Nick Malgieri
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Nick Malgieri

Chocolate Spice Bread

For those of us who can never get enough chocolate, here’s an easy quick bread that’s packed with chocolate flavor. Watch this carefully toward the end of the baking time and make sure to remove it from the oven as soon as it’s ready. Over-baking will make the bread very dry.

Makes one 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4-inch loaf, 12 to 16 slices

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spoon flour into dry-measure cup and level off)
1/3 cup, alkalized (Dutch process) cocoa powder, sifted after measuring
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2/3 cup sour cream

One 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 3/4-inch loaf pan, buttered and the bottom lined with a piece of parchment or buttered wax paper cut to fit


  1. Set a rack in the middle level of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and spices in a mixing bowl; stir well to combine.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs to break them up, then whisk in the granulated sugar and the brown sugar. Continue whisking for a minute, or until the mixture lightens. Whisk in the butter and sour cream.
  4. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture all at once and gently whisk until smooth.
  5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake the bread until it is well risen and a toothpick or a narrow-bladed knife inserted into the center of the bread emerges clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
  6. Cool the bread in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then unmold it and cool it completely on a rack. Transfer the bread to a platter or cutting board before serving.

Serving: Cut the bread into thin slices and serve with preserves or marmalade. Raspberry preserves or ginger marmalade are especially good with it.

Storage: Keep the bread under a cake dome or loosely wrapped in plastic wrap on the day it is made. Wrap in plastic wrap and aluminum foil and keep at room temperature for up to 3 or 4 days. Freeze for longer storage.