Chocolate Loaf Cake Recipe With Easy Chocolate Glaze (2024)

Southern Desserts
Chocolate Cakes

Diana Rattray

Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Updated on 02/5/23

Tested by

Renae Wilson

Tested byRenae Wilson

Renae has certifications in both Pastry Arts and Culinary Arts from the Institute of Culinary Education and works as a private chef and caterer, recipe tester and developer, and food writer.Renae has written and developed recipes for Rachael Ray In Season, the Kitchn, Food52, and more.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 60 mins

Total: 75 mins

Servings: 12to 16 servings

Yield: 1 loaf cake

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Loaf Cake:

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk

For the Chocolate Glaze:

2 cups confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk

Steps to Make It

Make the Chocolate Loaf Cake

Gather the ingredients.
Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C/Gas Mark 4). Grease and flour a 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan or spray with a baking spray that includes flour.
With a hand mixer, beat sugar and butter together until well blended.
With the mixer on low speed, add the salt, vanilla extract, baking soda, baking powder, and cocoa powder. Mix until blended.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add about 1/3 of the flour and 1/2 of the milk and mix on low speed until combined.
Add another 1/3 of the flour and the remaining milk and mix thoroughly.
Add the remaining flour and combine all ingredients, being careful not to overbeat the batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread evenly.
Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for about 10 minutes.
Carefully remove the cake from the pan and cool completely on a rack.

Make the Chocolate Glaze

Gather the ingredients.
Sift the confectioners' sugar into a bowl and set aside.
In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter.
Whisk in the cocoa powder and milk and continue cooking and stirring until thickened.
Remove the chocolate mixturefrom the heat and whisk in the confectioners' sugar. Thin out with more milk, if needed, or add more confectioners' sugar if a thicker icing is desired.
Glaze the cake with the chocolate glaze, or frost, as desired.

Check Your Oven Temperature

Oven temperatures can vary, and many run hot—even as much as 50 F over the programmed temperature. An oven thermometer is a worthy investment if you bake frequently because you can adjust the temperature and avoid overbaked and dry food.
If you don't have an oven thermometer, bake this cake for about 5 minutes less than the recommended time. Check it with a toothpick and bake it longer if needed.

How to Store Chocolate Loaf

Once the glaze is firm, cover the cake with foil or plastic wrap. Store leftovers at room temperature for up to three to four days or refrigerate for up to one week. The unfrosted cake may be wrapped and frozen for up to six months, and then thawed overnight before consuming.

What Is the Difference Between a Cake and a Loaf?

Although made with similar ingredients, cakes and loaves aren't the same. Here are some of the main differences:

How they are shaped: Loaves are baked in a loaf tin, whereas cakes can take many shapes depending on the tin in which they're baked.
How they are mixed: Loaves' ingredients are mixed separately, dried and wet, and then mixed together. Cakes' ingredients are also mixed separately, but usually, the sugar and butter are creamed before adding other items. There is also a lot of care put into mixing the ingredients of cake to make an airy batter that results in a lighter texture. Conversely, loaves tend to be denser.
How ingredients are used: Many of the basic loaf and cake ingredients are alike (flour, eggs, butter) but are used in different proportions even if the loaf can result in the same amount of servings as the equivalent cake. Loaves usually have additions like dried fruit, nuts, chopped-up fruit, or seeds.

On a side note, loaves and pound cakes are not the same—true pound cakes only use eggs, flour, and butter—just as pound cakes and cakes are not alike. Cakes use additional ingredients like milk and oil.

Chocolate Cupcakes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
292	Calories
12g	Fat
44g	Carbs
4g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12to 16
Amount per serving
Calories	292
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g	15%
Saturated Fat 7g	34%
Cholesterol 63mg	21%
Sodium 286mg	12%
Total Carbohydrate 44g	16%
Dietary Fiber 1g	4%
Total Sugars 33g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 33mg	3%
Iron 2mg	13%
Potassium 49mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.