Double Chocolate Quick Bread
Quick breads should be simple and no-fuss and this decadent chocolate quick bread proves that theory correct! Soft and moist, it is pure chocolate heaven!
Every time I start obsessing about perfecting a recipe, my kids get a look of panic and ask in shaky, worried voices if this is going to turn into a Yellow Cake Situation.
Their concern is valid since they lived through several months of 16+ variations of yellow cake before it was finally perfected, and while some people may not consider that a bad thing, I don’t think my kids wanted to see yellow cake again for a very, very long time. Neither did I, if we are being completely honest.
This chocolate bread isn’t nearly that extreme (thank goodness), but it did take several tries to get right.
Who knew that wanting a super moist double chocolate quick bread without bananas would prove to be a bit of an undertaking.
I don’t have anything against banana bread or even chocolate banana bread (or banana chocolate muffins; recipe coming soon) but I wanted a non-banana version of chocolate bread for no other reason than I swear every time I get a craving for something decadent and baked and chocolate, I don’t want to immediately be concerned about whether or not I have bananas ripening for destruction on the kitchen counter.
Simple as simple can be, this bread is exactly what a quick bread should be: quick and extremely non-fussy.
The result is a very tender, very chocolatey bread that is moist and delicious and believe it or not, is as delicious (if not more so) the next day.
I know you’ll ask and I don’t have answers – but I have not tried this bread as muffins. But please do so! And report back.
I can tell you, though, that it bakes perfectly in a 9X5-inch pan (as stated in the recipe) and also works wonderfully in one of those adorable tea loaf pans, which is a longer, narrower version of the 9X5-inch pan, and is perfect if you want smaller slices (instead of always cutting the 9X5-inch slices in half for your kids or for yourself – even if you know you’re going to go back for the 2nd half anyway).
Thanks to Teresa, a frequent commenter, for telling me about the tea loaf pan on the Whole Grain Cinnamon Applesauce Bread post. Evidently, I didn’t even know my life had a void that needed filled until I heard about it but I do know that my quick breads are looking skinnier and cuter than ever these days.
One Year Ago: Scripture Bars {i.e. Mud Hen Bars or Marshmallow Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars}
Two Years Ago: Cream Cheese Banana Bread with Sweet Cinnamon Topping
Three Years Ago: Cowboy Spaghetti
Double Chocolate Quick Bread
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (213 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (28 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup (113 g) unsweetened applesauce
- ⅓ cup oil, vegetable, avocado, melted coconut, etc.
- 1 cup (212 g) light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup (151 g) sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 cup (170 g) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9X5-inch baking pan and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the applesauce, oil, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla and sour cream until well blended.
- Add the dry ingredients and pour the chocolate chips on top of the dry ingredients. Stir until the batter is just combined (don’t overmix!).
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 45-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs but not wet batter.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before running a knife gently around the edges and turning out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
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Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Used extra oil instead of applesauce, completely forgot to add the sour cream, and it still tasted good! Had it in the oven for 55min, next time I’m going to take it out sooner. And there will definitely be a next time because I want applesauce and sour cream in there!
Quick question, I thought a cup of flour was 120g. Wouldn’t 1.5 cups be 180g then? I don’t care which is right for this recipe, I just want to clarify to make it right & stuff my face!!!
I test all my recipes using 142 grams of flour per cup (different sources online use different amounts, it’s important to use the weights provided in a tested recipe even if it differs from other sources).
Delicious! Will be repeating as hubs is a chocolate addict!
Used veg oil, sour cream, double dark dutch cocoa, available chocolate chips & a bit of espresso. Doubled recipe.
Thank-you!
Absolutely fantastic recipe!
I used Cocoa Barry extra brut cocoa, dark brown sugar and added a scant tsp of espresso powder because it pairs well with cocoa. Otherwise, I followed the recipe as written, using avocado oil and the sour cream option.
The bread is very good! As another person said, it’s even better the next day. My husband and friend both really liked it, too.
This is definitely going in the repeat file!
Ummm, so I took this bread out of the oven at 7pm and by 8:30 half of it was gone. This morning there is just a tiny sliver left. I mean, are my kids disgusting or what?!?
I followed the recipe exactly using dutch process cocoa and it was excellent. Color is not as dark as in the photos, but Mel says she uses Hershey’s Extra Dark. Chocolate flavor is more pronounced on the second day, but how can you resist gooey chocolate chips and that decadent smell in your kitchen on the first day?
Another easy to make and easy to eat winner from Mel’s Miraculous Kitchen!
Haha, the comment about your kids made me laugh out loud.
I made this as muffins yesterday and they turned out great! The recipe made 18 muffins (I have 2 very old 8-well tins.). I used vegetable oil, sour cream, and both Ghirardelli cocoa and milk chocolate chips. I baked half without the chocolate chips and half with chocolate chips and cocoa nibs. The plain muffins were reminiscent of a cup of hot chocolate, nice and pleasantly chocolate. The second half was deliciously chocolate and decadent. The cocoa nibs added more chocolate flavor but may be an acquired taste because of their seedy texture compared to nuts. (My daughter is allergic to nuts.)
