Chocolate Bread Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter and line the bottom with a strip of parchment paper for easier removal.

In a large mixing bowl, sift or whisk together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined and there are no lumps of cocoa or baking powder.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs lightly until blended. Add the milk, yogurt (or sour cream), vegetable oil (or melted butter), and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and homogeneous.

Temper the wet mixture by pouring about one-third of the dry ingredients into the wet bowl and whisking gently to begin incorporating (this reduces lumps).

Pour the wet mixture into the large bowl with the remaining dry ingredients. Fold with a spatula or mix with a low-speed paddle until just combined — do not overmix. The batter should be thick but pourable. If it seems too stiff, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk.

Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips (reserve 2 tablespoons for topping) until evenly distributed.

Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips or coarse sugar over the top for a decorative finish.

Bake in the preheated oven for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Start checking at 45 minutes to avoid overbaking.

When done, remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, invert onto the rack, and remove the parchment. Cool completely (about 1 hour) before slicing to ensure clean slices.

Store the cooled chocolate bread wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. To refresh slightly, warm slices in a toaster oven for 3–4 minutes.