The only thing better than regular cake is pound cake. And the only thing better than pound cake is this chocolate pound cake recipe. The secret, ok it’s not much of a secret, is the addition of espresso powder in this recipe. It helps bring out the deep chocolate flavor. And if you know me at all (ok, most of you don’t), you know how seriously I take my chocolate.
Before we get baking, let’s cover a few basics when it comes to this recipe: what you’ll need, the best types of ingredients, and kitchen utensils. Ready to get baking some dessert?
What You Need for this Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe
Unsalted butter. Use quality unsalted butter. Since there is already salt in the recipe, you don’t want to overpower the cake with too much.
Granulated sugar. Use any kind of granulated sugar you’d like. From white sugar to Turbinado to even brown sugar that will lend a mollassess-like flavor.
Eggs. Eggs serve multiple functions in a pound cake recipe. The yolks provide fat and emulsifiers that contribute to a rich, moist texture, while the egg whites contain proteins that give structure to the cake. For cakes that are fluffier and light, you typically want to use fresher eggs. But since pound cake is a much denser cake, if your eggs are slightly older (but not spoiled) they’ll be good to go!
Vanilla extract. Vanilla extract adds a subtle aroma and flavor that complements the richness of the other ingredients. While it’s not essential for the structure of the cake, it significantly enhances the overall taste, giving the cake a more complex flavor profile. If you don’t have vanilla extract, it’s ok to use a vanilla extract substitute such as almond extract.
Whole milk. Whole milk contributes moisture and tenderizes the cake. The fat in whole milk enriches the cake’s flavor and helps create a velvety texture.
All-purpose flour. All-purpose flour provides the structure for the cake. The proteins in the flour form gluten when mixed with liquid, giving the cake its shape and texture. We’ll talk about this more below, but be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough cake.
Unsweetened cocoa powder. In a chocolate pound cake, unsweetened cocoa powder gives the cake its chocolate flavor. The bitterness of the cocoa balances the sweetness of the sugar, resulting in a rich chocolatey cake.
Salt. A small amount of salt can make a big difference in a cake recipe. Salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients and balances the sweetness of the cake.
Baking powder. Baking powder is a leavening agent that helps the cake rise by releasing carbon dioxide gas when it reacts with the moisture and heat in the oven. This makes the cake lighter and gives it a fine crumb.
Baking soda. Baking soda serves as another leavening agent. It’s often used in recipes that include acidic ingredients like sour cream or buttermilk. In a pound cake recipe with such acidic elements, baking soda helps the cake rise and also neutralizes some of the acidity, helping to balance out the flavors.
My Thoughts on Dutch Process Cocoa Powder
This is the million-dollar question, at least it was before the internet! But seriously, it’s confusing, but not really. Dutch-process cocoa powder is a type of cocoa powder that has been treated with an alkaline solution. Often you’ll see it listed on the side of a package as “cocoa processed with alkali.” It’s also referred to as Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
This process neutralizes the natural acidity of the cocoa, leading to a cocoa powder that is less acidic and darker in color compared to natural cocoa powder. There’s a lot of info out there on whether you want to use this type of cocoa or not. My personal preference is not to use it. I think it gives your recipe a deeper cocoa flavor. With that said, cocoa not processed with alkali can be harder to find, or at least easiest always readily available in a typical grocery store.
It’s really up to you. If you’d like to purchase it online, this is a great brand of cocoa powder that doesn’t process its powder with alkali.
Making Your Chocolate Pound Cake
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 60 mins
Total Time: 1 hr, 20 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, allowing some overhang on the sides.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the unsalted butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Combine Mixtures: Alternate between adding the sifted flour mixture and whole milk to the butter mixture. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined each time.
- Pour and Smooth: Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan (or loaf pan if you don’t have a bundt) and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
- Cool: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, lift it out using the parchment paper overhang and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Slice and Serve: Once the cake has cooled completely, slice it and enjoy!
Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup Unsalted butter, room temperature 2 sticks, room temperature
- 1 ¾ cups Granulated sugar
- 4 eggs Large eggs room temperature
- 1tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 cup Whole milk room temperature
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- ¾ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Baking powder
- ¼ tsp Baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, allowing some overhang on the sides.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the unsalted butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Sift Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Combine Mixtures: Alternate between adding the sifted flour mixture and whole milk to the butter mixture. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined each time.
- Pour and Smooth: Pour the cake batter into the prepared bundt pan (or loaf pan if you don't have a bundt) and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs.
- Cool: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, lift it out using the parchment paper overhang and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Slice and Serve:Â Once the cake has cooled completely, slice it and enjoy!
Nutrition
Pound Cake Recipe Variations
For a Moister Cake
Adding sour cream is a great way to make a moister cake moist because of its high fat content and acidity. The fat ups the cake’s richness and the acidity helps break down the gluten in the flour, making for more moist crumbs. Generally, for every cup of liquid (like whole milk in this case), you can replace up to half with sour cream. So since this recipe calls for 1 cup of milk, you can use 1/2 cup of milk and 1/2 cup of sour cream.
Add a Glaze or Topping
If a plain chocolate cake isn’t enough to satisfy your chocolate lover’s dream, go all in and make a bittersweet dark chocolate ganache to add to the top. And if you prefer a salty-sweet dessert, you can make a cream cheese frosting. Or buy one in the store 😉
For Added Texture
When it comes to cake and ice cream, I’m a huge fan of adding additional texture. Whether that means just a few sprinkles to my ice cream sundae or baking chocolate chips or nuts into a cake or bread. For this specific recipe, below are a few of my favorite additions:
Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe FAQs
Why is my chocolate pound cake dry?
There’s nothing worse than a dry cake. Well, maybe no cake at all? Beyond just messing up your measurements, two reasons your cake might be dry are because of the age of some of the ingredients or over-mixing. If you’re using old stale baking powder or baking soda, your cake might not rise and will feel dry. The other reason is that you might be over-mixing your ingredients. When you do this, you can overdevelop the gluten in the cake batter, making it dry or coarse.
What makes a pound cake different from a regular cake?
This is a pretty straightforward answer. A pound cake, hence the name, is a dense cake. Unlike a typical cake, where you expect it to be light and fluffy.
What rack Should I bake pound cake on?
The best position for baking a pound cake in a conventional oven is generally the center rack. Placing the cake in the center allows for even heat distribution.
What is the difference between a butter cake and a pound cake?
Butter cake and pound cake both feature a rich, buttery flavor but differ in texture and ingredient ratios. Butter cake, on the other hand, has a lighter texture due to varying ingredient ratios and often includes leavening agents like baking powder for added lift.
More Easy Desserts
11 Desserts Using Lemon Cake Mix
Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe
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Have questions or suggestions about this chocolate pound cake recipe? Leave them in the comments below.
