Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Bread

By Yossy Arefi

Updated April 23, 2025

Whole-Wheat Chocolate Chip Bread
Dane Tashima for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Total Time
1 hour 10 minutes, plus cooling
Rating
4(447)
Comments
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Nutty whole-wheat flour and semisweet chocolate are a winning pair in this easy-to-make one-bowl loaf cake. Whole-wheat flour gives this cake depth and a nubbly texture that is tastier than that of your average all-purpose flour, and semisweet chocolate makes it a special treat. You can use whatever type of chocolate chips you prefer, and chopped chocolate works, too, if that’s what you have on hand. You can also use a greater proportion of whole-wheat flour if you like — up to about 1 cup/128 grams of the total 1½ cups flour works well — but the cake will be a bit more dense. It will still be delicious, but it will have a slightly different texture.

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Ingredients

Yield:1 loaf (about 8 servings)
  • ¼cup/56 grams unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
  • 2large eggs
  • ¾cup/150 grams light brown sugar
  • 1cup/235 grams sour cream
  • ¼cup/60 milliliters neutral oil
  • 1teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾teaspoon kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) or ½ teaspoon fine salt, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1½teaspoons baking powder
  • ½teaspoon baking soda
  • 1cup/128 grams all-purpose flour
  • ½cup/64 grams whole-wheat flour
  • 1cup/170 grams semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1teaspoon turbinado sugar or granulated sugar, to finish
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

450 calories; 26 grams fat; 11 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 52 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 32 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 284 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees and butter a light-colored metal 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan. Line the pan with a strip of parchment paper that hangs over the two long sides.

  2. Step 2

    In a large bowl, vigorously whisk eggs and brown sugar until light and smooth, about 30 seconds.

  3. Step 3

    Add the sour cream, melted butter, oil, vanilla extract and salt, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the baking powder and baking soda.

  4. Step 4

    Add both flours and all but one 1 heaping tablespoon of the chocolate chips. Stir with a rubber spatula until combined and no streaks of flour remain.

  5. Step 5

    Spoon the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the reserved chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon of granulated or turbinado sugar and a sprinkle of salt. Bake until golden and puffed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean or with a bit of melted chocolate, 50 to 60 minutes.

  6. Step 6

    Carefully run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan not protected by the parchment paper. Set the pan on a rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Then, use the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan and set it back on the rack to cool completely. Keep leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
447 user ratings
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Comments

Sue

You can reduce the sugar here, but eliminating it will be a structural problem since the egg and sugar form a gel or syrup that holds onto air bubbles. Reduce the sugar by more than about a quarter and you'll start to see less rise and a rubbery texture; remove it entirely and you'll have a flat and very untender cake.

alm

I can confirm that subbing Greek yogurt for the sour cream works nicely. Also added a mushy banana and coconut flakes. V moist.

Ann of Ark

Gees! did anyone actually make this recipe as stated? My head is spinning from all the substitutions and deletions.

Kaja

The recipe as written has a modest amount of sugar, so no need to reduce it unless you are seeking a denser, drier texture for whatever reason. I made it pretty much as written. (I was using up a container of sour cream, so did use a heaping cup.) I love dark chocolate, so used 72% chocolate chips, and that, combined with the whole wheat flour and the tenderness from the sour cream, produced a subtly sweet cake with a sophisticated vibe.

Viviane

Thank to the comments - Only used olive oil (1/2 cup in total) 1 cup whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup all purpose, no-fat plain Greek yogurt- should have added cinnamon- next time ! Delicious!

Jeff

I always reduce the sugar during baking because my taste buds have changed over time and failure to reduce the sugar makes desserts way to sweet for me. The family agrees. Used 1/4 cup sugar and yogurt instead of sour cream. I also threw in some walnuts to give it some crunch.

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