Rich, Moist Chocolate Loaf Cake with Chocolate Chips or Peppermint Bark Chips!
Easy Chocolate Loaf Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze starts with a chocolate box cake mix which makes it super fast and easy to mix up! We add sour cream, eggs, oil and pudding mix which makes the loaf super moist and delicious! A little coffee enhances the chocolate flavor! Then you can customize by mixing in chocolate chips or peppermint bark chips. A creamy cream cheese glaze gets poured over the top of the loaf cake and you can add the sprinkles of your choice!
The recipe makes enough batter to fill two 8″ x 4″ loaf pans. You can save one for yourself and gift one! Or save one for yourself and freeze one! Or enjoy them both!
Why Are Metal Baking Pans Best for Cakes/Quick Breads/Brownies/Bars?
Metal is a heat conductor whereas glass is an heat insulator. Metal pans conduct the heat to the batter more evenly and quickly – leading to a more uniform cake with nice rise. Metal pans cool down quickly once you take them out of the oven – which stops the baking process and helps with not over-baking/drying out baked goods.
Glass being a heat insulator, means that glass pans heat up and cool down more slowly which can lead to edges cooking unevenly and the cake over-baking as the pan holds onto the heat once you take it out of the oven. It’s easier to have over-baked/dried out baked goods.
Stoneware heats up and cools down more slowly – Making it great for savory casseroles and such but maybe not great for baked goods. It can lead to uneven baking results – Also, can keep baking once you take it out of the oven as it retains the heat – this can contribute to over-baked/dried out results.
Easy Chocolate Loaf Cake Recipe Makes 2 Loaf Cakes – Choose your Flavor Variation!
- Chocolate Chocolate Chip
- Peppermint Bark
You can also make them both the same flavor variation or make one of each flavor by adding the chips once you divide the batter into the pans. Simply sprinkle 1/2 cup whatever chip you want over the batter and gently swirl them into the batter.
Peppermint Bark Easy Chocolate Loaf Cake Recipe Version:
Swap out the mini chocolate chips for Peppermint Bark Baking chips! Top the cream cheese glaze with crushed candy canes! My taste testers loved this version!
Peppermint Bark Baking Chips I Have Used:
Other Easy Cake Recipes that Start with Cake Mix:
- Easy Sprinkle Sheet Cake
- Pie Filling Easy Cake
- Melted Ice Cream Cake
- Pumpkin Spice Crumb Cake
- Pistachio Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze
Easy Chocolate Loaf Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze
Equipment
- 2 8" x 4" metal loaf pans see notes
- 1 electric mixer I use my KitchenAid Hand Mixer with Flex Edge Beaters and Pro Whisk
Ingredients
Cake: (see Notes for Peppermint Bark recipe variation.)
- Baking Spray, oil or butter to grease pan
- 1 box chocolate cake mix (15.25 ounce)
- 1 3.9 oz, box chocolate instant pudding mix
- 1 cup sour cream room temp.
- 4 large eggs room temp.
- 1/3 cup oil
- 1/2 cup coffee (not hot) or water + 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Glaze:
- 2 ounces cream cheese room temp.
- 1 1/2 cups (154g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons milk
- sprinkles optional
Instructions
Oven & Pan Prep:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Arrange oven rack to lower central portion.Grease 2, 8" x 4" metal loaf pans. (You can use baking spray. You can also line pan with parchment for easy removal.)
Cake
- In large mixing bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. In large liquid measuring cup or small bowl stir together: Sour Cream, Eggs, Oil. Coffee and vanilla.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips or peppermint bark chips.
- Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan about 5 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.
Glaze
- Use mixer to smooth cream cheese until there are no lumps. Add powdered sugar, vanilla and milk*. Mix until smooth. (*For thicker or thinner texture you can adjust the amount of milk.)
- Once the loaf cakes are almost cool, drizzle on the glaze and sprinkle with decorative sprinkles if desired.
- Keeps for several days in refrigerator. You can loosely cover once the cake is completely cool and the glaze has set.
Notes
Easy Peppermint Bark Chocolate Loaf Cake Recipe Variation:
- Swap out the 1 cup of mini chocolate chips for peppermint bark chips:
- Sprinkle the top of your glazed loaf with crushed peppermint candies / candy cane.
Our family loved these cakes! A lot of the family preferred the Peppermint Bark Version!