Decadent Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake: Your Ultimate Easy Pound Cake Recipe
Prepare to fall in love with this incredibly easy and utterly delicious sour cream chocolate chip loaf cake! This simple chocolate chip pound cake loaf is a true crowd-pleaser, featuring an irresistibly soft crumb, a rich buttery vanilla flavor, and an abundance of perfectly distributed mini chocolate chips. It’s the kind of comforting treat that brings smiles to everyone’s faces, making it a perfect dessert for family gatherings, a delightful breakfast pastry, or a sweet afternoon snack.
What sets this particular chocolate chip cake apart is the magical touch of sour cream. It’s the secret ingredient that ensures every slice is exceptionally moist and tender, elevating a classic chocolate chip flavor into something truly extraordinary. Get ready to bake a loaf cake that will quickly become a cherished family favorite!
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If you’re already a fan of moist, flavorful cakes, then you’ll undoubtedly adore this chocolate chip loaf cake. Its tender texture and rich flavor profile are truly irresistible. And if you enjoy this recipe, be sure to explore some of my other popular pound cakes and desserts like my Carrot Pound Cake, my bright and zesty Key Lime Pound Cake, and my deliciously spiced Apple Cider Donut Cake! Each offers a unique flavor experience that’s perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth.
Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake Recipe
I genuinely am obsessed with this sour cream chocolate chip loaf cake, and I think you will be too! It’s the quintessential dessert – incredibly fun and straightforward to bake, and that luscious chocolate ganache glaze on top is simply divine. You might recognize it as the same heavenly glaze I use for my Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake, and it truly complements this chocolate chip cake to perfection. The sour cream in the batter works wonders, imparting a tender crumb and an unmatched moistness that makes every bite a delight. This recipe is designed to be approachable for bakers of all skill levels, ensuring a flawless and delicious result every time. For another exquisite sour cream cake experience, don’t miss my vibrant Blueberry and Lemon Pound Cake!
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What is a Loaf Cake?
At its core, a loaf cake is simply a cake baked in a standard loaf pan, giving it its characteristic rectangular shape. Often, it’s a type of pound cake, like this very chocolate chip pound cake loaf, but the term can apply to various cake batters. Loaf cakes are celebrated for their convenient, manageable size, making them ideal for smaller gatherings, intimate family desserts, or even gifting. They are less fussy than multi-layered round cakes but deliver just as much flavor and charm. Their simple elegance means they can be dressed up with a glaze or frosting, or enjoyed plain with a cup of coffee or tea. My Marble Loaf Cake is another fantastic example of how versatile and appealing a loaf cake can be, showcasing beautiful swirls and rich flavor in the same easy-to-slice format.
What is the Difference Between Pound Cake and Loaf Cake?
Understanding the distinction between a pound cake and a loaf cake is quite simple once you grasp their core definitions. The term “pound cake” primarily refers to the cake’s ingredients and its resulting rich, dense texture, rather than the specific pan it’s baked in. Historically, pound cakes earned their name because they were traditionally made with a pound each of butter, sugar, flour, and eggs. This classic ratio gives pound cakes their signature tight crumb and intensely buttery flavor.
While traditional pound cakes typically didn’t include leavening agents beyond the aeration from creaming butter and sugar, modern versions often incorporate a small amount of baking powder or baking soda to achieve a slightly lighter lift without sacrificing the characteristic dense, moist crumb. This simple chocolate chip loaf cake, enhanced with sour cream, perfectly embodies the spirit of a modern pound cake. The addition of sour cream contributes exceptional moisture and a subtle tang that complements the sweet chocolate chips and rich butteriness, ensuring a soft, tender, and incredibly flavorful result. For a deeper dive into the fascinating history and evolution of pound cakes, be sure to explore my Lemon Sour Cream Pound Cake post!
How to Keep Chocolate Chips from Sinking in Cake?
