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Chocolate Coffee Loaf Cake
Chocolate and coffee…fantastic on their own and in their own arena…but always better together! These two flavors form the perfect union in this chocolate coffee loaf that is the right mix of a rich chocolate base flavor and coffee undertone. The coffee butter cream frosting is versatile by itself, but when added to the top of this chocolate coffee union, it adds the perfect balance. For an extra bonus, I like to drizzle melted hot fudge on top of my loaf cake before serving!
This loaf is versatile for any time of day, but also pairs exquisitely well with this no-churn vanilla pecan ice cream.
I am always a fan of a good coffee cake, but when the ante is upped with chocolate, I am all in. I wanted to find a coffee cake that paired well with an after dinner cocktail, and this is it. The chocolate base of the case gives the main structural flavor, while the coffee undertones really help to bring the chocolate alive without becoming overpowering.
But, the more I thought about this chocolate coffee loaf cake, the more I also equated this loaf cake with the perfect cup of coffee…it’s that versatile. It’s not watered down, but it won’t punch you in the face. It’s not diluted with cream, yet it’s far from being straight out of the pot. If I created my own drink at Starbucks—this chocolate coffee loaf cake would be it. It is the perfects after dinner, morning brunch, any time-of-day loaf cake…yes, I am speaking from experience.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this Chocolate Coffee Loaf Cake!
It is the perfect loaf cake for anytime of day or any season. Although it may look like a complex recipe, it’s super simple and will always impress. You can make it up to 203 days ahead of time!
Handy Tools/Equipment
• 8×4 baking pan
Ingredients for Chocolate Coffee Loaf Cake
• Butter — I used salted, you can use unsalted, but you may want to add a pinch of salt to the recipe if you do
Granulated sugar
• Instant coffee — there are so many brands available, I typically use Maxwell House
• Eggs at room temperature — the wet ingredients will cream together more easily if at room temperature
• Egg yolk at room temperature — adds additional richness
• Vanilla bean paste
• Whole milk at room temperature — adds the perfect moisture and promotes the right texture
• All-purpose flour — I used unbleached, but you can use either
• Cocoa powder — I am a fan of Ghirardelli, but it can be a tad on the pricey side
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
Ingredients for Coffee Buttercream Frosting
• Salted butter — make sure it is at room temperature to make mixing the frosting easier (not because we are creaming it)
• Powdered sugar — I typically sift mine
• Instant coffee
• Hot water — we will use this to dissolve the instant coffee
• Heavy whipping cream
Ingredients for Fudge Drizzle
• Sanders milk chocolate or dark chocolate fudge — you are unable to find a Sanders locally, any dessert fudge that is able to be melted will work
Making the Chocolate Coffee Loaf Cake
- The oven should be preheated to 355°F. You can either line your 8 x 4 loaf pan with parchment paper or grease the pan with a cooking oil.
- Either using a stand mixer or a hand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, instant coffee for five minutes. Do not skimp on this step. Creaming the butter, sugar and instant coffee aerate the mixture for optimal texture. Add in the vanilla, eggs one by one, then the yolk, lastly the milk, mixing in between each addition. It is important to have all of your wet ingredients at room temperature when creaming these ingredients so there is no curdling.
- Once the wet ingredients are smooth and completely mixed, slowly add in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and mix on the slowest speed possible just until all ingredients are combined. It is important not to over mix this batter because your loaf cake will become chewy once baked.Â
- Pour the batter into your parchment paper lined or greased baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula. The batter will be on the thicker side, this is to be expected and desired! Trust me!
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes on 355°F. The loaf cake is done when a wooden toothpick or skewer comes out clean. For my oven, my sweet spot for time was 42 minutes. Your oven may be slightly different.
- Once the cake has finished baking, let the loaf cake cool in the baking pan for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.Â
- Allow cake to cool to room temperature before frosting
Directions for Coffee Butter Cream Frosting
- Using and I stand mixer or hand mixer cream the butter for a whole five minutes.
- In small bowl add the instant coffee to the hot water. I do this before mixing any other ingredients so that this mixture to cool.
