Chocolate Loaf Cake with Cherry Frosting
Chocolate Loaf Cake with Cherry Frosting – this simple chocolate cake recipe is a delight to make for any occasion. Use homemade or store-bought cake mix and top with a festive and delicious cherry frosting! You’ll satisfy those chocolate cravings in no time!
Chocolate cake is our go-to family dessert.
I’ve made a handful of chocolate cakes over the years like Heart-Shaped Chocolate Cake, Ultimate Dark Chocolate Cake, Ultimate Chocolate Sheet Cake, Reese’s Puffs Chocolate Cake and now this easy Chocolate Loaf Cake with Cherry Frosting.
I’m a firm believer that you can eat a chocolate cake for breakfast, lunch or dinner. BUT! The best part? You can save yourself a step and simply use store-bought chocolate cake mix. Of course, you are always welcome to make your own homemade chocolate cake mix, but when you have kiddos running around, sometimes a box mix will do the trick.
Chocolate Loaf Cake Ingredients
Simplicity is the most important thing when it comes to making this loaf cake. I decided to use a store-bought cake mix instead of making a cake from scratch. In my opinion, there is no wrong way to make a cake. You will need:
- 1 box basic chocolate cake mix – you can use any flavor you like. Personally, if you’ve got a bunch of chocolate lovers to feed, get the dark chocolate mix!
- Vegetable oil – contributes moistness to the cake
- Egg – helps provide structure to the cake
- Unsalted butter – provides a creaminess to the frosting
- Powdered sugar – base of the frosting
- Vanilla extract – adds sweetness to the the frosting
- Almond extract – gives the frosting a little something extra
- Maraschino Cherry Juice – gives the frosting a pink hue color
- Milk – helps to thin the frosting
- Kosher salt – need this to help balance out the sweetness of the frosting
- Heart sprinkles – garnish or use whatever kind of toppings you like
How to Make a Moist Chocolate Loaf Cake
The approach to making a loaf cake is no different than a traditional cake. You will simply pour the batter into a loaf pan versus a 9-inch cake round.
The key to success for the loaf cake is to make sure you line the pan with parchment paper. Once the cake cools, you can easily lift the cake out of the pan.
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Line a loaf pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking spray to make sure the cake doesn’t stick
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chocolate cake mix (dry ingredients) with the wet ingredients – eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Once the loaf cake batter is smooth, pour it into the prepared pan.
- Bake the chocolate loaf cake for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the loaf pan from the oven and let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile, make the cherry frosting. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 cup of powdered sugar on medium speed. Next, add in the milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and kosher salt.
- Continue to mix and add the remaining cup of powdered sugar. Pour in the cherry juice and more milk as needed until desired consistency of the frosting is met.
- Remove the loaf cake from the pan and place on a serving platter. Frost the delicious cake with the cherry frosting using a rubber spatula and garish with hearts.
Topping Ideas
Serve this Chocolate Loaf Cake with just the cherry frosting, or add a garnish like these festive hearts. You can even skip the cherry frosting if you like and serve the cake as it is or with a simple dusting of confectioners’ sugar. I also recommend it served with fresh raspberries, cherries, or strawberries. You could also try:
- Mini chocolate chips
- Chocolate sprinkles
- Toasted sweetened coconut
- Chopped toasted nuts
- Espresso powder
- Chocolate curls, grated chocolate, or simple chocolate glaze
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you adjust this for a high altitude chocolate cake recipe? Yes, you can. Simply follow the instructions on the back of the box for any high altitude adjustments.
Can I add sour cream to the frosting recipe? Definitely. I would start with a 1/4 cup of sour cream and see what the consistency looks like! Add mores as desired.
How to Store to a Chocolate Loaf Cake
Once the loaf cake has cooled, store it in an airtight container at room temperature. The cake should keep for up to 3 days. Placing the container in the refrigerator will extend that by a couple of days, but be extra sure the container is airtight as refrigerating tends to make cakes dry out quickly.
How to Freeze a Chocolate Loaf Cake
To freeze the cake without the cherry frosting, wrap it in two layers of plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag or container.
To freeze the cake with the cherry frosting, first place the remaining loaf cake or slices of loaf cake on a baking sheet. Place in the freezer long enough to allow the frosting to harden (about an hour or two). Then wrap the loaf cake in two layers of plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag or container.
Stored properly, the loaf cake should keep up to 3 months in the freezer. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for an hour or two at room temperature. Be sure to remove the tight plastic wrap so the glaze won’t stick to it once it’s thawed.
More Chocolate Cake Recipes to Enjoy
- Heart-Shaped Chocolate Cake
- Ultimate Dark Chocolate Cake with Marshmallow Frosting
- Reese’s Puffs Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Dark Chocolate Cake with Cherry Pop Rocks Covered Truffles
Chocolate Loaf Cake with Cherry Frosting
Ingredients
- 1 box Chocolate Cake Mix (*I used Duncan Hines basic chocolate cake mix)
- 1/3 cup Vegetable oil
- 3 large Eggs
- 1 1/4 cups Water
- 4 tbsp Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 cups Powdered sugar, divided
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 tsp Almond extract
- 1 tbsp Milk
- 2 tbsp Maraschino Cherry Juice
- 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
- Hearts, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard oaf pan with parchment paper with a litle bit of overlap on the sides. Spray with nonstick cooking spray to make sure the cake doesn’t stick
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chocolate cake mix (dry ingredients) with the (wet ingredients )- eggs, vegetable oil, and water. Once the loaf cake batter is smooth, pour it into the prepared pan.
- Bake the chocolate loaf cake for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the loaf pan from the oven and let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
- Meanwhile, make the cherry frosting. In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and 1 cup of powdered sugar on medium speed. Next, add in the milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, and kosher salt.
- Continue to mix and add the remaining 1 cup of powdered sugar. Pour in the cherry juice and more milk as needed until desired consistency of the frosting is met.
- Remove the loaf cake from the pan and place on a serving platter. Frost the delicious cake with the cherry frosting using a rubber spatula and garish with hearts.
