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    Home » Desserts » Cakes

    Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake with Rosemary

    5 from 3 votes
    Published by Rebecca Eisenberg ⁠— November 24, 2020 (updated November 27, 2023) — 5 Comments

    432 shares
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    This post may contain affiliate links

    rosemary and chocolate chip pound cake.

    This rosemary chocolate chip loaf cake uses buttermilk and sour cream for a tender texture. The fragrant rosemary and sweet chocolate chips make for a fun flavor combo that could swing sweet or savory if not for the crackly sugar topping that makes this a decidedly dessert affair.

    Not sure you're on board with rosemary in a dessert? Pairing it with chocolate in a moist, tender cake will absolutely convince you that fresh herbs belong on the dessert table.

    a cross section of a loaf of rosemary chocolate chip cake with a sprig of fresh rosemary in front of it.

    Honestly, this rosemary chocolate chip loaf cake is by far the most excited I've ever been to share one of my best cake recipes with y'all.

    Not because the combination of chocolate and rosemary is spectacularly original (though it is undoubtedly unique), but because this is the first cake recipe I ever developed completely from scratch in one of my pastry school classes back in 2020.

    With one sprig of fresh rosemary and almost a cup of mini chocolate chips, this special loaf cake is fresh and fragrant with just the right amount of bittersweet chocolate scattered throughout.

    And the crunchy sweet sugar topping? Better than icing on a cake!

    a cross section of rosemary chocolate chip loaf cake on a stack of small white plates with a sprig of rosemary

    Chocolate Chip Cake... with Rosemary??

    Yes! I know! It's a little unusual! But I hope you can trust me enough to try it because it's just so good.

    I first learned how much I love the combination of rosemary and chocolate when I made Smitten Kitchen's Olive Oil Shortbread with Rosemary & Chocolate Chunks.

    I've been borrowing that flavor combo ever since, which you can find in my other rosemary recipes, like this chocolate rosemary ice cream which is so good served with slices of this cake!

    Rosemary gives a subtle herbal flavor that just pairs so well with the sweet chocolate chips.

    a straight on shot of the end of a loaf of rosemary chocolate chip cake on a small cooling rack

    During recipe testing, I sent about 6 versions of chocolate chip cake with rosemary to school with Jimmy for his colleagues in the teacher's lounge. It became such a hit that at least one teacher asked if I was selling them ahead of the holidays. How's that for high praise?

    If you prefer a classic chocolate loaf cake, you'll want to check out my chocolate pound cake recipe. You can always add some minced rosemary to the butter and sugar in that recipe for a different take on a rosemary and chocolate cake combo!

    Notes From Recipe Development

    The fact that this is my first wholly original recipe doesn't mean that the cake recipes I shared before this aren't original; when it comes to baked goods, everything is based on ratios that you adapt and change to make your own. But with so many variables, I used to find cake recipes super intimidating to create.

    So I was thrilled when we finally got into the recipe development portion of my pastry school classes. And knowing that there are basic formulas for most baked goods is so not the same as actually understanding how to use those formulas to create recipes from scratch.

    To develop the recipe for this rosemary chocolate chip loaf cake, I had to use math. I know! But it was actually kind of fun. (Don't worry, you don't have to use math. I've done all the math for you.)

    an overhead shot of a rosemary chocolate chip loaf on a small cooling rack. two slices have been cut off the front and are laid out before it. more slices are on plates on either side of the loaf along with sprigs of fresh rosemary and mini chocolate chips.

    Basically, every cake recipe you've ever made follows some simple ratios. For example, in high-ratio butter cakes like pound cakes, the eggs and liquid should to be equal to the amount of sugar by weight. And the amount of flour can be less than or equal to the amount of sugar.

    Within this set of ratios, each ingredient can be increased or decreased by about 20% to achieve your specific desired results, which is where recipe development comes in. The cake I made in class was my baseline, but then I took the recipe home and started adjusting those ratios.

    For example, my class version of this recipe called for 5 large eggs — not a lot in a pastry school kitchen, but at home it's almost half a carton! So I decreased the amount of eggs, and added sour cream to the buttermilk to make sure that the liquid and egg content stayed equal to the amount of sugar.

