Ahh chocolate bread. I make this often and always to great reviews. I take no credit for recipe creation, it is almost straight out of a cookbook called Baked Explorations (Poliafito and Lewis). It’s pretty much can’t miss. It was already on this site but the pictures were horrible and I hadn’t yet made the cream cheese spread. Made the cream cheese spread this past week – ate cream cheese spread with bread. Died. Came back to life to write this post so that you, too, could experience the extraordinary culinary death provided by cream cheese spread.

This recipe comes together just like any other quick bread (banana bread, zucchini bread, etc.). Basically quick breads involve whisking dries, whisking wets, and gently combining and then stirring in any extras. SO easy. They’re called quick because they rise with the help of baking powder/soda, instead of yeast.

The thing is, the bread is like no quick bread I’ve ever had. It’s sweet but not so sweet that you can only eat a bit (which is why it’s just PERFECTION with the spread). Whatever you do, don’t make this for your girlfriends on one of those “sit around and talk for six hours” situations. You will eat it all. Instead of feeling gross though, you will look at each other with a special secretive glint in your eyes, saying “we just ate a whole loaf of chocolate bread and I don’t care, I would do it again if the chocolate bread reappeared”.

Double Chocolate Bread
recipe slightly adapted from Baked Explorations

3/4 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1 c. dark unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 c.  flour

3/4 c. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

3/4 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 c. vegetable oil

1 1/3 c. dark chocolate (bittersweet) chips or chunks

Spread

5 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 tbsp. creamy peanut butter

1/3 c. powdered sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan. I routinely use that butter/flour spray and it works great! Also, I used a 10 inch pan with no problems.  You could even make this batter into muffins! Just fill each hole 2/3 of the way and bake for about 20 minutes.

2. Place the brown sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the cocoa, flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix until combined.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolk, the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla.

4. Turn the mixer to low and slowly stream the wet ingredients into the dry, mixing until just combined.

5. Turn off the mixer and stir in the dark chocolate chunks by hand.

I used Ghirardelli bittersweet chips

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Be careful not to under-bake. If it’s not done and it comes out of the oven it will sink in the middle. Gross.

7. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a cooling rack.

To make spread, combine all ingredients and whisk well (or mix with an electric mixer) until smooth.

If freezing: Cool COMPLETELY. Wrap in plastic wrap (maybe double plastic wrap) and then tin foil. Could freeze for up to 3 months.

If keeping around: Keep in an air tight container or wrapped in plastic and foil. Could last up to 3 or 4 days (good luck with that).