Christmas
Nigella Lawson's Dense Chocolate Loaf Cake
Popular on Food52
126 Reviews
jcolemanx5
May 14, 2023
WOW. This cake is really incredible. Adding the water seemed odd, but it helped create the smoothest texture. I added a little bit of instant expresso powder to the water and a pinch of salt to the batter. When it came out of the oven, I used a little flaky sea salt on top and it was incredible. I don't know that my hacks made it any better, as this was my first time making it, but regardless, the batter is delicious.
poop
March 24, 2023
This was VILE. It barely had any chocolate flavor and was so oily and disgusting. I literally ran to the bathroom and spit it into the toilet, and after that dumped the whole thing into the garbage. Very disappointing!
CTPChef
June 24, 2023
I think you meant to say:
“I cannot bake, and I am mentally unable to follow a recipe. McDonalds keeps me alive. “
“I cannot bake, and I am mentally unable to follow a recipe. McDonalds keeps me alive. “
poop
June 25, 2023
I’m not sure if you think that’s funny or just rude, but either way it’s sad. I hope kindness finds a way into your heart.
sassy12
March 18, 2023
I used a cup of coffee instead of water and extra vanilla instead of the last 2 tbs of water, and an extra 1.5 ounce of chocolate. I used a 9x9 pan (didn’t make sense to use a loaf pan and then a mini). Baked for 20 at first temp and 12 at second temp.
I got a super moist cake but it’s not the chocolate decadence I was hoping for. It is also extremely sweet-but it’s cake!
I’d make it again, but absolutely use dark chocolate and more of it. Maybe cocoa in addition to the melted chocolate.
I got a super moist cake but it’s not the chocolate decadence I was hoping for. It is also extremely sweet-but it’s cake!
I’d make it again, but absolutely use dark chocolate and more of it. Maybe cocoa in addition to the melted chocolate.
Deb
March 16, 2023
Followed the recipe for the 2nd time! We didn't get enough last time so I doubled rhe recipe and it turned out perfect again. Both loaves fell in the middle too. Now I'm going to put ganache on again. Kicked up the chocolate since this cake doesn't have a ton of chocolate in it.
cakebrowniecookie
February 23, 2023
I get a bit annoyed at recipes that have such high ratings, that end up having the exact problems that the reviewers note. (Which I didn't read until after I wasted two eggs and some expensive chocolate.) I made this exactly as the recipe asked, and am a good cook, and the final product is too sweet and not chocolate-y enough. Exactly as many have pointed out. Yes, because of the amount of butter, it's a moist cake. And it's pleasant enough if you're not expecting a "dense chocolate cake." But I have numerous recipes for dense cakes and brownies, and this doesn't even come close. It's a moist, buttery cake that's slightly too sweet and has only a hint of chocolate in it. That's not what it's billed as. If you're someone who knows baking, and particularly someone who knows chocolate, you'll be disappointed.
Artpulse
December 16, 2023
I cut the sugar and added powdered cacao. Sprinkled with Malden salt and cooked an additional 5 min. Its a hit everywhere I’ve brought it for years. Try it again!
Mrsstrong
February 23, 2023
Very experienced baker, followed the recipe exactly using 1C coffee. I am at 5280 ft elevation. I don’t always have to make adjustments in baking especially in batter that is a little more liquid. This cake really fell in the middle. I checked it at the 30 minute mark to lower the temperature for the remaining 15 min and my cake was already cooked. Any suggestions on what went wrong?
Foodheureux
May 29, 2022
This is an excellent recipe. I would add more chocolate. You don’t need so much butter.
Liz
February 19, 2022
sooo...who here really has the ability to leave this cake sitting out for a day lol!
Jjacobod
September 14, 2021
Loved this recipe! Made a few changes based on reviews and personal taste: cut sugar down to 1.5 cups, added 1 tsp kosher salt to flour, added 1 tsp instant coffee to boiling water, and used 70% bittersweet chocolate. Kids and hubby ate it up!