    The last change I made to this cake is by far my favorite (and also the least technical). A hefty sprinkle of sugar across the top before baking gives it a gloriously crisp, flaky crust that is so texturally satisfying with the soft cake underneath. (I used this same sugar topping technique in my lemon-blueberry pound cake recipe and it's so good there too.)

    Ingredient Notes

    Here are the ingredients you'll need to make this rosemary chocolate chip pound cake! See the recipe card (at the end of the post) for quantities!

    all of the ingredients for rosemary chocolate chip cake measured and labeled.
    • Flour - Regular all purpose flour! Nothing fancy. I use King Arthur Baking company's all purpose flour.
    • Sugar - Plain white granulated sugar.
    • Butter - This recipe uses American style unsalted butter, not European butter. If using salted butter, cut the amount of added salt in the recipe in half.
    • Fresh rosemary - One sprig of fresh rosemary, finely minced. It's about half a tablespoon of minced rosemary, depending on the size of your rosemary sprigs you may need more than one sprig!
    • Eggs - I use large eggs in all my baking. A large egg weighs approximately 48 grams without the shell. If you're using another size egg, measure by weight to get an accurate amount!
    • Buttermilk - Cultured buttermilk makes for tender cakes, helps activate the baking soda, and gives the cake a slightly tangy flavor.
    • Sour cream - Full fat sour cream adds a lot of moisture to this cake, giving it a really soft and tender texture. We're really relying on the fat content in the sour cream to bring that tenderness, so don't try to use a low-fat sour cream here.
    • Baking soda & Baking powder - These are the chemical leaveners that give this cake its rising power and soft texture.
    • Salt - I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt which half as salty as other brands. If measuring your salt by weight, you can use any type of salt. But if you're measuring by volume (e.g. teaspoons) and using a different brand of salt, even a different brand of kosher salt, cut the amount of salt in half.
    • Mini chocolate chips - Mini chocolate chips are lighter than regular sized chocolate chips, which helps keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake as they bake. It also means more tiny pockets of chocolate scattered throughout the cake!

    🍽 Mise en place (aka "the setup")

    Mise en place is a French culinary term that literally translates to "putting in place."

    It basically means: Measure all your ingredients and make sure you have all the right tools and equipment ready to go when you need them before you start working.

    This can make a huge difference in a) how enjoyable you find the baking and cooking process and b) the success of your recipe!

    Here's the mise en place you'll need before you begin this recipe:

    • Butter: Bring the butter to room temperature. You can either leave the butter out for a couple hours, or microwave the cold, wrapped sticks of butter for 3-4 seconds per side. Properly softened butter should feel cool to the touch (65°F), firm and able to hold its shape, but you should also be able to easily push a finger into it with little resistance.
    • Eggs: Place the eggs in a bowl of very hot water for a 5-10 minutes.
    • Buttermilk: Microwave it in 5-7 second bursts, stirring in between until it's lukewarm. You don't want it to be hot or even decidedly warm, you just don't want it to be cold or it will cause the butter to firm up and collapse your cake. Whisk it together with the sour cream and set aside.
    • Mini Chocolate Chips: Toss the mini chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon flour. This will help prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake as it bakes.
    a small bowl of mini chocolate chips tossed with flour.

    Instructions

    This recipe uses the creaming method of mixing which I wrote about in detail in my vanilla pound cake recipe. If you're new to baking I recommend checking out that post for much more information and more tips for troubleshooting!

    butter, sugar, and minced rosemary in the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.

    Combine butter, sugar, and minced rosemary in the bowl of a stand mixer. I find it helps to cut the butter into chunks before adding them to the bowl.

    creamed butter, sugar, and minced rosemary in the bowl of a stand mixer.

    Beat everything together until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl at least 3 times during this step to ensure everything combines evenly.

    Be patient during the first step — beat the butter, sugar, and rosemary for at least 3 minutes at medium to medium-high speed.

    This step is crucial for adding air into the batter which will help the cake rise. It also smears the oils from the rosemary leaves into the butter and sugar which infuses the cake with a ton of fresh rosemary flavor.

