Chocolate Pound Cake

Difficulty Intensity: 🍫🍫 (Moderate) – Requires precise creaming and room-temperature ingredients.

Equipment

• Stand mixer or hand mixer + large bowl
• 9×5-inch loaf pan (or 10-cup Bundt pan)
• Parchment paper (for loaf)
• Cooking spray or butter for greasing
• Wire cooling rack
• Small saucepan (to melt chocolate)
• Fine-mesh sieve (for sifting dry ingredients)

Ingredients

For the Cake

• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
• 1 cup (85g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
• 4 oz (113g) cream cheese, softened
• 2 ½ cups (500g) granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 oz (113g) dark chocolate (60-70% cacao) , melted and slightly cooled
• ½ cup (120g) full-fat sour cream, room temperature
• ½ cup (120ml) whole milk, room temperature

For the Chocolate Glaze (Optional but Recommended)

• ½ cup (45g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 3 tbsp hot water (or strong coffee for deeper flavor)
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Prepare the Pan & Oven

1. Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C) .
2. Grease your loaf pan thoroughly with butter or cooking spray. Line the bottom with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides (this helps lift the cake out).
3. If using a Bundt pan, grease every crevice with solid shortening or baking spray with flour.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients

1. In a medium bowl, sift together: flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sifting removes lumps and aerates the cocoa. Set aside.

3. Cream Butter, Cream Cheese & Sugar

1. In a stand mixer with paddle attachment (or large bowl with hand mixer), beat butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and combined, about 2 minutes.
2. Add sugar gradually, then increase speed to medium-high. Beat for 4–5 minutes until the mixture is very light, fluffy, and pale in color. This step is critical—proper creaming creates the pound cake’s fine crumb.

4. Add Eggs & Flavorings

1. Reduce speed to medium. Add eggs one at a time , beating well after each addition (about 30 seconds per egg). Scrape down the bowl twice.
2. Mix in vanilla extract and the melted dark chocolate . The mixture may look slightly curdled—that’s fine.

5. Alternate Dry & Wet Ingredients

1. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add about 1/3 of the dry mixture , then ½ the milk , then another 1/3 dry, then the sour cream , then the remaining dry, then the remaining milk.
2. Start and end with dry ingredients. Mix just until each addition disappears . Do not overmix! Overmixing develops gluten and makes the cake tough.

6. Bake

1. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Smooth the top. Tap the pan firmly on the counter 3–4 times to release air bubbles.
2. Bake for 65–75 minutes . Check at 60 minutes: Insert a long skewer into the center. It should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
3. The top will look cracked and spring back when lightly pressed.
4. Important: If the top browns too quickly after 45 minutes, tent loosely with aluminum foil.

7. Cool Properly

1. Let the cake cool in the pan for 20 minutes .
2. Run a thin knife around the edges. Invert or lift out onto a wire rack.
3. Cool completely (about 1 hour) before glazing or slicing. A warm pound cake will crumble.

8. Make the Glaze (Optional)

1. In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar, cocoa powder, melted butter, vanilla, and hot water until smooth.
2. Drizzle over cooled cake. Let glaze set for 15 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 495 kcal · Protein: 8g · Fat: 27g · Carbohydrates: 61g Dietary · Saturated Fat: 16g · Fiber: 4g · Sugar: 43g · Sodium: 260mg