Chajaja
September 2, 2021
I’ve just made this. followed it to the T. Converted F to C. 190° for 30 minutes and then 165° for 15. The top has been burnt like a coal!!
SandraMostacci
May 22, 2021
This is overly sweet and not very tasty. Definitely needs some tweaking. Maybe sub in some cocoa powder for the flour.
Noelle
May 22, 2021
I make this cake often. I agree the recipe as is is too sweet so I sun unsweetened chocolate for semi-sweet and reduce the sugar to 2/3ds. Comes out great
Jenn C.
March 24, 2021
This is the moistest, most flavorful chocolate cake I have never made. It’s like one of the chocolate cakes at chain restaurants that are super moist but ruined by layers of frosting. This will be on rotation at our house.
lndanielle2
March 8, 2021
Tried this as a loaf before and loved it. Easy and perfect texture. Has anyone tried making this in an 8-9" round cake pan? Curious how it came out. Thanks!
Lukshen
May 2, 2021
Anyway that you bake this cake, it comes out delicious.
Of course, be careful with your timing. Sometimes I bake the cake a little longer so that I can use it as a layer cake.
Total fam favorite.
Of course, be careful with your timing. Sometimes I bake the cake a little longer so that I can use it as a layer cake.
Total fam favorite.
Mary H.
January 6, 2021
Why does the "Cook Time" read "20minutes" when the directions
#4. say otherwise?
#4. say otherwise?
Carina G.
December 10, 2020
Followed this recipe to a T (except for using a larger loaf pan) and found the end product incredibly indulgent and delicious - however I might add another ounce or 2 of chocolate next time to make it even more indulgent.
I will be making this again
I will be making this again
Carina G.
December 10, 2020
Followed this recipe to a T (except for using a larger loaf pan) and found the end product incredibly indulgent and delicious - however I might add another ounce or 2 of chocolate next time to make it even more indulgent.
I will be making this again
I will be making this again
Erica H.
May 20, 2020
Followed exactly, it was amazing! And I’m cooking in high altitude. My 6 year old has requested it for his kindergarten celebration dinner, a month later... thank you for the recipe Nigella.
Farhana R.
April 13, 2020
Excellent, thanks to the substitutions I made after reading the reviews. I doubled the chocolate, lessened the sugar, added instant coffee to the hot water, and added a pinch of salt. Divine perfection. Also, I topped with chocolate spread with melted white chocolate marbled in. It turned out so ridiculously gourmet, but again, only because of the substitutions. Be sure to use one of your wider loaf pans.
joannern87
April 5, 2020
Divine. I reduced sugar by a smidge and used dark chocolate. The chocolate flavor was not as pronounced as I would have liked. Regardless, it was delicious. Might try adding in cocoa nibs the next time for an added burst of chocolate.
lisagilbert
March 9, 2020
Have repeatedly made this with 275g sugar instead of 375 and it works beautifully!
Nsosh
April 25, 2019
Re. any comments on flavor... With chocolate, things will often taste flat without salt to pick up the chocolate's depth :) actually, this is also consistently true of sweet things.
My cake is in the oven now!!! The batter tasted awesome, we'll see how it turns out. Yay for #squidgy 😂
My cake is in the oven now!!! The batter tasted awesome, we'll see how it turns out. Yay for #squidgy 😂
Kambria M.
April 22, 2019
I made the recipe as-is. It was okay, but I didn't really taste much chocolate at all. The cake is very dense and fudgy, and I really liked the contrast between crunchy top layer and dense middle, but it lacked flavor and just seemed to taste like "sweet." I'm planning to try it with a chocolate sauce tonight just to see if it amps up the flavor. I would make it again, but I would definitely add 2 oz chocolate + 1/3 cup cocoa powder per the other reviews.
Lukshen
January 26, 2020
What type of chocolate did you use? I use Valhrona 70% and this has been my family’s favorite chocolate cake for years.