One common concern when baking with chocolate chips is preventing them from sinking to the bottom of the pan. For this easy dessert recipe, your sour cream chocolate chip loaf cake batter should be naturally thick and dense enough to hold the mini chocolate chips in suspension as it bakes. However, for an extra layer of assurance, there’s a simple trick to ensure your chocolate chips stay perfectly distributed throughout your cake. Lightly toss your chocolate chips with a tablespoon or two of flour before adding them to the batter. This creates a thin barrier around each chip, making them less likely to sink. Alternatively, you can mix the chocolate chips in with your dry ingredients before incorporating them into the wet batter, achieving the same effect. This small step guarantees that every slice of your moist chocolate chip loaf cake will have an even, delightful scattering of melted chocolate goodness.
How Long Should I Bake a Cake in a Loaf Pan?
Baking a cake in a loaf pan typically takes a bit longer than thinner cakes due to its depth. For this particular sour cream chocolate chip loaf cake, you’ll be baking it for approximately 45-50 minutes. However, baking times can vary slightly depending on your oven’s calibration and the specific size of your loaf pan. The best way to determine if your cake is fully baked is to insert a wooden skewer or toothpick into the very center of the loaf. If it comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs attached, your cake is ready. Additionally, the top of the cake should be golden brown and spring back lightly when gently pressed, and the edges should start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Always refer to the recipe card below for the most precise baking instructions tailored to this delicious chocolate chip pound cake.
Essential Chocolate Chip Cake Ingredients
Crafting this moist and flavorful sour cream chocolate chip loaf cake requires a few key ingredients, each playing a crucial role in achieving its perfect texture and taste. While you’ll find detailed measurements in the recipe card below, let’s delve into the basic components and why they are so important for this easy chocolate chip cake:
- Granulated Sugar: More than just sweetness, creaming white granulated sugar with butter is fundamental. This process aerates the mixture, creating tiny air pockets that contribute significantly to the cake’s light, soft, and fluffy crumb, defining the wonderful texture of this chocolate chip pound cake.
- Butter: I typically opt for good quality salted butter in most of my baking endeavors, as it balances the sweetness perfectly. If you prefer to use unsalted butter, simply add in ½ teaspoon of salt along with your dry ingredients to achieve a similar flavor profile. It’s crucial that your butter is softened to room temperature – this ensures it creams properly with the sugar, creating an emulsion that traps air for a tender cake. Check out my quick softening tip below if you’re in a hurry!
- Eggs: Like butter, eggs should always be at room temperature for optimal baking results. Room temperature eggs emulsify much better with the other ingredients, leading to a smoother batter and a more evenly baked, higher-rising cake. Cold eggs can cause the butter to seize, resulting in a lumpy batter and a denser final product. Find a tip below for quickly bringing your eggs to room temperature.
- Vanilla Extract: A cornerstone of classic cake flavor, make sure you use a high-quality pure vanilla extract. Its aromatic warmth beautifully complements the chocolate and butter. For an even more personal touch, consider making your own; check out my post on how to make vanilla extract at home with just two simple ingredients!
- Sour Cream: This is the star ingredient for a truly moist chocolate chip loaf cake. Always opt for full-fat sour cream to guarantee the richest flavor and most tender crumb. The acidity in the sour cream reacts with the baking soda, contributing to the cake’s lift and ultra-moist texture. And just like butter and eggs, ensure your sour cream is at room temperature for seamless incorporation into the batter.
- Cake Flour: The secret to this easy chocolate chip loaf cake’s remarkably light, airy texture and melt-in-your-mouth soft crumb is cake flour. It contains less protein and is more finely milled than all-purpose flour, which prevents gluten development, leading to a wonderfully tender structure. If you find yourself without cake flour, don’t fret! There’s a handy tip below for how to easily make your own substitute.
- Baking Soda: This essential leavening agent works in harmony with the moisture in the batter and, crucially, the acid present in the sour cream. This reaction produces carbon dioxide bubbles, which expand during baking, giving this chocolate chip cake its beautiful rise and airy texture.
- Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: While you can use any chocolate chips you prefer, mini chips are fantastic for ensuring even distribution throughout the loaf, meaning every bite is bursting with chocolatey goodness. Their smaller size also helps them melt more uniformly, creating delightful pockets of warm, gooey chocolate without weighing down the batter.
