Warm-spiced, dark chocolate loaf cake baked with fresh sweet pears, topped with a crunchy, buttery, ginger-walnut streusel, and finished with smooth chocolate hazelnut spread. Satisfying, textured, and not too sweet as a breakfast or brunch quick bread, flavorful and elegant as a tea bread or snack cake, scrumptious and indulgent as a dessert cake for fall and winter. 
Call it a quick bread, tea bread, loaf cake, snack cake, or sliced chocolatey heaven, this spiced chocolate loaf cake does it all. Enjoy with your morning coffee for charming little coffee shop/bakery vibes. Bake for a holiday breakfast or special brunch to please a crowd. Serve at tea time for a sophisticated, delectable refreshment. Or save a slice for late-night chocolatey indulgence with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.
Just to be safe, I’ve eaten slices at every meal for you. And this loaf indeed works in all situations, at all times of day. The flavors make it the perfect option for a comforting, scrumptious, seasonal fall and winter treat that’s elevated in flavor, creativity, and presentation.
The cake itself has a rich dark chocolate flavor balanced with notes of cinnamon, cloves, and espresso, making it wonderfully delicious and complex without being overly sweet. It has a moist crumb and soft yet hearty texture like that of a quick bread or muffin (rather than a pastry or fluffy cake). You can even make it 100% whole grain using whole wheat pastry flour.
Slices of ripe pear are nestled into the top of the loaf before baking. This creates a beautiful presentation, an extra dimension of chewy texture, and a pop of freshness and tang—all without altering the consistency of the cake. I prefer red pears for their complex flavor, sweet juiciness, and smooth texture.
The walnut streusel bakes right on top of the loaf, creating a brown-sugary, buttery crunch with a touch of zesty ginger. The texture pairs exceptionally well with the soft crumbly cake and helps bring this loaf to the next level. And it takes literally seconds to prep.
Finally, after baking and cooling, you can’t forget the drizzle of melty chocolate hazelnut spread to bring it all home. (Generous globs are an appropriate alternative to “drizzle.”)
Spiced Chocolate Loaf Cake with Pear and Walnut Streusel
Notes
This recipe is adapted from Olives n' Thyme Spiced Chocolate Pear Cake.
Ingredients
spiced chocolate cake:
- 135g whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour (1 cup + 2 Tbsp, lightly spooned into cup for measuring)
- 35g (6 Tbsp) dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/2 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 Tbsp instant espresso powder
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp ground ginger
- 3/8 tsp sea salt
- 6 Tbsp neutral oil (such as refined almond or avocado oil)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp molasses (not blackstrap)
- 1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup buttermilk, room temperature
- 1/4 cup full-fat sour cream
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or roughly chopped dark chocolate (optional)
- 1-2 ripe but firm pears, thinly sliced
- 2-3 Tbsp chocolate hazelnut spread (such as Nutella)
walnut streusel:
- 1/2 cup walnut halves, roughly chopped*
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp all-purpose or whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch fine sea salt
- 1-2 Tbsp crystallized ginger, broken into small pieces
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, cubed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease the bottom and sides of an 8x4-inch loaf pan with butter. Then line the pan with parchment paper, leaving about an inch of paper hanging over the edges for easy removal.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and soda, espresso, cinnamon, ginger, and salt until thoroughly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the oil, granulated and brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla until smooth. Add eggs one at a time and continue to gently mix until incorporated. Fold in the buttermilk and sour cream.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and stir to combine, until large lumps are gone. If desired (for extra chocolatey richness throughout the cake), fold in chocolate chips or chopped chocolate.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top of the batter. Nestle the pear slices into the top of the batter, angling at about 45º so part of each slice is diving into the batter.
- Transfer to the oven and bake about 20 minutes before adding the streusel.
- Prepare the streusel: In a small bowl, mix together the walnuts, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and crystallized ginger. Add the cubed butter and incorporate with your fingers until it forms a sandy/paste consistency. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to add to the loaf.
- After about 20 minutes, quickly remove the pan from the oven, sprinkle the streusel on top, and return to the oven for about 30-40 minutes longer. (Total baking time 50-60 minutes.) If the top is browning too much, tent a piece of foil over the top for the remaining time. Baking time will vary, so test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center and adjust the time accordingly: If wet, bake 10-20 minutes longer. If gummy, bake 5-10 minutes longer. When done, the toothpick should come out with a few moist crumbs, and the sides will have slightly pulled away from the pan.
- When done, place the pan on a cooling rack and cool in the pan about 20 minutes. Gently remove the loaf from the pan using the edges of the parchment paper, and continue cooling on a wire rack to room temperature.
- Warm chocolate hazelnut spread by microwaving in a microwave-safe bowl in 15-second increments. Use a knife to drizzle over the bread. Slice and enjoy!
- The loaf is best stored unsliced in an air-tight container at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerated for 5 days. Or sliced, individually wrapped, and frozen in an air-tight container up to 3 months.