Chocolate Pound Cake

Indulge in this decadent chocolate pound cake made entirely from scratch. With simple ingredients and easy instructions, this recipe is a must-try for any chocolate lover. This rich Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe has slightly dense classic velvety pound cake texture and pure butter flavor.

Enjoy this taste treat with just a simple powdered sugar dusting and a scoop of vanilla ice cream, fresh berries, or chocolate ganache. If you like this recipe try my chocolate banana bread, chocolate zucchini cake, chocolate cream pie, and chocolate cherry cake.

Ingredients for Chocolate Pound Cake

• Flour – all purpose or cake flour
• Cocoa – preferably Dutch process cocoa
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• Granulated sugar
• Eggs – large ones
• Buttermilk
• Vanilla extract – the real stuff

Tips for Baking the Best Chocolate Pound Cake

• Use great quality baking Dutch process cocoa like Ghirardelli or Guittard. You can use regular baking cocoa for this recipe if needed but the Dutch process cocoa really takes it over the top.
• Grease the pan well with butter and dust with flour or cocoa. powder. Cocoa powder does not leave those white splotches on your gorgeous chocolate cake like flour does but it can make your cake appear very dark depending on the cocoa you are using.
• Use good quality unsalted butter like Land O Lakes, Kerrygold, or Challenge butter.
• Cream the butter and sugar using a stand or hand mixer on medium until it is pale yellow, fluffy, and light.
• Pound cakes are easy to overbake. They are done when they reach an internal temperature of 210 degrees. An instant read thermometer is an inexpensive kitchen gadget and really a lifesaver for so many recipes.
• Cool the cake in the pan for 25-30 minutes before inverting.
• Once inverted fully cool before dusting with powdered sugar.
• I really like the simple powdered sugar dusting but you can top with chocolate ganache, chocolate frosting, or a chocolate glaze. 

How to Make Chocolate Pound Cake

Start by whisking together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Then set it aside for a few minutes. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand electric mixer beat the butter and sugar on medium until pale yellow, fluffy and light. This can take several minutes. Now turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at time beating until incorporated. Then add the dry ingredients and the milk in increments alternating between the two. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beaters with a spatula when needed. Mix in the vanilla extract.

Pour the cake batter into a well greased and floured Bundt pan and bake for about an hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool on a rack for 20-30 minutes before inverting on a plate or cake stand. Cool for several hours before sprinkling with powdered sugar. Slice and serve a la mode or with fresh whipped cream.

What is Dutch Process Cocoa?

Dutch process cocoa powder starts with cocoa beans that have been treated with an alkali to neutralize its acidity. This results in a darker color and more mellow chocolate flavor with earthy woodsy tones. Although you can use either cocoa, I prefer to use the Dutch process cocoa in this recipe as it reduces the acidity and gives it that rich dark color.

Instead of using flour try using cocoa powder. After greasing the bundt pan add a about 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder to the pan and shake to coat tapping out the excess. This will keep white flour specks and blobs from blemishing your beautiful chocolate cake. Keep in mind that dusting with Dutch processed cocoa will give it a very dark appearance. If you have both types of cocoa in the house use regular cocoa for the dusting.

How to Store Chocolate Pound Cake

Store the well wrapped cake on the counter at room temperature for 3-4 days. Storing the cake in the refrigerator drys it out.

To freeze cool the cake completely and double wrap in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost on the counter overnight.

More cake recipes you will love!

Chocolate Pound Cake

A delectable classic buttery Chocolate Pound Cake with a slightly dense crumb, velvety texture, and rich chocolate flavor.  

5 from 17 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour hour

Servings: 12 srevings

Calories: 534kcal

Author: Beth Pierce

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• ¾ cup Dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups unsalted butter softened
• 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 5 large eggs room temperature
• 1 ¼ cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan. 
• Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Set it aside for a few minutes.
• Using a stand or hand mixer beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until pale yellow, fluffy and light. This can take several minutes.
• Turn the mixer to low and add the eggs one at time beating until incorporated. Add the flour mixture and milk alternating between the two scraping down the bowl and beaters when needed. Mix in the vanilla.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let cool in the pan for 20 minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. 

Notes

• Use great quality baking Dutch process cocoa like Ghirardelli or Guittard. You can use regular baking cocoa for this recipe if needed but the Dutch process cocoa really takes it over the top.
• Grease the pan well with butter and dust with flour or cocoa. powder. Cocoa powder does not leave those white splotches on your gorgeous chocolate cake like flour does but it can make your cake appear very dark depending on the cocoa you are using.
• Use good quality unsalted butter like Land O Lakes, Kerrygold, or Challenge butter.
• Cream the butter and sugar using a stand or hand mixer on medium until it is pale yellow, fluffy, and light.
• Pound cakes are easy to overbake. They are done when they reach an internal temperature of 210 degrees. An instant read thermometer is an inexpensive kitchen gadget and really a lifesaver for so many recipes.
• Cool the cake in the pan for 25-30 minutes before inverting.
• Once inverted fully cool before dusting with powdered sugar.
• Store the well wrapped cake on the counter for 4-5 days.
• To freeze cool the cake completely and double wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight. 

Nutrition

Calories: 534kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 132mg | Sodium: 369mg | Potassium: 183mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 849IU | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 3mg

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