Chocolate Sour Cream Loaf Cake

 

Chocolate Sour Cream Loaf Cake

(Bi-Rite–adjacent, very moist, forgiving)

Pan & Oven

• Pan: 9×5 loaf

• Prep: line with parchment, then spray

• Oven: 350°F (175°C)

---

Ingredients

Dry

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• 1 ¾ cups granulated sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

Wet

• ¾ cup hot water (or hot coffee if you want, but water is great)

• 1 cup full-fat sour cream

• 2 large eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Add-in

• 1 cup mini chocolate chips, tossed with 1 teaspoon flour

---

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
   Prepare your 9×5 pan with parchment + spray.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together:
   flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together:
   hot water, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and canola oil.

4. Pour wet ingredients into dry and whisk until smooth and fully combined.
   (No mixer needed. Don’t overdo it — just smooth.)

5. Gently fold in the floured chocolate chips.

6. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.

---

Bake

• Bake 50–55 minutes, checking at 45 minutes

• Toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter

• If the top looks set early, loosely tent with foil

---

Cool (important!)

• Cool in pan 20 minutes

• Lift out using parchment and cool completely on a rack

• Wait at least 45 minutes before slicing — this cake finishes setting as it cools