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Saturday night I had an intense craving for chocolate.
That’s nothing unusual — I usually want chocolate most of the time — but this craving was different. I wanted something deeply, richly chocolatey: not a cookie, not a brownie, but a dense, chocolate loaf. After reading reviews for Nigella Lawson’s chocolate loaf, I decided it would satisfy what I was picturing.
The recipe was surprisingly simple: most of the ingredients all went into the food processor. I also added sour cream, which I love in baked goods because it keeps them moist.
The batter turned out smooth and thick — denser than brownie batter and utterly delicious. I could have happily eaten it straight from the processor.
Baking produced a perfectly risen, split loaf with a rich chocolate flavor and tender crumb.
Double Chocolate Chip Loaf
Adapted from Nigella Lawson
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tablespoon good-quality vanilla extract
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 cup boiling water
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 325°F and place a baking sheet inside as it heats. Put the flour, baking soda, cocoa, sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream into a food processor and blend until you have a smooth, satiny batter. Scrape the bowl, then process again while pouring the boiling water through the feed tube. Turn off the processor, remove the blade, and fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.
Scrape the batter into a prepared loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour. The loaf is done when it has risen and split down the middle and a cake tester comes out mostly clean.
Instead of the chocolate sauce included with the original, I chose a Bailey’s glaze for a more indulgent finish.
Bailey’s Glaze
1/2 cup Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur
About 2 cups powdered sugar
Whisk the Bailey’s and powdered sugar together until smooth, adding more sugar to reach your desired thickness. Drizzle a little glaze over each slice for a boozy, sweet finish.
I sliced several pieces that same evening — the cake was that good. I also enjoyed a generous glass of Bailey’s alongside a slice. My husband politely declined the glaze, claiming he “doesn’t like that,” though he’s had it before.