Double Chocolate Loaf Cake with Chocolate Glaze

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Raaka Chocolate.

This cake calls for both baking chocolate and cocoa powder for double the flavor. A simple chocolate glaze spread on top makes this loaf cake extra decadent.

I’m certainly no stranger to chocolate cake. It’s rich and delicious, and definitely what I want a slice of for celebrations. However, it doesn’t need to be saved for a special occasion. A good chocolate cake can make even the most mundane of days that much more exciting. That’s where this cake comes in.

In coming up with this chocolate loaf cake recipe, I turned to an old favorite for chocolate layer cake for inspiration, using both chocolate pieces and cocoa powder. However, I switched up the method to get rid of having to cream butter and sugar, making this recipe much easier to come together and more suitable for regular, everyday baking.

Which chocolate is used for cake?

There are lots of options for what chocolate to use for cake, from different types of cocoa powder to the varying amounts of cacao in solid chocolate. Different recipes can call for one or more of the following: natural cocoa powder, Dutch-processed cocoa powder, baking chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, dark chocolate, and semisweet chocolate. Each can have its place depending on the desired outcome and other ingredients, but it’s important to know that what is used can impact both the flavor and texture of the cake.

Dutch-Process vs. Natural Cocoa Powder

In terms of different types of cocoa powder, Dutch-process cocoa powder adds a smoother, slightly earthier flavor than natural cocoa powder. It also gives the finished product a much deeper color, as shown here. In baking, the different types of cocoa powders can impact the structure of the finished product and how much it rises, so it’s important to follow the recipe. (Sometimes they can be used interchangeably, but I haven’t tested using natural cocoa powder with this particular recipe.)

What is Baking Chocolate?

The term “baking chocolate” can be a little confusing. Some people use it to refer to unsweetened chocolate that is 100% cacao, whereas others use it more broadly to include dark, bittersweet, and semisweet chocolate (meaning that there is at least some sugar included). In theory, anything made with just cacao and sugar (if any) qualifies as “baking chocolate” as long as it doesn’t include other ingredients like flavorings or emulsifiers.

For this recipe, I used Raaka’s recently launched Classic Dark Baking Chocolate. Raaka is known for thoughtful sourcing through transparent trade and making all of its products with unroasted cacao beans. By leaving the beans unroasted, a lot more of the fruit flavor comes through in Raaka’s chocolate compared to other chocolate producers. (In case you didn’t know, chocolate comes from fruit!)

Chocolate Glaze with Corn Syrup

While there is some of the beautiful Raaka chocolate in the cake batter itself, you don’t get to enjoy much of its delicious flavor when combined with all of the other ingredients. But to fix that, a simple glaze on top highlights the chocolate’s delightful fruitiness and adds an extra dose of richness and decadence. For this glaze, simply melt chocolate with butter and corn syrup and spread on top of the cake. The corn syrup adds a glossy sheen, but if you don’t have corn syrup, any liquid sweetener—like honey, maple syrup, or agave—should also do the trick.

Storing Chocolate Cake

This recipe will keep well under a cake dome or other protective container at room temperature. It lasted for a handful of days before it was all gone, and it was just as moist and tasty on the first day as the last.

More Chocolate Cake Recipes:

Buttermilk Chocolate Cake
Chocolate Sheet Cake
Chocolate Cake with Orange Bitters

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Raaka Chocolate.