Jenna
November 25, 2020
I made this cake today with Callebaut bittersweet chocolate (high quality). I also had some concerns it wouldn't be chocolatey enough, and added 2T cocoa powder. Overall, it was disappointing. As another person said, it tasted sweet but not chocolatey. Yes, it was "squidgy," but otherwise ho-hum. I have had MUCH better chocolate cakes. I
SLFisher
February 10, 2019
This was amazing! The recipe worked perfectly for me, with even the cook time spot on. This cake is moist and fudgy and delicious with nothing but a dusting of powdered sugar (and even that is unnecessary).
Amy
March 6, 2018
I putthe extra batter in a separate pan, and it came out dry. Not fudgy, like I'd hoped. Next time I'll use one pan for sure!
Rebecca
January 14, 2018
Lily, do you have a link to the recipe? This is KAREN Mordechai, correct? Would love to have the recipe!
Lauren S.
November 11, 2017
The dense loaf recipe asks for only four ounces of chocolate, but looks like a "cup-&-a 1/2-but make it the whole bag of chocolate" recipe. What if this isn't found? It is great with ice cream warmed up. Thanks.
Andrea D.
May 15, 2017
What a great, dense chocolate loaf cake. This recipe was my foundation for many tweaks (I know, so irritating to read a review from someone who didn't follow the recipe, isn't it?) in an effort to give my husband a low-carb treat, and it turned out better than I (and he) hoped. Subbed equal parts coconut flour and almond flour for the regular flour, used 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup stevia baking sweetener for the 1 and 1/3 cup brown sugar brown sugar and used coffee instead of water. I also added a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of vinegar (to boost baking soda leavening effect). A big, delicious hit! Even the carb-welcoming members of my family love it! Thanks, Food 52 and Nigella! ❤️
Rebecca
October 18, 2017
Personally, I appreciate your gluten-free changes! To know what was done and if it worked is a gift! Now, to make it dairy-free...
Lily
January 14, 2018
Check out Sunday Suppers — Rebecca Mordechai makes a dense chocolate loaf (she calls it a breakfast cake) and there’s no dairy! Just coconut oil, but I subbed MCT oil—it was delicious
vbak
December 23, 2016
A definite favorite with me topped with syrupy chocolate mint ganache. Like gravy on mashed potatoes. YUM! Such a transformation from a light creamy chocolate color to a deep dark chocolate.
Jusika
December 3, 2016
fwiw, I put the entire batter in a regular loaf pan, and didn't have any troubles!
Jusika
November 26, 2016
I feel like I've been waiting for this cake-brownie my entire life! I LOVE, LOVE LOVE its fudge center! It's glorious!
vbak
November 26, 2016
I love this cake! For Christmas, I make a chocolate mint ganache to pour over the cake. Delicious!
karen K.
August 29, 2016
I LOVE this cake. I've made it several times and its always a hit. I love how it's almost a cross between cake and pudding. Delightful!
Ali W.
May 9, 2016
I made this recipe exactly as written down, the only change I made is to omit a bit of the boiling water because I felt like the batter was extremely liquid before I poured it on the loaf pan. I have to say, extraordinary moist cake! The edges were a little dryer, probably due to the lack of water, but very flavorful and simple, it really is like a chocolate pound cake but better! Next time I will definitely add all of the water, and will experiment with coffee and tea
Noelle
February 9, 2016
I love the moistness of this cake! But I reduce the sugar considerably. I use unsweetened chocolate instead of bittersweet and reduce the sugar to 1 cup. I just made one with coffee substituted for half the water.
Mayra
January 25, 2016
I expected the cake to be richer, but nevertheless it was a good cake.
Followed the recipe except for substituting water for coffee (as seen in the comments) and had a lot of left over batter too.
The cake tastes better the next day.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Followed the recipe except for substituting water for coffee (as seen in the comments) and had a lot of left over batter too.
The cake tastes better the next day.
Thank you for sharing this recipe!
WoooPigSooie
January 9, 2016
Wow. I had a TON of batter left over -- enough for 9 muffins. Any tips on how long/how hot to cook those?
Hema S.
