Chocolate Buttermilk Loaf

 

I have no story.  No cute anecdote or funny past memory.  I always feel like I have to have a story or some lead in or something.  But nada.  I thought about it all day, but I couldn't even make up a decent one.  I do have pictures.  At each step of the way.  I had hoped that I would have better pictures, but I do what I do with my little Sony point and shoot.  So, tonight, you get pictures.  

I suppose there is a little back story.  Like I went up to Notre Dame this weekend for the football game (And we won!  Woohoo!  Go Irish!) and I was staying with my friend Tara (remember her?) and I didn't want to show up empty handed.  And I have been wanting to make this cake for awhile, which of course comes from my blog crush, Deb.  And, well, that's it.  Thus chocolate buttermilk loaf came into our lives.

Everyone was a fan.  Granted, what is there not to love about a dense chocolate loaf cake?  It was thick, which probably doesn't sounds appealing, but it was.  And crumby, yet moist.  It wasn't exactly what I thought it was going to be, but it was delicious.  I wish I had eaten it warm out of the oven, but it had to travel with me, so it had to wait.  And it was good once we broke into it, and even better the next morning for breakfast.  

I had thought about adding a teaspoon of cinnamon or so to the batter before baking.  Thought about it all day long.  But then again, when don't I think about adding cinnamon?  And then there I was and the batter got foamy and into the pan it went and I admit it, I forgot.  Probably cause the batter got kind of foamy and it took me by surprise, so don't let that take you by surprise.  And think about maybe adding some cinnamon.  Wow, this post ended up longer than I thought.

Ben thought this picture would be the bomb.  I will admit, it turned out cooler than I thought.  And this is now the end of the story that's not really a story.  So get baking!

Chocolate Buttermilk Loaf

from the ever wonderful smitten kitchen

1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temp.

1 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c.  granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temp

1 c. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. cocoa powder (see Deb if using Dutch cocoa powder)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat the oven to 325°F.  Butter and flour loaf pan.

In large bowl, cream butter.  Add brown and granulated sugar and cream together until fluffy.  Add egg and beat well.  Follow with buttermilk and vanilla, beat well.  "Don't worry if the batter looks a little uneven", even kind of gritty.

Into same large bowl, sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt.  Mix together until well blended, but don't over mix.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.

Put in oven and bake for 60 to 70 minutes.  To check doneness, insert toothpick into center of loaf, it is done when the toothpick comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let cool in pan, on rack, for 15 minutes.  Remove from pan and let cool, or serve warm like I wanted!

If you add cinnamon, please let me know how it turns out!  I'm dying to find out.