Quick Summary: A rich, moist quick bread layered with chocolate, espresso, and pistachios. Olive oil keeps it tender and helps it ship well without crumbling. A longtime favorite in college care packages. Prep: 25 min | Cook: 1 hr | Serves: 10
Jump to: | RECIPE | Why Quick Breads? | Shipping & Packaging | How to Make It? | More Treats for Shipping | FAQ
This chocolate espresso pistachio bread was the most requested item in my kids’ college care packages. Their friends would even message me on social media when a box arrived, making sure I send enough for all of them.
The combination of bittersweet chocolate, espresso powder, and pistachios creates something rich but not too sweet, and the olive oil keeps it moist for days. It ships beautifully without falling apart, which is the whole point of a good care package treat.
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Why Quick Breads Ship Well
It’s sometimes difficult to ship treats any distance without the recipient ending up with a crumbly or gooey mess.
Quick breads are great shippable treats because they are easy to wrap, they don’t fall apart and they don’t have delicate fillings that can melt or get gooey.
This recipe was a standard in my kid’s college care packages. Include a card with cash and some non-edible essentials and you’re the mom of the day.
I used olive oil in the recipe to help keep it together more, but it sounds like from the comments below that melted butter worked quite well. Try it and let me know which you used and how you liked it, OK?
How to Package Quick Bread for Shipping
After the bread is completely cooled, wrap it with two pieces of plastic wrap, wrapping one piece along the length of the bread and one piece around the width to make sure there are no gaps where air can get in.
Then wrap the bread in aluminum foil and either freeze for shipping later or place in sturdy tin or a tightly packed box.
You want to stuff the box tightly with paper or other presents so that the bread cannot move around. That is the secret to shipping.
How to Make Chocolate Espresso Pistachio Bread
The ingredient and recipe details are listed in the recipe card below. In short:
- Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt.
- In a stand mixer, beat eggs with sugar until smooth, then add olive oil, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Fold in the dry ingredients and chopped pistachios.
- Bake in a prepared loaf pan at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes until a knife comes out clean. Cool completely before wrapping.
More Care Package Ideas
- Pumpkin Amaretto Bread is great for Fall or Halloween package
- Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies
- Raspberry Swirl Brownies
- Spicy Peanut Brittle
- Ritz Cracker Chocolate Bark
- Low Carb Zucchini Coconut Bread is good for those on a diet
- Red Velvet Cookies are great for Valentines Day
- Pfeffernusse cookies are an often requested treat for Christmas packages
FAQ
No. The flour and sugar make it high in carbs. You could experiment with almond flour and a sugar substitute, but the texture will change.
Yes. Melted butter works well and several readers have reported good results. The olive oil adds moisture that helps the bread stay fresh longer during shipping.
Wrapped tightly, it keeps at room temperature for about 5 days. It also freezes well for up to 2 months.
I use espresso powder from King Arthur Flour. Any instant espresso powder works. Regular instant coffee is weaker but can substitute in a pinch.
Yes. Reduce baking time to 18 to 22 minutes. Check with a toothpick for doneness.
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Chocolate Espresso Pistachio Bread
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup olive oil can use melted butter
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder I love the espresso powder I get from King Arthur Flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teas[ppm vanilla
- ¾ cup pistachios finely chopped
- ½ cup chocolate covered espresso beans optional for garnish
Instructions
- Take eggs and butter (if you are using butter rather than oil) out of the refrigerator to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Spray a 8 x 4-inch loaf pan with oil and sprinkle a handful of flour in the bottom and around the sides of the pan. Tilt and shake the pan to get it lightly coated with the flour and then tap out any excess flour onto the counter.2 eggs, 1/2 cup olive oil
- In a medium size bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt). Set this aside.1 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon espresso powder, 2 tablespoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the eggs and the sugar until light and smooth. Add the oil (or butter), sour cream, and vanilla and mix until combined.2 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup sour cream, 1 teas[ppm vanilla, 1/2 cup olive oil
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix until just combined (don’t overmix). Fold in the pistachios.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle some chopped pistachios on top of bread. Bake in the center of the oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean and not wet.3/4 cup pistachios
- Cool the bread in the pan for 20 minutes and then invert onto a wire rack, turn right side up and cool completely before wrapping.1/2 cup chocolate covered espresso beans
I’ve made this for my husband (a choco-holic) several times. In the last batch, I substituted melted butter for the oil. He loves it.
Clayton, I think I will try the butter for oil next time. Thanks! I think for shipping the oil might be a safer bet, but I bet the butter ups the flavor some.
This looks delicious — I’m going to make three loaves today – for three ‘kids’ in different states. I must admit I looked over the recipe several times when the directions say to take eggs and butter out of the fridge and bring to room temperature but there isn’t any butter in the recipe. I’m going with oil for shipping.
Ah-h Shirley, you are right. Whenever I am developing a recipe I cross reference as many similar ones as I can find and I must have erred when I transcribed this. I will go back to my archives and figure out whether I used oil or butter. I do know it was a really big hit with my son and his room-mates. Thanks for the comment. I’ll fix it.
Yum!
It was reallly a hit with my son and his friends! Definitely not low carb, but hey people have to have cheat days now and then right?
Looks Amazing!
It was delish! Let me know if you try it and have any comments OK?
Can’t wait to try it! Do you recommend raw or roasted/toasted pistachios? When/how should the chocolate espresso beans be added for garnish?
Hi Julia, so happy you’re going to try it. It was certainly a hit around our house. Re the pistachios – I didn’t toast them but you certainly could. It would make them more crunchy and the bread is pretty soft so I’m not sure it would be better. I like to toast nuts when they’re used in sauces or topping. Re the beans for garnish – grind them a bit and sprinkle on top of the bread after baking but while it is still warm so they can sink in a little bit. Enjoy!!
Have you made it with a different type of nut?
No, I haven’t used a different nut but it shouldn’t make a difference. The pistachios are crushed so any crushed nut would have the same texture. Just add your favorite nut (or no nuts at all) and enjoy!
This looks and sounds fantastic! I’m going to make it this week. I may switch out the pistachios for walnuts since pistachios are so expensive right now. I plan on making Christmas Care Packages for family and friends so it’s good to know this ships well. Thank you.
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Yes, walnuts would work great. Pistachios and pine nuts have really soared in cost haven’t they?