November 3, 2015
If I don't have baking chocolate on hand but do have cocoa what replacement measurements should I use?
freesumpin
April 29, 2015
Question :: Is bittersweet chocolate the same as dark chocolate and, if so, what percentage of cocoa? :)
Anna
April 7, 2015
I followed the wise suggestion from the commentary section and substituted water for coffee (also added more chocolate - did not substitute the flour for cocoa, though. Also: used demerara sugar instead of dark brown sugar because that's what I had at home at the moment). It's probably one of the most decadent cakes I've ever tasted, and I mean that in the best possible way :)
Haley S.
March 18, 2015
I subbed coffee for water and used 6 oz of chocolate. AMAZING! We had enough for a full loaf a mini loaf to give our guests to walk away with...
mary
February 28, 2015
It is in the oven now....without reading the comments, I too subbed 1/3 cup cocoa (Droste). I used 2 teaspoons of espresso powder, added a pinch of salt, and used olive oil for half the butter. It is gorgeous. I poured the left over batter into a mug and microwaved it into a lava cake. (About 1/2 cup leftover for 1 minute in a strong microwave). My husband and I devoured it.
Tarta
February 1, 2015
I am not sure if my original comment went through. I made this cake tonight and loved it! I used the adjustments that others suggested in the comments (substituted 1/3 cup of cocoa powder for flour , 1/2 cup of hot coffee- I used strong decaf and used 6 0z of chocolate). I also used a 10x6" loaf pan. I am not sure why the recipe doesn't suggest a larger pan. It strangely says, "Don't let this batter come closer than 1 inch from the rim of the cake pan or it risks overflowing. Pour any excess into a smaller cake or muffin pan." I first tried the 9x5" pan and it definitely would have overflowed. It came out great in the 10x6" pan and did not sink at all (I'm sure any loaf pan that is larger than a 9x5" pan will work). I will definitely make this again. It was fantastic!
Tarta
February 3, 2015
Yup. I packed the brown sugar. Unlike others, I used all of the sugar suggested, and I thought it tasted great (not too sweet for me!).
Tarta
February 1, 2015
I just made this cake tonight for the first time. It was amazing! I also used 6 oz of chocolate and substituted 1/3 cup of cocoa for the flour. I also used a 10x6" loaf pan. I highly recommend a larger loaf pan because I tried the smaller one and I was sure it would overflow (the directions strangely say that you may have more batter than fits in the pan. I'm not sure why a larger pan wasn't suggested). Thank you all for the recipe and for the excellent comments and adjustments.It was fantastic and I will definitely make it again.
joyousilla
January 22, 2015
I LOVED this recipe!!!! I will be honest, I was a bit hesitant because of all the brown sugar and a little bit of chocolate, but I was wrong and I'm glad I was! It was so moist, decadant, and delicious! I will say it was forgiving for the actual baking time because my oven isn't calibrated so I used my best judgement and only left it in for 30 minutes. The only change I made was half water and half leftover coffee from the morning and made sure it was boiling hot. Thank you, for this tons!
Artpulse
January 1, 2015
Hands down, the best chocolate cake. I love butter and prefer the softness of the chocolate flavor over a heavy hitting sharp taste of many chocolate cake recipes.I prefer it cold but usually no one can wait that long. I cut down on the sugar and subbed with some raw cocoa. I also added a bit of salt. Thank for posting this recipe!
Gotowanie G.
May 21, 2014
I made this cake taking into account previous comments. I subbed 1/3c cocoa powder for part of the flour and made with coffee instead of water. It came out wonderful! I served the cake with berries and fresh whippped cream. It was a huge hit. Thank you!
carolyn.carney1
March 14, 2014
I just made (and ate) this cake, like some others I subbed 1/3flour with cocoa and added 2 to 3 oz more chocolate, I am not a cake maker but I have to say this is one of the richest, moist and at the same time most extremely light chocolate cakes I have ever had, it is half way between a mousse and a cake, absolutely delicious, we served it with a raspberry purée sauce and vanilla ice cream, only because I didn't have any heavy cream.
Rachel M.