To crown this already delicious chocolate chip loaf cake, we’ll add a decadent chocolate ganache glaze, which provides an extra layer of richness and a beautiful, glossy finish. You’ll likely recognize this beloved glaze from my Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake, as it’s truly perfect for enhancing any chocolate-infused dessert:
- Bittersweet Chocolate: For a deep, rich chocolate flavor that isn’t overly sweet, I highly recommend using a Ghirardelli Bittersweet Baking Bar for this ganache glaze. However, any good-quality dark chocolate or dark chocolate chips will work wonderfully. If your preference leans towards a sweeter glaze, feel free to use semi-sweet chocolate. Just bear in mind that if you opt for semi-sweet, you might want to slightly reduce the granulated sugar in the cake batter to ¾ cup to maintain a balanced sweetness.
- Heavy Cream: Alongside the chocolate, heavy whipping cream is the foundation of a luxurious chocolate ganache. When heated with the chocolate, it creates a smooth, pourable, and incredibly rich topping that hardens just enough to be sliceable but remains wonderfully creamy.
- Light Corn Syrup: A small amount of light corn syrup is added to the ganache primarily to achieve a beautiful, glossy shine and to slightly thin out the consistency, making it easier to pour smoothly over the cake. It also helps prevent crystallization, ensuring a perfectly smooth glaze. If corn syrup isn’t available, light agave nectar makes an excellent substitute.
Essential Baking Equipment
Having the right tools makes all the difference in ensuring a successful and enjoyable baking experience for this delightful chocolate chip cake recipe. Here’s what you’ll need:
First and foremost, you’ll need a reliable loaf pan. This recipe yields a generous amount of batter, so a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan works best for achieving the perfect size and rise. However, I’ve also had excellent results using a slightly smaller medium loaf pan (8.5 x 4.5 inches). Whichever size you choose, it’s crucial to remember to only fill your loaf pan two-thirds full to prevent overflow. Any excess batter can be baked in a separate mini loaf pan or muffin tin for a delightful treat! The size of your pan may subtly alter the baking time and potentially yield a slightly higher dome top for smaller pans.
Additionally, you’ll need either a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or a good quality electric hand mixer, along with a large mixing bowl for creaming the butter and sugar. Parchment paper is also a must-have for lining your loaf pan, ensuring easy removal of your beautifully baked chocolate chip pound cake. For consistently precise results, especially when it comes to flour, I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale to accurately measure your baking ingredients. This helps prevent adding too much flour, which can lead to a dry cake.
Expert Tips and Frequently Asked Questions
Proper cooling is essential for the perfect texture of your chocolate chip cake. After removing it from the oven, allow it to cool in the loaf pan for about 10-20 minutes. This crucial resting period allows the cake to firm up slightly, preventing it from crumbling when you remove it. Following this initial cool-down, carefully remove the cake from the loaf pan using the parchment paper overhang and transfer it to a wire rack. Cooling the rest of the way on a wire rack is key to preventing the bottom of the loaf from becoming soggy, as it allows air to circulate around the entire cake, promoting even cooling and a delightful, consistent texture.
In this chocolate chip cake, your mini chocolate chips are designed to melt a bit while baking, creating delicious pockets of gooey chocolate. However, as the cake cools, these melted chips will solidify again, maintaining their distinct shape and offering a wonderful texture contrast. As you can observe in the images, they remain beautifully intact but achieve a delightful softness and slight gooiness while the cake is still warm, which is part of their charm! If you want to ensure minimal spreading of the chips, chilling them briefly before adding to the batter can help, but for this recipe, their natural melting and re-solidifying process is part of the intended deliciousness.
Room temperature butter is vital for a tender, well-risen cake. If you find yourself in a rush and forgot to take your butter out, you can soften it in seconds using your microwave! Place your stick of butter (unwrapped) on a microwave-safe plate. Heat it on high for about 20 seconds, rotating the stick every few seconds. The goal is to soften it just enough so that it yields to gentle pressure, not to melt it. Over-melting will compromise the texture of your cake. Alternatively, you can cut the butter into small cubes and let it sit on the counter for 15-20 minutes, which speeds up the softening process significantly.