- Sieve the powdered sugar to prevent any lumps that will make your frosting inconsistent. I start by adding half of the powdered sugar to the butter and then beat for another 3 minutes before adding the remainder of the powdered sugar and then beat for an additional 3 minutes.
- Add the cold coffee/water mixture and the heavy cream into the butter and powder sugar mixture. Beat this mixture for another 3 minutes.
- This recipe does yield a good amount of frosting, read below for what I do with it!
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Recipe FAQs
The cake should have a top that is slightly domed, borders that pull away from the pan’s sides, and a deep chocolate color. When lightly pressed, it should spring back and feel firm to the touch. A toothpick put into the center of the cake should come out clean, and there should be a noticeable scent of chocolate and coffee.
Yes, you can use ground coffee for instant coffee in a recipe for chocolate coffee loaf cake, but you’ll need to prepare a cup of strong coffee to use in the recipe. As an alternative, you might coarsely ground the coffee beans and mix them right into the batter. It’s crucial to keep in mind that using ground coffee instead of instant coffee may change the cake’s texture and flavor.
Use cake flour, add baking powder and baking soda, use ingredients that are at room temperature, avoid overmixing the batter, use a loaf pan that is the right size, and let the cake cool fully before removing it from the pan.
You can use 2% or skim milk, soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk, or any other milk in place of whole milk in a recipe for chocolate coffee loaf cake. But be aware that using a different kind of milk could change the cake’s flavor and texture.
Kitchen Pearls
• You can tailor the amount of instant coffee to your desired intensity! For a more robust flavor, start with the called-for amount and scale up!
• Don’t skip the parchment paper or grease the pan. This dessert looks best outside of the pan!
• I usually wait until just before serving to drizzle the fudge!
• PLOT TWIST…you will have some leftover frosting. ONE WORD—Biscotti. Spread it on a Biscotti!
Storage
• Because this frosting is a buttercream base, I recommend storing in the refrigerator.
• You can store the cake in an airtight container for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.
• Unfortunately, this cake doesn’t freeze well, I tried, don’t do it. Just don’t.
Chocolate Coffee Loaf Cake
At any time of the day, this Chocolate Coffee Loaf Cake is your partner! The rich chocolate flavor of this cake is brought out by the coffee undertones, and also topped with coffee butter cream frosting and a drizzle of melted hot fudge. The recipe for this delicious cakes is really simple, making it your go-to cake for every season!
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
PRINT RECIPE RATE RECIPE PIN RECIPEIngredients
Chocolate Coffee Loaf Cake
- 1 ½ stick of butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulate sugar
- 1 teaspoon of instant coffee
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Coffee Buttercream Frosting
- 1 stick of salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup powedered sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon instant coffee
- ½ teaspoon hot water
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
Fudge Drizzle
- ½ cup Sanders milk chocolate fudge
Instructions
Chocolate Coffee Loaf Cake
- Preheat oven to 355℉. Use parchment paper to line your 8 x 4 loaf pan.
- In a bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream the butter, sugar, instant coffee for five minutes. Add in the vanilla, eggs one by one, then the yolk, lastly the milk, mixing in between each addition.
- Slowly add in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and mix on the slowest speed possible just until all ingredients are combined.
- Pour the batter into your parchment paper lined or greased baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes on 355℉. The loaf cake is done when a wooden toothpick or skewer comes out clean. Let it cool for 5 to 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Coffee Butter Cream Frosting
- Cream the butter for a whole five minutes using a hand or stand mixer.
- In small bowl add the instant coffee to the hot water.
- Sieve the powdered sugar to prevent any lumps. Add half of the powdered sugar to the butter and then beat for 3 minutes. After that, add the remainder of the powdered sugar and then beat for an additional 3 minutes.
- Add the cold coffee/water mixture and the heavy cream into the butter and powder sugar mixture. Beat this mixture for another 3 minutes.
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About the Author
Casey Kolp
Cheers! I’m Casey! Get ready for a blog full of wanderlust, culinary adventures, and unfiltered opinions – where I spill the tea (and the wine) on all things food, lifestyle, and travel!
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