Saskatchewan Chocolate Spice Bread

Total Time: 55 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 1/2 cups flour (spoon flour into a dry-measure cup and level off)
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder, sifted after measuring (dutch-process or alkalized)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2/3 cup sour cream (low-fat sour or regular )

Recipe

• 1 lightly grease loaf pan with a little unsalted butter, then line the bottom of the pan with parchment or wax paper cut to fit; butter the paper as well.
• 2 position a rack in the middle level of the oven; preheat to 350°f.
• 3 combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and spices in a bowl or on a large piece of parchment or wax paper.
• 4 whisk the eggs in a large bowl to break them up, then whisk in both sugars.
• 5 whisk for a minute, or until the mixture lightens, then whisk in the 5 tablespoons of butter and the sour cream.
• 6 add the flour mixture to the egg mixture all at once; gently whisk until smooth.
• 7 scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top, pushing the batter evenly into the corners.
• 8 bake on the middle oven rack for 35 to 40 minutes, until the bread has risen and a toothpick or a narrow-bladed knife inserted into the center of the bread emerges clean.
• 9 transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes, then unmold the bread and let it cool completely on the rack. when ready to serve, transfer to a cutting board.