Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a 9″ loaf pan with parchment paper.
Add the sugar, brown sugar, neutral oil, vegan sour cream, vanilla extract, espresso powder, and hot water to a large bowl. Whisk until combined.
Then add in the cocoa powder, and whisk until there are no clumps of cocoa powder in the mixture.
Then add in the baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt, and whisk to evenly distribute the leavening ingredients throughout the batter.
Add in the flour and dairy-free milk, and whisk just until the dry ingredients are incorporated into the chocolate cake batter.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared loaf pan. Place the 9″ strip of cold butter right in the middle of the pan on top, and place into the oven to bake for 50-55 minutes.
Remove the cake from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely, which will take several hours. Do not frost until the cake is fully cooled.
Follow the instructions for making the vegan chocolate ganache frosting. For a thicker ganache, set in the fridge to chill for 1.5 hours, stirring every 30 minutes.
Top the cooled chocolate loaf cake with the chocolate ganache and spread to the edges of the cake. Slice and enjoy!