February 22, 2014
I've made this twice now, but I've adapted it so much I'm not sure it even counts as the same recipe. I reduced the brown sugar to 1 cup, increased the chocolate to 5 oz., replaced 1/3 cup of the flour with natural cocoa powder, added a pinch of kosher salt, and replaced the water with stout (this one which is brewed with molasses: http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/10485/20954/).
I took it to a dinner party, and it went over very well with Philadelphia style vanilla ice cream topped with raw cocoa nibs and blackberries.
I took it to a dinner party, and it went over very well with Philadelphia style vanilla ice cream topped with raw cocoa nibs and blackberries.
Ami
June 13, 2014
Very interesting that you used stout. Did you warm it up before you added it, or did you added it cold?
Elizabeth
February 17, 2014
AWESOME!!! I too made a few changes…used 1/3 c. less sugar, substituted 1/4 cocoa for flour, added 1/2 tsp. salt and used 6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate. Perfection!
Annerieke W.
December 23, 2013
i only have salted butter - did anyone give that a try? i'm thinking it will go well with the chocolate!
Sugar N.
January 4, 2014
Salted butter goes really well with chocolate.. I always put salted bitter in my chocolate ganache and it turns out great! I'm sure it'll taste great in cakes too. If you'd like more recipes, you can visit my blog.. http://www.sugarnspicebyradhika.wordpress..com
Paula Z.
April 30, 2014
Slated butter tends to have more water than unsalted one. You may want to add another scant tablespoon of flour to the recipe. The taste will be good.
alamesa
November 7, 2013
I've made this a few times now and it always turns out well. I always use less sugar, (1 cup) and a little less butter 200g instead of 226g and 6oz instead of 4oz dark chocolate. Served with a dollop of creme fraiche. I also add a little powdered ginger to the dry ingredients. Delicious!
enthous
September 17, 2013
I was a little reticent about this but gave it a try. I don't like very sweet things, cannot tolerate light, sweet chocolate, so I made a few changes as suggested by previous reviewers. I cut 1/3c of sugar (used 1 1/3c) and replaced 1/3C flour with raw cacao powder. I didn't want to go overboard and I think I succeeded. I was not too sweet, and not such a chocolate wallop that the other favors didn't come through. The texture is really unique: moister than a poundcake, cakier than a brownie. The crunchy top is wonderful. Also, since I didn't see any acid in the cake other than the acidity of the chocolate itself, I questioned the use of b soda so I used baking powder rather than soda. It worked fine, but I have no idea how that affected the texture. It sank, but not that much. Next time, and yes, there will be a next time, I'll probably brave the soda. I served it with sweetened whipped cream, definitely a nice addition.
TheWimpyVegetarian
July 13, 2013
Fingers crossed. Made it this afternoon, and going to cut into it tomorrow for my husband's birthday. It looks like a big brownie :-)
Penelope_B
May 6, 2013
Made it this afternoon and it was divine. Loaf was moist, yet dense, with crisp edges. Very very yummy and went down well with the family.
ELLA
April 7, 2013
THIS IS THE BEST CAKE EVER!!!!! I Make it a few times a month, as a matter of fact, my butter is softening now, it is so moist and spongy you can hear it when you eat it. I love the fact that you can taste all the ingredients, this cake is the real deal.
Moogers
March 24, 2013
Great cake.. I used 6 oz chocolate instead of 4, used 1/3 cup less sugar, and substituted 1/4 cup flour with cocoa powder. Would've been perfect if I used 1/4 cup less butter, and used water as instructed instead of coffee.
alamesa
January 29, 2013
I doubled the amount of chocolate (70% dark Lindt naughty goodness) and less sugar and butter than recipe suggests. Baked for a few minutes longer than suggested too. Unbeatable!!
