Toasted Pecan Loaf Cake with Cocoa Swirl

Steps

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with a small dab of the butter and line it with a parchment sling; keep the rest of the butter for the batter.
2. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7 to 8 minutes until fragrant; let cool. Divide the pecans: one third for the filling and two thirds for the batter.
3. Make the cocoa filling: in a small bowl, stir together the unsweetened cocoa powder, the granulated sugar, the cinnamon, the chocolate chips and the one third of the pecans set aside for the filling.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
5. In a large bowl, beat the remaining butter with the brown sugar for 3 minutes until fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
6. Add half the flour mixture, then the sour cream, then the remaining half of the flour mixture, mixing on low just until combined. Fold in the two thirds of the pecans set aside for the batter.
7. Spread half the batter in the pan, sprinkle all of the cocoa filling evenly over it, then top with the remaining half of the batter. Drag a knife through in a few loose S-curves to swirl.
8. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, tenting with foil after 40 minutes if browning fast, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean (a smear of melted chocolate is fine).
9. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, lift out and cool completely on a rack, about 1 hour, before cutting into 12 slices.