    Scrape down the bowl and beater, making sure you're getting to any sneaky bits hiding at the bottom of the bowl, before you add the eggs.

    one egg added to the creamed butter and sugar in the mixer bowl.

    Add the eggs one at a time, beating on medium speed for at least 60 seconds and scraping down the bowl well after each addition.

    half the dry ingredients added to the mixer bowl.

    Add half the dry ingredients and mix on low speed just until barely combined. You should still see streaks of flour in the batter.

    Scrape down the bowl and beater. If it sounds like I'm repeating this instruction a lot, it's because I am. When in doubt — scrape it down!

    With the mixer running on the lowest speed, slowly drizzle in the sour cream and buttermilk mixture. This should take you about 1 minute total, then let it mix for about 30-45 seconds more on low speed.

    the sour cream and buttermilk mixed into the batter.

    When there are just a few streaks of buttermilk in the bowl, pause and add the remaining dry ingredients all at once. Mix on low speed until just barely combined.

    the mini chocolate chips mixed into the cake batter.

    Add the mini chocolate chips and stir them in by hand. Use this time to finish scraping down the bowl and incorporating those remaining streaks of flour.

    Mixing on low speed once you begin adding the flour and finishing by mixing the chocolate chips in by hand helps prevent overmixing and keeps your cake soft, moist, and tender!

    smoothing out the cake batter in a lined loaf pan using a mini offset spatula.

    Transfer the batter to a greased and parchment lined loaf pan. Smooth out the top so the cake bakes evenly.

    the rosemary chocolate chip cake batter in the loaf pan topped generously with sugar. a tablespoon of sugar is beside it on the counter.

    Top generously with granulated sugar. This will give the rosemary cake its signature crackly, crisp top.

    Bake the cake in a 350°F oven for 60-65 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it.

    baked rosemary chocolate chip loaf cake with a crackly, sugared top still in the loaf pan.

    Remove the cake to a cooling rack and let it rest in the pan for about 20 minutes. Then use the parchment sling to lift the cake out of the pan and onto the rack to finish cooling completely.

    I know, I know it's hard to resist cutting the cake immediately but cooling gives the starches time to set up so the cake doesn't crumble apart or become gummy inside when you slice it. Let it cool before cutting — you'll be glad you did!

    a silver rectangular loaf pan.

    USA Pan Bakeware Aluminized Steel Loaf Pan, 1 Pound

    Dimensions: 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.75. Durable construction with corrugated surface for optimal airflow. Non-stick finish is PTFE, PFOA and BPA free.

    Amazon
    Crate & Barrel
    Williams Sonoma

    Practical Tips & Recipe Notes

    • If you ignore the mise en place notes above and proceed without your ingredients at room temperature, they won't incorporate as nicely and your cake will come out flat and dense. It really is worth the few extra minutes to bring the butter, eggs, and buttermilk to room temperature before you begin.
    • If you don't have buttermilk, my recommendation is to use buttermilk powder and whole milk instead of fully swapping for a different type of milk. Buttermilk substitutes aren't as good as using real buttermilk, but are definitely better than using regular milk as a substitute. Buttermilk is acidic and is necessary to activate the baking soda. Without the acidity, the baking soda has nowhere to go and will just hang around making your cake taste gross.
    • For an extra punch of rosemary flavor, finely mince an additional sprig of rosemary and rub it into the sugar topping for the cake before sprinkling it on top.
    • Baking soda and baking powder begin losing their potency after about 6 months. If you aren't sure when you bought yours, you may want to check that they're active or replace them before you begin!

    Recipe FAQ

    Can I use regular sized chocolate chips in this cake? You can, but they're more likely to sink to the bottom. You also don't get quite as nice distribute of chocolate throughout the cake when you use bigger chips. But if that's all you've got, by all means, go for it.

    Can I used dried rosemary in this cake? I haven't tested this, so can't speak to exactly how it might change the flavor of the cake. If you want to give it a try, use half as much dried rosemary as the recipe calls for (about 1½ teaspoons) and I recommend mincing it before adding it to the cake.

    📖 Recipe

    a cross section of a loaf of rosemary chocolate chip cake with a sprig of fresh rosemary in front of it.

