Simple Chocolate Walnut Loaf Cake Recipe

This Chocolate Walnut Loaf Cake makes a rich chocolate cake-style loaf with bits of walnuts inside.

I love baking all sorts of goodies and I tend to go for ones that are not too fussy. Ones with simple ingredients and not too many steps. Who has time to be so complicated?

I find loaf-style cakes to be a great option for achieving this. Honestly, I will say when choosing to make one I most often will go to my Classic Banana Bread by default. As there are almost always browning bananas on the countertop. But alas my daughter will insist on something chocolate and so many times the bananas might go into the freezer bin for a rainy day.

Today I am sharing with you her favorite new recipe, a chocolate walnut loaf cake that is a blend of crunchy walnuts and lots of chocolate. This simple cake has a brownie-like quality to it with its chocolatey flavor and dense crumb. The walnuts give it a delicious nutty flavor that pairs well with the chocolate. 

Chocolate Walnut Loaf Cake Is…

• ​Made with simple ingredients
• Chocolatey with a brownie like texture and nice nutty flavor
• A decadent dessert that is really as easy as making a quick bread
• Perfect to serve with a cup of tea or bold coffee

What You’ll Need To Make It

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup salted butter (room temperature)

1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup of sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp of vanilla extract

1 tsp of baking powder

1 tsp of baking soda

3/4 cup of milk

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions

Begin by preheating the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl cream the sugar, butter, vanilla, and eggs together.

In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredients by sifting the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda together.

Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in the larger bowl. Pour in the milk. Stir until combined.

Chop the walnuts into small bits (as pictured). Fold the walnuts into the batter with a wooden spoon.

Pour batter into a waiting buttered and floured loaf pan.

Bake for approximately 45-50 minutes or until you can stick a toothpick into the center and remove it cleanly. I like to bake mine until just done. Be careful not to overbake. Let cool on a wire rack, then slice with a sharp knife and serve.

Baking Tips

• To prevent the cake from sinking in the middle when baking, sift the flour and cocoa powder. This will also prevent clumps in your cake batter.
• Be sure to butter and flour your loaf pan to prevent sticking.
• For easier clean-up, cut a piece of parchment paper to line the bottom of the loaf pan.
• Use real butter, not margarine.
• I use unbleached organic all-purpose flour.

Tools You May Need

Loaf Pan

Cuisinart Black Stand Mixer

Wooden Measuring Spoons

White Mixing Bowls Set of 4

Wooden Measuring Spoons

Linen Apron

*Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may receive commissions if you choose to purchase through the links I provide (at no cost to you).

FAQ

Can I freeze a loaf?

Yes, you can. The trick to freezing is using a good zip lock bag with a good seal and making sure you push all the air out. I do this by folding it over and then closing the bag. You will want to make sure you allow the bread to completely cool off before placing it in your zip lock bag and into the freezer. I also find wrapping it first with a bit of parchment paper before placing it in the freezer bag helps keep the loaf protected.

To thaw, you will just take it out about 2 hours prior to when you want to eat it or serve it.

What flour works best?

I use unbleached organic all-purpose flour. I find it works great for this recipe and for most cake recipes I make. Using all-purpose flour creates more of a dense cake with its high protein content however, using cake flour is fine too. The result will be a little less dense and a bit more delicate.

Can I use vegetable oil instead of butter?

A good rule of thumb is to replace 3/4 of the butter with oil. You can use canola, vegetable, or olive oil to do this. This means you would need about 1/3 cup of oil in place of the butter. Since this recipe calls for salted butter, be sure to add a 1/2 tsp of sea salt to make up for the salt lost in the butter.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve sliced with a bowl of whipped cream on the side for dinner parties and gatherings.
• Dress it up with a bowl of fresh raspberries on the side.
• Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Make a chocolate ganache to pour over.
• Enjoy it plain sliced with coffee or tea.

Pin For Later

More Recipes To Try…

• Mini Lemon Cheesecakes
• Strawberry Coffee Cake
• Easy Blueberry Tart
• Classic Banana Bread

If you try this recipe and love it, I would love it if you would come back and give it 5 stars!