Decadent Chocolate Loaf Cake Recipe for Perfect Slices

This chocolate loaf cake is moist, easy to make, and finished with a simple strawberry frosting made from freeze-dried strawberries. It’s a great reason to pull out a loaf pan when you’re craving chocolate baked goods.

Beginner home cooks: scroll for a clear, printable recipe with step-by-step instructions and a video demonstration.

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make the loaf and the frosting.

Chocolate loaf cake base

• 10 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, divided
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup milk (2%), room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup hot water

Strawberry frosting

• 1 oz freeze-dried strawberries (about 1 cup)
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar, divided
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp milk (2% or whole), divided

Chocolate loaf cake recipe

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease the bottom and sides of a loaf pan, then line with parchment paper so the paper extends up the sides for easy removal.
2. Brush about 1 tbsp of the melted butter over the parchment and the pan sides to help the parchment stick.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with the granulated sugar until combined. Add the cooled melted butter, milk, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry mixture slowly, whisking just until combined. Scrape the bowl with a spatula, then stir in the hot water and whisk for about 30 seconds to loosen the batter.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 40–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to rest in the pan until it reaches room temperature — if you can wait, letting it set for an hour improves slicing.
7. Use the parchment to lift the loaf from the pan. Run a butter knife around the edges if needed to release any stuck spots. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely before frosting, or enjoy plain.

Frosting recipe

1. Place the freeze-dried strawberries in a sealed plastic bag and crush them into a fine powder with a rolling pin, or pulse them in a food processor until powdered.
2. In a large bowl with a hand mixer or in a stand mixer, beat the softened butter with 1 cup of the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth and pale.
3. Gradually add the remaining powdered sugar and the strawberry powder, mixing and scraping the bowl as needed. When the mixture is thick and combined, add milk a tablespoon at a time until you reach a spreadable consistency. You may not need all the milk.
4. Spread the frosting over the cooled loaf. Slice and serve.

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Chocolate Loaf Cake with Strawberry Frosting

A moist chocolate loaf topped with an easy strawberry buttercream made from freeze-dried strawberries.

Course: Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Keyword: chocolate loaf cake, strawberry frosting

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 740 kcal

Author: Jenna Passaro

Video

Ingredients

Chocolate loaf cake base

• 10 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, divided
• ½ cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup milk (2%), room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup hot water

Strawberry icing

• 1 oz freeze-dried strawberries (about 1 cup)
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups powdered sugar, divided
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp milk (2% or whole), divided

Instructions

For the chocolate loaf cake base

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. Brush melted butter over the parchment and pan sides.
3. Whisk cocoa, flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
4. In another bowl, whisk eggs and sugar. Add cooled melted butter, milk, and vanilla; whisk to combine.
5. Combine wet and dry ingredients, then stir in hot water and whisk briefly.
6. Bake 40–50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the loaf cool in the pan to room temperature.
7. Lift the loaf from the pan using the parchment and finish cooling on a rack before frosting.

Strawberry cake frosting

1. Powder the freeze-dried strawberries with a rolling pin in a bag or in a food processor.
2. Beat butter with 1 cup powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Add remaining powdered sugar and strawberry powder, mixing until combined.
3. Add milk a tablespoon at a time to reach your preferred consistency.
4. Spread frosting over the cooled cake, slice, and enjoy.

Notes

Watch the full-length YouTube recipe video for step-by-step guidance.

Nutrition

Calories: 740 kcal |
Carbohydrates: 100 g |
Protein: 7 g |
Fat: 38 g

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