Calling all chocolate lovers to this moist and decadent Chocolate Loaf Cake topped with homemade ganache. Rich and fudgy, this is the perfect cake for breakfasts, birthdays, holidays, and any other special occasion. This is the chocolate dessert of your dreams.

Enjoy slice after slice of this Chocolate Loaf Cake on its own or topped with a dreamy ganache. This is a recipe everyone will request again.

And baking this rich Chocolate Loaf Cake is so much fun. Made from scratch this recipe comes together to form a smooth, thick batter.

Then it rises beautifully in the oven while creating a few little homemade cracks. After this cake transfers from the oven to a cooling rack it falls slightly, but maintains a delicious looking and tasting loaf.

You will have a hard time not cutting into this loaf right away.

chocolate loaf cake ingredients

• dairy free buttermilk— we combine unsweetened almond milk and apple cider vinegar to make our own safe buttermilk; learn more about creating an easy and safe buttermilk below.
• gluten free all purpose flour— Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Mix is our go-to. We purchase it in bulk here and store it in a cool place. We save so much money buying it in bulk.
• xanthan gum— omit if your all purpose gluten free blend contain this or guar gum
• Dutch-processed cocoa— We find the Rodelle brand Dutch process cocoa is recommended for the best flavor. It’s definitely the best and worth purchasing it here, if not available locally. We reached out to the Rodelle team through email regarding their manufacturing process. Here’s their response: “Rodelle Inc. does utilize raw materials that are considered to be major food allergens recognized by the US Food and Drug Administration and Health Canada. These include: wheat, soy, milk, mustard, sesame, and sulfites. These raw materials are not normally utilized in / on any equipment in common with Rodelle Gourmet Baking Cocoa. Rodelle takes great care to prevent cross contamination by following an allergen control testing program. It is packaged in a room separate from the rest of our facility. Upon completion of any allergen containing product, all equipment is cleaned and visibly checked for cleanliness. The equipment is also swabbed using ATP technologies. All ATP swabs must measure “0†or the equipment is re-cleaned. Periodically, equipment is tested with ELISA technology to validate cleaning as well.”
• baking powder— this loses its potency after 6 months; double check that yours is fresh for this recipe
• salt
• dairy free butter— we use the Earth Balance Buttery sticks (red box) brand; this is vegan and soy free too. Make sure this is softened, but not melted, in the microwave before placing in the mixing bowl.
• granulated sugar
• eggs— large eggs at room temperature
• vanilla extract
• cold brewed black coffee
• coconut cream— Let’s Do Organic Coconut Cream works perfectly in the chocolate ganache
• semi-sweet or dark chocolate morsels— for this recipe we enjoy the semi-sweet morsels best. Our favorite brands are Enjoy Life and the Nestle Toll House Allergen Free brands.
• optional— chopped nuts, dairy free chocolate chips, or gluten and dairy free sprinkles add a fun look and taste topped on this loaf
• loaf pan— a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan is best with this loaf recipe
• parchment paper— line the bottom and sides of the loaf pan with parchment paper and allow it to hang over the long sides of the pan
• stand mixer— using a 5-quart stand mixer with a paddle attachment makes this recipe and so many others much easier and faster to prepare your recipes; here’s the stand mixer we use.
• cake tester— use a toothpick or this professional cake tester to help you know when your baked goods are done

how do you make dairy free buttermilk

Here is a helpful dairy free buttermilk guide that can be equally substituted for traditional buttermilk in any recipe. Substitute with 1 cup of dairy free milk (soy milk, unsweetened almond milk, or coconut milk) plus 1 tablespoon vinegar. Mix and place into the refrigerator for 10 minutes.

In this Chocolate Loaf Cake we use 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk and 1 teaspoon vinegar.

how do you make chocolate ganache set faster

Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator. Leave it in the fridge for 30 minutes and then check to see if it’s thickened to the desired frosting consistency. Remove and frost the loaf cake.

You can also leave this ganache on the countertop to cool and thicken for about an hour. This is our preferred method.

Homemade chocolate ganache is a wonderful topping to breads, cakes, donuts, and cupcakes.

For this recipe you want the ganache to set to a pudding consistency– not too runny or too thick.

can this be baked ahead of time or frozen

This loaf cake can be baked 1-2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container.

It can also be frozen up to 3 months.

We recommend preparing the chocolate ganache the day of serving for the best flavor.

bonus dinner recipes you’ll love

• grilled teriyaki chicken with pineapple rings and mini sweet peppers— we enjoy this mouthwatering meal with tantalizing flavors. This is a go-to meal for serving company too; no one guesses it’s “free from
  anything.”
• easy sloppy joes— this is our favorite recipe for busy weeknights. And our must-have recipe when traveling. Nothing’s easier than preparing a batch of this and placing it in the cooler with your other safe foods while traveling. Then once you’ve reached your destination, reheat in the hotel microwave and serve on gluten free buns.
• oven roasted salmon— this moist, flakey and caramelized salmon recipe over a bed of rice is absolutely delicious
• homemade soup recipes— you’ll find 4 delicious and cozy soup recipes to enjoy year-round

more recipes using this homemade chocolate ganache

• double chocolate donuts— this is our favorite baked donut recipe. They are moist and flavorful. The ganache on these tastes heavenly too.
• chocolate bundt cake— enjoy serving this cake for holidays, birthdays, and special gatherings. This chocolatey cake tastes perfect drizzled with homemade ganache.
• oreo ice cream cake— you won’t believe this ice cream cake that looks and tastes better than a Dairy Queen ice cream cake. There are layers of goodness, including a decadent chocolate ganache layer.
• dessert charcuterie board— serve this variety dessert board alongside a serving bowl of warm chocolate ganache to the delight of your guests. They’ll enjoy dipping their desserts into this wonderful sauce.

lastly

This is a delicious, safe way to satisfy even the biggest chocolate craving.

Seriously– no one will ever guess this recipe is gluten, dairy, and soy free.

It’s ridiculously good!

You’ll find so many other mouthwatering recipes on our website here. Recipes for every occasion such as the 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas, the Super Bowl, and even Valentine’s Day.

Follow along on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. Be sure to like and comment often to keep seeing our posts in your feed.

We don’t want you to miss the best of eating gluten and dairy free.

Eat well and feel well,

Jill

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