Aliwaks
January 29, 2013
This looks fabulous! Oddly I do not own a loaf pan (I thought I did , no idea where it could have gone)..any suggests for alternate cooking vessel
susanm
January 27, 2013
this cake is incredible! i, of course, tweaked as well. added a package of starbucks via to the boiling water, added the zest of one orange, doubled the melted chocolate and used less sugar. BUT, it's still the recipe and it's AMAZING. thanks nigella, and thanks food52 for posting. BTW, just had a leftover nibble out of the fridge...i might like it better cold!
darksideofthespoon
January 26, 2013
I loved this, but I did tweak it. I subbed the water with old coffee, since that's what I pretty much always do with chocolate cake. I also replaced a portion of the flour with cocoa powder. This recipe is irresistible.
nogaga
January 26, 2013
Just to add my experience: I made this cake in the form os small ramequins as a desert for dinner. I am a chocolate lover but the only change I made was to add a pinch of espelette pepper flakes and about a tsp of mace. It was fabulous! Great texture, great taste, not ugly at all ;) I can't say the leftover ramequins on the following days were better, but they were definitely as good as the first. I loved this.
erinmalone
January 25, 2013
I took the advice of some others reviewers and made some substitutions with great success! I used half Muscovado sugar and half regular dark brown sugar (I had to combine as I didn't have enough of either), doubled the chocolate to 8 oz., used salted butter (again, all I had), and substituted 1/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder for 1/4 cup flour. I also used leftover coffee from yesterday morning instead of water. The cake is divine ... I couldn't wait till it cooled completely so there's some areas where I just picked big flakes off the top, which were soon hidden by the slumping & buckling of the cake. Wonderful intense chocolate flavor without being overly sweet (very similar to Cooks Illustrated Dark Chocolate Cupcakes).
alamesa
January 20, 2013
Made this recently and I'm making it again today. Was delicious, gooey and very ugly but who cares?! This time will add double the amount of chocolate though and cook for a few minutes longer just so it's less messy when slicing up.
drbabs
January 6, 2013
I've ben dying to make this cake since you posted the recipe. I made it today and it's...ok. Really the first Genius recipe I've made that I haven't been crazy about. I did like the squidgy texture, and it was super easy. (If you line your loaf pan with foil as Maida Heatter writes about in her wonderful cookbooks, it depans easily.) I used my favorite chocolate, but it wasn't really chocolatey enough. (I should have read the comments about that...oh, well.) I thought it was a tad too sweet. I missed salt--I think it rounds out the flavors of sweet baked goods. And I usually add a little espresso powder to chocolate cake, and I missed it here. Nothing that can't be made more to my taste, but still disappointing.
Kristen M.
January 6, 2013
Hi drbabs, I hope you taste it again tomorrow (and the next day). A number of people think this cake should only be eaten after at least a day. (Though I'm not entirely in agreement -- I love the crusty edges on day 1.) Hope you like it more then!
Kristen M.
January 7, 2013
Happy Birthday!! Now it really better live up. And if it doesn't -- maybe ganache or whipped cream with creme fraiche will help.
Nomnomnom
January 7, 2013
I had the same experience when I first made this about a year ago. I just made it again last week after seeing this post, thinking I should give it another try, but with a bit of interference on my part. It turned out really well, with a nice cripsy top that contrasted well with the sqidgy interior. These were my substitutions: 1/2 c. espresso :) and 1/2 c. hot water (total 1 cup); 1 c. flour and 1/3 cup cocoa powder.
drbabs
January 10, 2013
It was a bit better the next day--but I would definitely add coffee and salt. My co-workers, however, loved it and have requested the recipe.
PRST
January 6, 2013
I thought the cake/loaf was lovely. I did not think it was meant to be a dense chocolate, chocolate cake. The texture is simply said-awesome, along with the meld of flavors. There are plenty of dense, extreme chocolate cake recipes out there. I love this recipe's subtleness- chocolaty without being in your face. I love how the chocolate flavor blends with the brown sugar. I love how the loaf develops flavor with time. Kudo's to Nigella for a recipe that will stand the test of time! The quality of the ingredients would certainly affect the results of a recipe like this.
chez_mere
January 6, 2013
I made this cake and agree that something needs to be done to bump up the chocolate oomph this cake seems to deliver. I think I would try using some instant expresso next time, or using hot coffee instead of water. Maybe unsweetened chocolate too.... It was good, but I wouldn't make it according to the recipe again.
Julie N.
