This Hot Fudge Brownie Bread combines the rich, fudgy texture of brownies with the convenience of a quick bread. Each slice delivers an intense chocolate experience with pockets of melted chocolate chips and swirls of hot fudge sauce throughout. It’s the perfect indulgent treat for chocolate lovers!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Double Chocolate Goodness: With cocoa powder in the batter and chocolate chips throughout, this bread delivers deep chocolate flavor in every bite.
• Fudgy Interior: The addition of hot fudge sauce creates a moist, fudgy texture that’s more decadent than traditional quick breads.
• Easy to Make: Despite its impressive appearance and rich flavor, this recipe uses simple techniques any home baker can master.
• Perfect for Gifting: Wrapped in parchment paper with a ribbon, this chocolate bread makes a thoughtful homemade gift for any occasion.
• Versatile Treat: Enjoy it for breakfast, dessert, or as an afternoon treat with coffee or milk.

Ingredients

• Flour: All-purpose flour provides the structure for this quick bread while still allowing for a tender crumb.

• Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened cocoa powder gives the bread its rich chocolate base flavor and beautiful dark color.

• Baking Soda: This leavening agent helps the bread rise and creates a light texture.

• Salt: Enhances all the flavors and balances the sweetness.

• Butter: Use unsalted butter for richness and to control the salt content. Make sure it’s properly softened for the best texture.

• Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the bread and helps create a slightly crisp exterior.

• Eggs: Provide structure, richness, and help bind the ingredients together.

• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the chocolate flavor with its warm, aromatic notes.

• Buttermilk: Creates a tender crumb and adds a subtle tanginess that complements the chocolate.

• Hot Fudge Sauce: The star ingredient that creates fudgy pockets throughout the bread and adds an extra layer of indulgence.

• Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet chips melt into luscious pockets of chocolate throughout the bread.

• Nuts: Optional for the topping, they add a pleasant textural contrast to the soft bread.

Variations

• Mocha Brownie Bread: Add 1 tablespoon of instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients for a coffee-infused chocolate experience.
• Mint Chocolate Version: Add ½ teaspoon of mint extract and use mint chocolate chips instead of regular ones.
• Peanut Butter Swirl: Warm ¼ cup of peanut butter until pourable and swirl it into the batter before baking.
• Spiced Chocolate Bread: Add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne pepper for a Mexican chocolate inspired variation.
• Rocky Road: Fold in ½ cup mini marshmallows along with the chocolate chips and add chopped walnuts to the topping.

How to Make the Recipe

1. Begin by thoroughly mixing your dry ingredients in a medium bowl, ensuring the cocoa powder is well incorporated with no lumps.

2. In a separate large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. This step incorporates air into the batter for a lighter texture.

3. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This prevents the batter from breaking or separating.

4. Incorporate the vanilla extract for that essential aromatic flavor.

5. Alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently to avoid overworking the gluten.

6. The magic happens when you fold in the hot fudge sauce and chocolate chips, creating ribbons of fudge throughout the batter.

7. Transfer the batter to your prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs.

8. While the bread is still warm, add the finishing touch by drizzling with warm hot fudge sauce and sprinkling with chocolate chips and optional nuts.

Tips for Making the Recipe

Room Temperature Ingredients: Allow butter, eggs, and buttermilk to come to room temperature before mixing for the smoothest batter.

Don’t Overmix: Stir just until ingredients are combined to keep the bread tender. Overmixing can make it tough.

Check Early: Start checking for doneness about 5 minutes before the recommended baking time. Chocolate baked goods can be tricky to gauge for doneness.

Buttermilk Substitute: No buttermilk? Mix 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar with 1 cup of milk and let stand for 5 minutes.

Foil Cover: If the top is browning too quickly during baking, loosely cover with aluminum foil.

Cooling Time: Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing for the cleanest cuts. Though it’s tempting to dive in while warm!

How to Serve

• Serve slices slightly warmed with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an indulgent dessert.
• Toast slices lightly and spread with a thin layer of peanut butter or cream cheese for breakfast.
• Pair with fresh berries and whipped cream for an elevated dessert plate.
• Serve alongside a hot cup of coffee or a cold glass of milk for the perfect afternoon treat.
• For special occasions, drizzle individual slices with additional warm hot fudge sauce just before serving.

Make Ahead

This Hot Fudge Brownie Bread actually improves after a day, as the flavors meld and deepen. You can:

• Bake the bread up to 3 days in advance. Once completely cooled, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature.
• Freeze the entire loaf or individual slices for up to 3 months. Wrap in plastic wrap and then aluminum foil before freezing.
• To thaw, leave at room temperature for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
• Refresh before serving by warming slightly in a 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes.
• For best results, add the final hot fudge topping just before serving if you’ve stored the bread.

FAQs

Can I make this bread without hot fudge sauce?

• Yes, though it won’t have quite the same fudgy texture. You can substitute 1/2 cup of chocolate syrup or make a quick homemade sauce by melting equal parts chocolate and heavy cream together.

Why did my chocolate chips sink to the bottom?

• Toss the chocolate chips in a teaspoon of flour before adding them to the batter. This helps them stay suspended throughout the bread during baking.

How can I tell when the bread is done?

• Insert a toothpick into the center of the loaf. It should come out with a few moist crumbs, but not wet batter. Due to the fudgy nature of this bread, it won’t be completely clean.

Can I make this recipe as muffins instead of a loaf?

• Absolutely! Pour the batter into a lined muffin tin and bake at the same temperature for about 18-22 minutes. This will yield approximately 12 muffins.

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