Using room temperature eggs is crucial in most baking recipes, especially for a delicate chocolate chip pound cake loaf, because cold eggs can negatively affect the rise and even baking of your final product. If you didn’t have the foresight to leave your eggs out, don’t worry! Here’s a quick tip: just submerge the eggs (still in their shells) in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot!) water for about 15 minutes. This gentle warming allows them to quickly reach room temperature, ensuring better emulsification with the other ingredients, a smoother batter, and ultimately, a perfectly textured cake with a consistent rise.
Sour cream is key to the moistness and tender crumb of this chocolate chip loaf cake. If you don’t have any full-fat sour cream on hand, the best and closest substitute would be an equivalent amount of full-fat Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt offers a similar tang and thickness, providing comparable moisture and acidity to react with the baking soda, ensuring your cake remains wonderfully moist and flavorful. Avoid using low-fat or fat-free versions for the best results, as the fat content contributes significantly to the cake’s richness and texture.
While this sour cream chocolate chip loaf cake uses butter for its characteristic rich, buttery flavor and soft texture, you can absolutely substitute oil for butter to achieve an exceptionally moist cake, similar to my Earl Grey Lavender Cake with Honey-Lemon Glaze! Oil, being 100% fat, contributes a different kind of moisture and tenderness. To make this substitution, use ¾ cup of the vegetable oil of your choice (such as canola or grapeseed oil) instead of butter. If you use unsalted oil, be sure to add in ½ teaspoon of salt with your dry ingredients to balance the flavors. Keep in mind that while oil will deliver incredible moistness, the overall flavor profile might be slightly less “buttery” than the original recipe.
To keep this easy chocolate chip loaf cake fresh and delicious, store it in an airtight container at room temperature. It will remain wonderfully moist for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the cake, either whole or in individual slices. Wrap the entire loaf or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer bag or an airtight freezer-safe container. When properly wrapped, the cake can be frozen for up to 2 months. To enjoy, simply thaw at room temperature. This makes it perfect for meal prepping desserts or having a sweet treat ready whenever a craving strikes!
Creative Loaf Cake Variations
This simple chocolate chip loaf cake recipe is incredibly versatile, making it easy to customize and create your own unique flavor combinations. Get creative and make it your own with these delicious variations:
- Coffee Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake: For a sophisticated twist, infuse your cake with the rich, deep notes of coffee. Simply add 1-2 tablespoons of high-quality espresso powder (instant espresso works best) with the dry flour mixture. This addition will deepen the chocolate flavor and add a subtle, aromatic coffee kick that is truly irresistible.
- Banana Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake: Transform this recipe into a comforting banana bread-cake hybrid. Mix in 2-3 mashed, very ripe bananas with the wet ingredients. To maintain the right consistency and balance the added moisture from the bananas, reduce the sour cream to ¼ cup and the granulated sugar to ¾ cup. The result is an incredibly moist and flavorful banana chocolate chip loaf. Alternatively, you can try my classic Banana Bread recipe and simply stir in a generous amount of chocolate chips!
- Buttermilk Chocolate Chip Pound Cake: If you love the tangy flavor and tender crumb that buttermilk provides, swap out the sour cream in this chocolate chip loaf cake with an equal amount of full-fat buttermilk. The acidity in buttermilk will also react beautifully with the baking soda, resulting in a delightfully moist and slightly tangy cake.
- Double Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake: For the ultimate chocolate lover, turn this into a rich double chocolate chip dream! Reduce the cake flour to 2 cups and incorporate ½ cup of unsweetened cocoa powder along with the other dry ingredients. This addition will give the cake a deep, dark chocolate base, perfectly complemented by the sweetness of the chocolate chips.
- Chocolate Fudge Frosting: While the chocolate ganache glaze is fantastic, if you’re craving an extra thick, creamy, and indulgent topping, whip up a batch of my decadent Chocolate Fudge Frosting instead of the glaze. It will turn your loaf cake into an even more luxurious dessert.
And for more innovative ways to utilize your trusty loaf pan, be sure to check out my visually stunning Marble Loaf Cake or my warmly spiced Vegan Gingerbread Loaf Cake!
