Chocolate Loaf Cake (Vegan)
This Chocolate loaf cake checks all of the boxes, its rich, moist, beyond chocolatey and super easy. The soft, tender crumb owes its rich chocolatey flavor to unsweetened cocoa powder, with a touch of coffee added to boost that chocolate goodness. The loaf is finished off with a luscious chocolate ganache made with semi-sweet chocolate. Every bite is absolute chocolate indulgence. A wonderfully decadent loaf, dairy and egg-free, and perfect for any chocolate lover.
What you will need:
This recipe is all about indulging in chocolate. You’ll need unsweetened cocoa powder, and to enhance that rich cocoa flavor, coffee will be mixed into the batter. The coffee can be any form you like—hot brewed, cold brewed, or espresso. All of the ingredients needed for this recipe can be readily found at your local grocery store.
Ingredients:
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- cane sugar
- brown sugar
- light olive oil
- unsweetened cocoa powder
- coffee – hot brewed, cold brewed or espresso
- plant based milk
- plant based yogurt
- vanilla extract
- semi-sweet chocolate
- dairy free heavy whipping cream
How to:
Batter:
Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare an 8×4 loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper. To a small pot, add the milk, water and coffee. Place the pot over medium heat and bring the mixture to a light boil. As soon as the mixture begins to boil, remove the pot from the heat and add the unsweetened cocoa powder. Stir until the cocoa powder is well incorporated and the mixture is smooth and well combined. Set the pot aside for 5 minutes for the cocoa powder to bloom (helps to deepen and intensify the chocolate flavor). To a small bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together until well combined and set the bowl aside. To medium bowl, add both sugars and the light olive oil. Whisk the sugar and oil together until well combined, about 30 seconds to a minute. To the sugar mixture, add the yogurt and vanilla extract, and cocoa mixture, whisking for another 30 seconds to a minute. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl, gently whisking until just combined and no more flour can be seen.
Baking:
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the edges start to pull away and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then move it to a cooling rack. Once it’s cooled to room temperature, it’s ready to be topped with ganache.
Ganache:
The ganache can be prepared while the cake is baking or once the cake is out of the oven and cooling. Start by placing the semi-sweet chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and setting it aside. Add the cream to small pot. Place the pot over medium to medium-low heat and bring the cream just to simmering. Do not allow the cream to come to a boil. Make sure to stir the cream regularly as it is heating up. As soon as the cream reaches a simmer, remove the pot from the heat and pour the cream over the chocolate. Leave the chocolate and cream to sit for about 5 minutes, then stir the cream and chocolate together until all of the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth and creamy. Set the ganache aside to cool. It will firm up as it cools, once it reaches room temperature, it will be the perfect consistency to spread over the top of the chocolate loaf.
Serving and Storing:
Once the loaf cake and ganache have cooled to room temperature, spread the ganache over the top. The chocolate loaf cake is now ready to slice and enjoy. Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature.
Alright, let’s get started. Please make, bake and enjoy!
Chocolate Loaf Cake (Vegan)
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake Loaf
- 1½ cups + 2 tbsp (195 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 10 tbsp (125 grams) cane sugar
- 10 tbsp (120 grams) brown sugar
- 6 tbsp light olive oil
- ¾ cup (72 grams)_ unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup plant based milk
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup coffee, espresso or cold brew
- ½ cup plant based yogurt -room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp salt
Chocolate Ganache
- 100 grams semi-sweet chocolate
- 100 ml plant based heavy whipping cream
Instructions
Chocolate Loaf Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare an 8×4 loaf pan by lining it with parchment paper.
- To a small pot, add the milk, water and coffee. Heat the mixture to just boiling, remove from heat and add the cocoa powder. Whisk to fully incorporate the cocoa into the milk mixture and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- To a small bowl, add the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda; whisk to combine and set aside.
- To a medium bowl, add both sugars and the oil. Whisk the sugar and oil together for 30 seconds to a minute. Add the yogurt and vanilla extract, and the cocoa mixture and continue whisking for another 30 seconds to a minute. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until just combined.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. You want the sides to be pulling away from the pan and when a toothpick is inserted, it comes out clean.
- Once out of the oven, allow the loaf to cool in the pan for about 15 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack. Once the loaf has cooled to room temperature, it’s ready to be topped with the ganache.
Chocolate Ganache
- Place the chocolate in a heat safe bowl and set it aside.
- Heat the cream in a small pot over medium to medium-low heat, just to a simmer. Do not allow it to boil. Once heated, pour the cream over the chocolate and let it stand for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, stir the cream and chocolate together until all of the chocolate is melted and the ganache is smooth and creamy.
- Let the ganache cool to room temperature.
- Once the loaf cake and ganache are room temperature, the ganache can be spread over the top of the loaf cake.
- Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature.
