RECIPE: Chocolate Loaf Cake

For my first Snowpocalypse treat, I decided on a recipe by Nigella Lawson for her Chocolate Loaf Cake. She described it as rich, gooey and dense, and it seemed like the perfect treat after shoveling. However, in all honesty is should really be called Butter Loaf Cake with a hint of Chocolate. There are 2 sticks of butter in this cake. TWO. At first I wasn't phased because I knew Dan and I would be shoveling those butter sticks away, but eating a slice produced a ton of guilt in me, and now half of the loaf is left wrapped on the counter.

The taste of the loaf itself was OK. I think using a better chocolate would maybe up the deliciousness, but in reality I found it TOO gooey. I like my cakes a little bit more set than what this called for. Dan thought it was good, but I probably would never have served this to guests without sticking it back in the oven for another 10 minutes.

Anyway, why post this recipe if I didn't really like it? Well...I think it's important to get other reviews. Have you ever made this before? I don't have any pictures of the cake....it's not really anything to look at. Just as the recipe says, it may sink in the middle...and WOH did mine sink.

UPDATE: Right after I wrote this, Dan ate TWO slices and told me how much he loved this cake hhahahahahaha.

Here is the recipe:

Dense Chocolate Loaf Cake

from How to be a Domestic Goddess by Nigella Lawson

1 cup soft unsalted butter

1 2/3 cups dark brown sugar

2 large eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ounces best bittersweet chocolate, melted

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons boiling water

9- by 5-inch loaf pan

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, put in a baking sheet in case of sticky drips later, and grease and line the loaf pan. The lining is important as this is a very damp cake: use parchment or one of those loaf-pan-shaped paper liners.

Cream the butter and sugar, either with a wooden spoon or with an electric hand-held mixer, then add the eggs and vanilla, beating in well. Next, fold in the melted and now slightly cooled chocolate, taking care to blend well but being careful not to overbeat. You want the ingredients combined: You don't want a light, airy mass. Then gently add the flour, to which you've added the baking soda, alternately spoon by spoon, with the boiling water until you have a smooth and fairly liquid batter. Pour into the lined loaf pan, and bake for 30 minutes. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees and continue to cook for another 15 minutes. The cake will still be a bit squidgy inside, so an inserted cake tester or skewer won't come out completely clean.

Place the loaf pan on a rack, and leave to get completely cold before turning it out. (I often leave it for a day or so: like gingerbread, it improves.) Don't worry if it sinks in the middle: indeed, it will do so because it's such a dense and damp cake.

Makes 8 – 10 slices.