    Moist Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake with Rosemary

    Rebecca Eisenberg
    This rosemary chocolate chip loaf cake uses buttermilk and sour cream for a tender texture. The fragrant rosemary and sweet chocolate chips make for a fun flavor combo that could swing sweet or savory if not for the crackly sugar topping that makes this a decidedly dessert affair. Not sure you're on board with rosemary in a dessert? Pairing it with chocolate in a moist, tender cake will absolutely convince you that fresh herbs belong on the dessert table.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved! Email
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 1 hour hr
    Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 1 loaf

    Equipment

    • 1 pound loaf pan (8x4")
    • Cooling rack
    • Electric mixer

    Ingredients
      

    Rosemary & Chocolate Chip Cake Batter

    • 265 grams sugar
    • 227 grams unsalted butter
    • 1 sprig fresh rosemary (1 tablespoon, minced)
    • 3 large eggs (room temperature)
    • 57 grams buttermilk (room temperature)
    • 57 grams full fat sour cream (room temperature)
    • 227 grams flour
    • 3 grams diamond crystal kosher salt (1 teaspoon*)
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • 113 grams mini chocolate chips (tossed with 1 tablespoon flour to coat)

    Sugar Topping

    • 1 tablespoon sugar
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Mise en place. Grease bottom and sides of an 8x4" loaf pan and line the bottom with a rectangle of parchment paper. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Bring eggs to room temperature and whisk together room temperature buttermilk and sour cream. Finely mince rosemary. Preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Creaming. Cream butter, sugar, and minced rosemary together in the bowl of a stand mixer until light, pale, and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times throughout this process. It may take a few minutes, don't rush it!
    • Add eggs. Add eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each one to ensure they're fully incorporated. When all three eggs have been added, beat for an additional minute to emulsify until smooth and pale.
    • Alternate adding dries and wets. Add about half of the flour mixture to the mixer and beat on low speed to incorporate. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Slowly drizzle in buttermilk and sour cream with the mixer running on low. Scrape down the bowl and add the remaining flour mixture. Once everything has been added, mix on medium speed just until combined and a few streaks of flour remain in the bowl.
    • Add chocolate chips. Toss mini chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon of flour, then stir them into the batter until evenly distributed.
    • Sugar topping. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Top with 1 tablespoon sugar, tilting and rotating the pan so the sugar evenly coats the surface of the batter.
    • Bake. Bake for 60-65 minutes. When a knife inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it, it's done.
    • Cool. Remove from the oven. Run a knife around the edges, then let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before turning it out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.

    RECIPE NOTES

    *If measuring salt by volume (teaspoons) and using a different brand or type of salt, use half as much salt. Measure salt by weight for best results.

    YOUR NOTES

    Click here to add your own private notes. Only you can see these.
    Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and let me how it was!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      5 from 3 votes

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sarah

      April 03, 2021 at 1:29 pm

      5 stars
      This was so delicious and easy to follow. I always say I'm not a baker, but I I was able to follow everything step by step and it came out great! The rosemary gave the cake an interesting taste that I absolutely loved. I am so going to make this again!

      Reply
      • Rebecca

        April 03, 2021 at 1:29 pm

        Ahh I’m so glad you loved this one and found it easy to follow. It’s such a special recipe for me and I really tried to make sure it was beginner friendly! Thanks for leaving a comment!

        Reply
    2. Emily

      March 26, 2022 at 5:25 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this for a third time and I am OBSESSED perfect recipe, such a surprising flavor combination and so delicious. I eat it for breakfast because the texture is almost like a muffin! Great excuse to eat cake for breakfast!

      Reply
      • Rebecca

        March 26, 2022 at 9:47 pm

        I love everything about this so much!! So glad you like the cake. Enjoy it for breakfast!

        Reply
    3. Jessie

      July 21, 2024 at 6:56 pm

      5 stars
      So good!!! I ate it for breakfast, lunch and dinner😄 I used ‘cheaters buttermilk’ made with oat milk and vinegar and it still turned out great!!

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Rebecca! I'm a pastry chef with a home cook mentality. I'm on a mission to make spending time in the kitchen fun and accessible — that's why so many people love my beginner-friendly bread recipes. I'm always looking for new and creative ways to get the most out of my favorite ingredients and flavors!

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