutes (even less) to prepare the batter. You mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and mix the wet ingredients in another bowl. Then you combine dry and wet ingredients. Add hot water and stir. It takes 39 minutes to bake. That’s all!
This cake is perfect anytime. You can have it as a snack or eat it as chocolate bread for breakfast.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Flour-I use all-purpose flour. Flour gives structure.
- Cocoa Powder-I use unsweetened cocoa powder.
- Baking powder-works as a leavener.
- Eggs-They give moisture and structure to this cake.
- Sugar-I use granulated sugar.
- Butter-I use melted butter for moisture.
- Milk-I use whole milk. Milk gives moisture.
- Vanilla– I use pure vanilla extract.
- Water-I add hot water after I mix dry and wet ingredients. This step makes this cake very soft and moist.
How to Make Chocolate Cake with Cocoa Powder
First I melt the butter halfway in a pan over medium heat. Then I remove the butter from the heat stir until all melted. This way the butter cools easily and doesn’t cook the eggs when I add it.
Next I place the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and salt(optional) in a large mixing bowl and stir with a whisk. I set aside the bowl.
Then I mix the eggs and sugar in a medium bowl with a whisk until combined for almost 30 seconds.
Later I add the melted butter, milk, vanilla extract and mix until all combined.
Next I pour the wet mixture into dry ingredients and stir. Once almost combined, I add the hot water and stir until just combined.
Finally I pour the chocolate batter into greased and parchment paper lined loaf pan and bake for almost 39 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean that is inserted in the center.
If there are few moist crumbs, that’s fine. The toothpick shouldn’t be wet with batter as this means the cake isn’t baked completely.
I let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes before transferring it on a wire rack and I let it cool there for at least 35-40 minutes before slicing.
Enjoy!
Once the chocolate cake is almost cooled, you should keep it in an airtight container so it will stay soft and moist. You can keep at room temperature for up to 3 days and in the fridge for up to 7 days.
After the cake is almost cooled, you can wrap the loaf with a plastic film. Once totally cooled you can cover the plastic film wrapped loaf with aluminum foil or place in a freezer bag taking all the air inside. You can freeze for up to 3 months. I like to slice the cake and freeze as it thaws easily.
You can add chocolate ganache with 1:1 ratio for extra chocolate flavor. The amount you’ll need for this cake will be 115 grams (½ cup) of heavy cream and 115 grams of chocolate (4 oz), I share this information in the recipe card, under notes section. You can also check my how to make chocolate ganache post to learn more about ganache.
Other cake loaf recipes you may enjoy!
I love hearing from you! If you try this recipe or my other recipes please leave a comment and give a star rating!
Chocolate Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 140 g (1 cup) all purpose flour, dip and sweep
- 50 g (½ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon salt, optional
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 210 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 135 g (½ cup + 1 and ½ tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- 120 g (½ cup) milk, room temperature
- 1 and ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 60 g (¼ cup) hot water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F(177°C). Grease 8 ½ * 4 ½ inch (21,5*10,5cm) loaf pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper, about 2 inches(5 cm) of overhang on each side. If you like, you can grease and flour the dish instead of parchment paper.
- Place the butter in a small pan and melt it halfway over medium heat. Take it from the heat and stir until it is all melted. The butter cools easily and doesn’t cook the eggs when they are added.
- Place the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt if using in a large mixing bowl and stir with a whisk. Set aside.
- Place the eggs and sugar in a medium bowl and stir with a whisk until just combined.
- Add in the melted butter, milk and vanilla extract, mix until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into flour mixture and stir with a whisk/spoon. Once almost combined add the hot water until combined.
- Pour the mixture into the pan and bake for 39 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean that is inserted in the center. Few moist crumbs are fine. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes. After you remove from the pan, let it cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack before slicing.