If you try this delightful sour cream chocolate chip loaf cake recipe, I would absolutely love to hear from you! Please leave a star review rating and a comment below to share your thoughts and experiences. Your wonderful feedback means the world to me, helping to spread the word and enabling me to continue sharing delicious free recipes with everyone! And don’t forget to share your beautiful creations with me by tagging @chenee_today on Instagram! I can’t wait to see your masterpiece!
More Delicious Cakes You’ll Love
If you’re a true cake enthusiast, you’re in for a treat! Beyond this amazing chocolate chip loaf cake, I have a collection of other cherished cake recipes that are sure to tantalize your taste buds. Each recipe offers unique flavors and textures, perfect for any occasion or craving. Explore these other fantastic cake creations:
- Vegan Coconut Cake – A delightfully tender and flavorful plant-based option.
- Chocolate Orange Cake – A sophisticated pairing of rich chocolate and bright citrus.
- Brown Butter Pecan Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting – A nutty, buttery cake crowned with a tangy cream cheese frosting.
- Chocolate Spice Cake – A warm and inviting cake with a perfect blend of chocolate and aromatic spices.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake – Easy with Chocolate Ganache Glaze
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Equipment you may need
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9×5 loaf pan
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stand mixer
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hand mixer
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measuring cups and spoons
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mixing bowls
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parchment paper
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whisk
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rubber spatula
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food scale
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cooling rack
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8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan
Ingredients
- baking spray
- 2 ¼ cups (281 g) cake flour
- ½ teaspoon (2 g) baking soda
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- ¾ cup (170 g) salted butter – room temperature (1 ½ sticks)
- 4 large eggs – room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (153 g) full-fat sour cream – room temperature
- 1 cup (237 g) mini semi-sweet chocolate chips – or chocolate chips of your choice
Chocolate Ganache Glaze
- 4 oz (113 g) bittersweet chocolate – chopped
- ½ cup (119 g) heavy cream
- 2 tablespoon (44 g) light corn syrup
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and liberally spray a loaf pan* with baking spray. For easy removal, line it with parchment paper, leaving a generous overhang on the longer sides.baking spray
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In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together the cake flour and baking soda until they are well combined. This ensures even leavening throughout the cake. Set this dry mixture aside.2 ¼ cups cake flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda
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In a large mixing bowl, using either a hand mixer or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color. This process should take about 3-4 minutes and is crucial for incorporating air into the batter, which contributes to the cake’s tender crumb.1 cup granulated sugar, ¾ cup salted butter
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Add the room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition to ensure they are fully incorporated into the butter-sugar mixture. Follow with the vanilla extract and room temperature sour cream, mixing gently until just combined after each addition. Be careful not to overmix at this stage.4 large eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, ⅔ cup full-fat sour cream
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Gradually fold the reserved dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Mix until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Overmixing can lead to a tough cake, so stop as soon as the batter comes together.
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Gently fold in the mini chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. To prevent sinking, you can lightly toss the chocolate chips with a tablespoon of flour before adding them.1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
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Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes*, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The top should be golden brown and springy to the touch.
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Cool the cake in the loaf pan for 15-20 minutes. This allows it to set and makes it easier to handle. Then, using the parchment paper overhang, gently lift the cake out of the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents condensation and ensures a perfectly crisp bottom crust.
Chocolate Ganache Glaze
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In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the chopped bittersweet chocolate and heavy cream. Heat in the microwave in 20-second intervals, stirring thoroughly after each interval, until the chocolate begins to melt.4 oz bittersweet chocolate, ½ cup heavy cream
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Continue to stir vigorously until all the chocolate is melted and the mixture is completely smooth and uniform.
- Add the light corn syrup to the ganache and stir until it is beautifully glossy and has a smooth, pourable consistency. The corn syrup also helps prevent crystallization.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
We hope you thoroughly enjoy baking and savoring this delightful Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake. It’s truly a labor of love that promises a taste of pure comfort and joy. Don’t forget to bookmark this recipe for future baking adventures!