I’m a stay at home mom/wife and make and sell a variety of breads just to earn a little income for myself. Alot of people have been requesting chocolate bread so I tried this recipe out and it was great. It would’ve been nice if this recipe would show the ingredient measurements if you wanted to double or triple the recipe. Also can anyone please tell me the total calories for this loaf of bread. Thanks.
The house smells great! I only had sweetened cinnamon applesauce so I decreased the brown sugar by 1/3 c. It had just the right amount of sweetness. I’m going to try adding coconut next time.
Dear Mel:
This message is about the “Double Chocolate Quick Bread” recipe. That recipe requires (unsweetened) applesauce and brown sugar. Now most people are trying to cut down on sugars. So I have two important questions for you.
Here are your questions:
1. What ingredient would you recommend for people who prefer not to use
applesauce?
2. What is the best substitute for brown sugar?
If you have the answers to both questions, please send your response to me as soon as possible.
I thank you in advance and hope to receive your reply.
Best regards,
W. A. P.
Hi there, applesauce is a great way to cut down the sugars naturally – you could use another kind of pureed fruit, like pureed plums or something like that. Are you looking for a sugar substitute, you could experiment with stevia or the like.
Question: did you packed the 1 cup light brown sugar?
Yes, lightly packed brown sugar.
I’m an avid baker and was looking for a applesauce chocolate bread. It’s very rare I find a recipe that needs no changes on my part. I didn’t change anything on this recipe. I did add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the batter. That’s just a habit I have for any recipe with chocolate. And it took 1 h 10 minutes in the oven for me. This bread is amazing! Was great the same day, and great the day after. Thank you so much Mel for sharing such a wonderful recipe. Next on my list is your whole grain cinnamon applesauce bread!
I made this recipe today, and oh-m-gee! It is sooooo good! I mean…double chocolate. Come on!
Wondering if this is a recipe in which a high quality dark chocolate (Valrhona, Callebaut) would make a difference? Curious if anyone has tried it.
Hi Evelyn. Yes, it will work with Valrhona. I used Droste, which is dutch process like Valrhona and it was delicious. I have used both brands, and I personally like Droste better. Added bonus, Droste is less expensive.
Delicious cake. Worked well made in donut pans- grandkids love donuts so tried this. It made 12 donuts, plus a 3X5 loaf with the extras. Super easy and successful. Might do all donuts next time. I used non fat yogurt and Droste’s cocoa. No changes to the recipe. Thanks for the recipe
Can I substitute buttermilk for the sour cream?
It’s thinner than sour cream, but it might work – I haven’t tried it, but worth a try!
Has anyone tried it with Cayenne Pepper to make like Mexican chocolate or cinnamon? Also going to try the peppermint version described before.
Do you need applesauce? Can you replace it with something else? Thanks!
You can use more oil or melted butter in place of the applesauce.
Hi Mel, can I replace the vegetable oil for butter? Thanks
Yes, I think so! Melted butter (if you use salted butter, you might want to decrease the salt a bit in the recipe)
Hi all!!
Anyone wanting a sweet treat who has a sugar intolerance, check out this chocolate bread recipe! Although it calls for a cup of brown sugar, I left it out altogether and replaced it with about 1 teaspoon of monk fruit powder (but adjust to your taste). To make up for the loss of bulk I just added a little more coconut oil, applesauce, and sour cream. Not only does that replace the sugar bulk but it also makes the bread a lot more moist and dense. For the chocolate chips I used Artisan brand extra dark chips 61% cacao. That’s only 5 grams of sugar per serving of chips (1 tablespoon) which equals about 1/3 – 2/3 of a serving of chips per slice of bread or 1.67- 3.33 grams of sugar per slice (depending on the amount of chips you use, 1/2 to 1 cup).
I have made this recipe many times already, and needed something quick and easy for a Christmas party yesterday. I had also made your Buckeye Cookies you just posted a couple days ago, and had peanut butter frosting left from that. I decided when I made this bread, to add in peanut butter chips with the chocolate chips, and then top it with the leftover peanut butter frosting a d more chocolate chips.
Ooooof. It was a great decision.
Hi, Im Cindy, One Question. I do not have any applesauce but i do have the sour cream and the yogurt and all other ingredients. Should I use butter in the recipe since I do not have applesauce ? How will it come pit without the sauce ?
Yes, you can use oil or melted butter for the applesauce.
Is this recipe similar to the “Double Dutch Chocolate Recipe”? Is it the same? I’ve never had it so I wasn’t sure. Please help!
I’m not familiar with that recipe, so I’m not sure. Sorry!