Looking for an easy chocolate chip loaf cake recipe that uses simple pantry ingredients and delivers big on flavor? This soft, chocolate-studded loaf is perfect for everyday baking, casual desserts, and cozy coffee breaks.
This easy chocolate chip loaf cake is the kind of recipe you’ll reach for when you want something simple, comforting, and guaranteed to disappear fast. It bakes up soft and moist, with plenty of chocolate in every slice, and uses basic pantry ingredients. Whether you’re slicing it for afternoon coffee, packing it up for a casual get-together, or just treating yourself, this loaf cake is a low-effort, big-reward bake.
Why You’ll Love This Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
- Soft, tender crumb. This loaf bakes up light and moist, so every slice feels like a proper little cake instead of something dry or bread-like.
- Plenty of chocolate in every bite. The chocolate chips are folded into the batter for generous pockets of chocolate throughout each slice.
- Everyday ingredients. No specialty items here — just simple pantry staples you likely already have on hand.
- Low effort, big payoff. It comes together quickly with minimal prep, making it just as good for a last-minute bake as it is for a planned dessert.
- Perfect for sharing. It slices cleanly, travels well, and stays soft for days. Ideal for gifting, potlucks, or keeping on the counter for sneaky snack breaks.
What is the difference between a loaf cake and a pound cake?
In its simplest definition, a loaf cake is any cake baked in a loaf pan. While that can include pound cake, that’s not always the case. Pound cakes usually contain no or very little leavening agents, making it dense. Other cakes, like this one, rely on leavening to help them rise and create a softer crumb.
Want to make pound cake instead? Try my Chocolate Chip Pound Cake!
Key Ingredients
You may very well have everything you need to whip up this cake today! Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- All-purpose flour – The backbone of the loaf. Measure carefully for a soft, tender crumb — too much flour can make the cake feel dense instead of cake-like.
- Butter – Gives the loaf its rich flavor and classic cake texture. Let it come to room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugar.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the cake and helps create a light, even crumb when beaten with the butter.
- Milk – Adds moisture and keeps the batter pourable. You can swap in buttermilk for a slightly softer crumb and a subtle tang.
- Eggs – Provide structure and help the cake rise evenly as it bakes.
- Chocolate chips – The star of the show. Semisweet keeps the balance just right, but dark or bittersweet chips work well if you prefer less sweetness.
- Vanilla extract – Rounds out the chocolate and adds warmth to the overall flavor.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
You’ll love how quickly and easily this cake mixes! It’s a great baking project for bakers of all skill levels.
Cream the butter and sugar until light.
Start by beating the butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture looks pale and fluffy. This step builds air into the batter, which helps give the loaf its soft, cake-like crumb.
Add the eggs and vanilla.
Mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. This keeps the batter smooth and helps everything emulsify properly.
Alternate the dry ingredients and milk.
Add the flour mixture in a few additions, alternating with the milk. This keeps the batter from becoming overworked and helps maintain a tender texture.
Fold in the chocolate chips.
Gently stir in most of the chocolate chips, reserving a small handful to sprinkle over the top for a pretty, chocolate-studded finish.
Bake until just set in the center.
Transfer the batter to your prepared pan and bake until a tester inserted in the middle comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
Cool and slice.
Let the loaf cool briefly in the pan, then move it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing for the cleanest cuts.
Tips for Success
- Use a light-colored metal pan. Your cake will bake more evenly and thoroughly.
- Measure accurately. This cake has a fairly balanced ratio of flour to liquid (milk + eggs), so measuring your flour by weight or spoon-and-sweep will help keep the crumb soft and tender instead of dry or dense. Need a refresher? See my guide to measuring flour.
- Don’t over-mix once you add the flour. After you alternate the flour and milk into the butter-sugar mix, mix just until combined — a few streaks of flour are fine. Over-mixing develops gluten and makes the loaf tougher.
