The chocolate malt loaf recipe is perfect. It's malty, stick, chewy, chocolatey. It's good on its own or toasted with butter. It's amazing!
Your probably most familiar with malt loaf in the form of Soreen, the popular malt loaf brand. It's a dense, sticky, sweet, squidgy, fruit-packed loaf that's in a category all of its own.
Since it's different from a standard sponge cake and nothing like bread, you might think malt loaf is tricky to make, but it's actually really easy and this recipe shows you how.
The key ingredient is, you guessed it, malt extract - a treacly syrup made from malted barley that is naturally high in B vitamins and so used by some as a dietary supplement.
It can be bought from some UK supermarkets but if you can't find it in your local store, you'll definitely be able to find it in your nearest health food store, or on Amazon.
To make the loaf, you'll start with sultanas, malt extract and a tea bag soaked in boiling water, then whisk in eggs. I used golden sultanas because they look pretty in the loaf, but standard sultanas will work just as well.
Next, you'll combine your dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and soft dark brown sugar) and fold everything together. Add some chocolate chunks and your batter is ready to bake!
An extra glaze of malt extract when your loaf comes out of the oven and you're done.
I warn you, the hardest, most agonising part of making this chocolate malt loaf is the waiting, since a malt loaf is best when wrapped and left somewhere dark and cool to develop extra sticky squidginess over the course of a few days. You could eat it right away but trust me, it's be worth the wait!
Here's the full chocolate malt loaf recipe. Let me know how you get on!
Ingredients
- 125 g (4.4 oz) plain white flour (all purpose flour)
- 65 g (2.3 oz) soft dark brown sugar
- 25 g (0.9 oz) cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) baking powder
- 1/4 tsp (0.3 tsp) bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 150 g (5.3 oz) golden raisins or standard raisins, sultanas or currants
- 75 g (2.6 oz) malt extract plus 1 tbsp to glaze the top
- 1 breakfast tea bag
- 2 medium free range eggs
- 100 g (3.5 oz) milk chocolate chips
Instructions
Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.
Preheat the oven to 160C (140C fan).
Put the sultanas, malt extract and teabag in a bowl.
Add 60ml (4 tbsp) of freshly boiled water and stir.
Soak for 15 minutes, then remove the teabag and set aside.
Add the eggs.
Whisk together.
In a second bowl, sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Add the sugar on top.
Whisk together.
Make a well in the dry ingredient bowl and pour the wet malt mixture into it.
Stir just enough to combine.
Add the chocolate chips.
Stir again.
Pour the mixture into the lined tin.
Bake for 1 hour until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
While the loaf is still hot, brush the top with a tablespoon of malt extract.
Allow to cool until the glaze is no longer sticky, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Wrap well and store somewhere cool and dark for at least 3 days or up to a week, allowing the loaf to become sticky, just as malt loaf should be.
Slice to serve. It's delicious on its own, buttered or even toasted!
Enjoy!
Print this chocolate malt loaf recipe
Chocolate Malt Loaf Recipe
Ingredients
- 125 g (4.4 oz) plain white flour (all purpose flour)
- 65 g (2.3 oz) soft dark brown sugar
- 25 g (0.9 oz) cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) baking powder
- 1/4 tsp (0.3 tsp) bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 150 g (5.3 oz) golden raisins or standard raisins, sultanas or currants
- 75 g (2.6 oz) malt extract plus 1 tbsp to glaze the top
- 1 breakfast tea bag
- 2 medium free range eggs
- 100 g (3.5 oz) milk chocolate chips
Instructions
- Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.
- Preheat the oven to 160C (140C fan).
- Put the sultanas, malt extract and teabag in a bowl. Add 60ml (4 tbsp) of freshly boiled water and stir.
- Soak for 15 minutes, then remove the teabag and set aside.
- Add the eggs. Whisk together.
- In a second bowl, sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Add the sugar on top. Whisk together.
- Make a well in the dry ingredient bowl and pour the wet malt mixture into it. Stir just enough to combine.
- Add the chocolate chips. Stir again.
- Pour the mixture into the lined tin.
- Bake for 1 hour until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
- While the loaf is still hot, brush the top with a tablespoon of malt extract.
- Allow to cool until the glaze is no longer sticky, then turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Wrap well and store somewhere cool and dark for at least 3 days or up to a week, allowing the loaf to become sticky, just as malt loaf should be.
Video
Nutrition
If you enjoyed this recipe then you'll likely also enjoy this delicious malt loaf bread and butter pudding or my incredible mini eclairs.
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