Dressy Chocolate Loaf Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Get ready: center oven rack; preheat oven to 350°; butter a 9 ½ x 5 inch loaf pan, dust the inside with flour and top out the excess; place the pan on a insulated baking sheet or on two regular baking sheets stacked on top of one another.
• Make the cake: sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
• Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachement, beat the butter and sugar together at medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until very light and fluffy.
• Add in the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each one goes inches.
• Decrease the speed to low and mix in the sour cream; still working on low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix only until they disappear into the batter.
• Give the batter a last stir with a sturdy rubber spatula and scrape the batter into the pan.
• Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the cake comes out clean.
• If, after about 45 minutes, the cake looks like it is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a foil tent.
• Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the cake rest for about 5 minutes before turning it out onto the rack; cool to room temperature upside down.
• Fill the cake: bring the jam and water to a boil over low heat or in a microwave oven; stir to smooth it, and keep it at hand.
• The top of the cake will become the bottom layer, so if it is uneven and your cake rocks a bit on the counter, turn it right side up and use a long serrated knife to level it.
• Using a serrated knife, cut the cake into 3 even layers; put the first layer (originally the top of the cake) cut side down on a long serving plate and spread half of the jam over it.
• Cover with the middle layer and spread that layer with the remaining jam.
• Lift the top layer into place, cut side down; use a small pastry brush to chase away any crumbs on the top or sides of the cake.
• Make the frosting: fit a heatproof bowl into a pan of gently simmering water, add in the chocolate and warm, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate is melted.
• Still working over the hot water, stir in the sour cream; don't be concerned if the cream tightens-just keep stirring gently and the frosting will become smooth and glossy.
• Remove from heat and cover the sides and top of the cake with the still-warm frosting.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a 2lb/900g loaf tin with a long strip of baking parchment. To make the loaf cake batter, beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, flour, almonds, baking powder, milk and cocoa until smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips, then scrape into the tin. Bake for 45-50 mins until golden, risen and a skewer poked in the centre comes out clean.
• Cool in the tin, then lift out onto a wire rack over some kitchen paper. Melt the extra chocolate chunks separately in pans over barely simmering water, or in bowls in the microwave, then use a spoon to drizzle each in turn over the cake. Leave to set before slicing.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 190C/gas5. Grease and line a 23x13x7cm cm (9x5x3in) loaf tin. Cream the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla, beating in well.
• Next fold in the melted and cooled chocolate, taking care to blend well but do not overbeat.
• You want the ingredients combined: you don't want a light airy mass. Gently add the flour, to which you've added the bicarb, alternately spoon by spoon, with 250 ml of boiling water until you have a smooth and fairly liquid batter.
• Pour into the lined loaf tin and bake for 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 170C/gas mark 3 and cook for another 15 minutes. The cake will still be a bit squidgy inside, so an inserted cake tester or skewer won't come out completely clean.
• Plaace the loaf tin on a rack and leave to get completely cold before turning it out. It improves if left for a day or so before eating. This cake will probably sink in the middle because of its denseness.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees and butter a light-colored metal 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. Line the pan with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over the two long sides.
• In a large bowl, vigorously whisk eggs and brown sugar until light and smooth, about 30 seconds.
• Add the sour cream, melted butter, oil, vanilla extract and salt, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the baking powder and baking soda.
• Add both flours and all but one 1 heaping tablespoon of the chocolate chips. Stir with a rubber spatula until combined and no streaks of flour remain.
• Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the reserved chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon of granulated or turbinado sugar and a sprinkle of salt. Bake until golden and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean or with a bit of melted chocolate, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Carefully run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan not protected by the parchment paper. Set the pan on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Then, use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan and set it back on the rack to cool completely. Keep leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.