- Room-temp everything. Let your eggs and milk come to room temperature and let your butter soften before mixing. They incorporate more smoothly, which helps the batter emulsify better and bake up evenly.
- Distribute the chocolate chips well. The recipe suggests holding back about ¼ cup of chips and sprinkling them on top before baking. That gives you a pretty look and helps even chocolate distribution throughout the loaf.
- Use good quality chocolate. Since chocolate chips are a star here, choose a semisweet or bittersweet chocolate you’d enjoy eating on its own; it makes a noticeable difference in flavor.
- Coarse sugar adds a little sparkle (optional). A light sprinkle of sanding or turbinado sugar on top before baking creates a subtle sweet crust and a pretty finish.
- Tent if browning too quickly. If the top starts to get too dark before the center is done, loosely tent with foil partway through baking. This keeps the loaf from over-browning while the middle finishes cooking.
- Cool before slicing. Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Cooling helps set the crumb so your slices are cleaner and less crumbly.
Variations and Simple Swaps
- Switch up the chocolate. Semisweet chips keep things classic, but bittersweet or dark chocolate chunks give the loaf a deeper, less-sweet edge. White chocolate or milk chocolate work if you’re in a sweeter mood.
- Add a little crunch. Fold in ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans along with the chocolate chips for a bit of texture without changing the structure of the cake.
- Milk swap. This recipe uses regular milk, but buttermilk will give the loaf a slightly softer crumb and a subtle tang. Use it in the same amount.
- Vanilla boost. If you love a strong vanilla note, try adding a splash of vanilla bean paste along with the extract for a little extra depth.
- Make it dessert-worthy. Serve slices with lightly sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an easy, no-fuss upgrade.
How to Store
- Room temperature: Once completely cooled, store the loaf tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. It stays soft and slices nicely even the next day.
- Refrigerator: If your kitchen runs warm, you can refrigerate it for up to 5 days. Be sure your container is airtight so the cake doesn’t become dry. Let slices come back to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
- Freezer-friendly: This loaf freezes beautifully. Wrap the whole loaf or individual slices in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm slices briefly for a just-baked feel.
A Simple Loaf Cake You’ll Come Back To
This chocolate chip loaf cake is one of those recipes that earns a permanent spot in your baking rotation. It’s easy enough for a casual afternoon bake, reliable enough to share, and just special enough to feel like a treat every time you slice into it. Whether you keep it classic or play around with a few of the variations, it’s the kind of cake that fits just about any moment that calls for something sweet.
More Loaf Cake Recipes
Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) milk
- 1 cup (170 g) 170g dark chocolate chips, semisweet or bittersweet
- coarse sugar, like sanding sugar or turbinado sugar (optional)
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9" x 5" loaf pan, line with parchment paper, and lightly grease the paper.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla extract.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the flour in three portions, alternating with two portions of milk. Mix just until combined or a few streaks of flour remain. Set aside 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips, and stir the remainder into the batter.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and spread it evenly. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips over the top of the cake. If you like, sprinkle a few pinches of coarse sugar over the top of the batter.
- Bake 60 to 65 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and a pick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Then remove the cake from the pan and place directly on a wire rack to continue cooling.
Notes
- Yield: This loaf slices cleanly into about 8–10 servings, depending on how generous you’re feeling.
- Pan size matters. A 9×5-inch loaf pan gives this cake enough room to rise and bake evenly. Double check your pan’s measurements before baking.
- Milk substitute. Buttermilk can be used in place of regular milk for a slightly softer crumb and subtle tang.
- Chocolate options. Semisweet chips are classic, but bittersweet or dark chocolate chunks work beautifully for a less-sweet finish.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.
- Freezing tip. Wrap the cooled loaf or individual slices tightly and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for best texture.
2 Comments on “Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake”
This chocolate chip loaf cake was to die for!Very easy to make and loved it.Im in heaven!
I’m so happy to hear that, Eileen! 🙂