January 5, 2013
I agreed with some of the comments below - the amount of chocolate seemed like too little for a rich chocolate cake. So I but in about 6 ounces instead of 4, removed 1/3 a cup of the flour, and added in 1/2 a cup of dutch cocoa. Results: very good. Nice rich chocolate flavor, cake is moist without feeling wet. Baked it for a bit longer than the specified amount - perhaps an extra 5 minutes. Removed it when the stick came out with "wet crumbs" per one commenter's instructions below. I think next time I might even up the chocolate more - I want a deeply rich chocolate cake but without going flourless.
Deeply M.
December 31, 2012
Just popped this out of the oven, smells amazing! I probably shouldn't have had champagne whilst preparing this though, or on the other hand.. Viva la Nigella!
PRST
December 29, 2012
The cake keeps amazingly well. It actually gets better with age. My husband ate the last piece of the cake I made the day before xmas eve. It was kept at room temperature and not even covered that well. His comments were "still moist and yummy". No need to freeze! Another note: the cake is done when a toothpick come out with very moist crumbs. Cook it a little longer if the toothpick comes out with wet batter.
SusanGiff
December 29, 2012
Quick question: Will this keep for a few days (ie, til New Year's Day)? Can it be frozen? Thanks.
PRST
December 24, 2012
Someone made a comment that this could be baked in a 6 inch springform pan. Please note that the recipe fits perfectly in an 8 in springform pan, NOT 6 inch. Also, I had to bake it longer than the recipe times. Not sure if that was due to the different pan or that I live at a high elevation (35 minutes at 375 degrees and 25 minutes at 325 degrees).
jean A.
December 23, 2012
mine sunk ALL the way down. it was almost the thickness of a brownie. great flavor though. what can i do differently next time to help it not be so flat. it did rise and bubble during baking. completely deflated during cooling
sophiea
December 22, 2012
Should the brown sugar be packed? Just made it with loosely packed sugar, will try it tomorrow!
Klancy
December 20, 2012
What would happen if you doubled the amount of chocolate for this recipe?
Kristen M.
December 20, 2012
See below -- student epicure tripled it and was happy, so I think you'd be safe doubling!
faz
December 20, 2012
The 4oz of chocolate wasn't choclatey enough for me! I don't know why but my batter/cake were both quite bland after adding chocolate and eggs. Any ideas?
Kristen M.
December 20, 2012
It's not an ultra chocolatey cake -- a lot of the flavor comes from brown sugar too. Give it a day, then taste again! A lot of people prefer it on day 2 (see below).
Kristen M.
December 20, 2012
Sorry, I should have directed you to see the comments on the blog post here: http://www.food52.com/blog/5226_nigella_lawsons_dense_chocolate_loaf_cake
student E.
December 18, 2012
just had a slice for breakfast - delicious! the 4 oz of chocolate seemed like a small amount to me, so i tripled the amount with delicious results. love all things nigella does!
Sally P.
December 16, 2012
What size loaf pan?
Kristen M.
December 16, 2012
Thanks for asking Sally -- it should be 9x5-inch. I just updated the recipe.
RHammond
December 15, 2012
This is has been our "go-to" holiday chocolate cake for years - its a must!
Mcalvosa
December 13, 2012
Do you think this cake would turn out fine if done with a gluten-free flour mix?
Kristen M.
December 13, 2012
I haven't tried it myself, but if you have a favorite gluten-free mix for baking, it will likely work just fine. (There's not much gluten development in the cake as written anyway.)
swobohe
December 12, 2012
I wonder if this would work in a bundt pan...
Kristen M.
December 13, 2012
You'd want to butter the pan very well, since a Bundt pan would be tough to line with parchment. Getting it out of the pan might be a gamble, so I'd do a trial run before serving it to guests (it will still taste amazing, even if it falls apart!).
PvR
December 16, 2012
You can line a bundt pan with relatively narrow pieces of parchment paper that overlap each other. It isn't pretty but it has worked out well for me on a couple of occasions. Haven't tried it with this cake though.
See what other Food52ers are saying.