Name: Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 10 min
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Ingredients: One 10-inch (12-cup) bundt pan; Stand mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric hand mixer with beaters; 2¼ cups (270 g) all-purpose flour; ¾ cup (60 g) Dutch-processed cocoa powder; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; 1½ cups (339 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar; ¾ cup (150 g) light brown sugar; 5 large eggs (US), at room temperature; 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract; ¼ cup (59 ml) brewed espresso, at room temperature; ¾ cup (180 g) sour cream, at room temperature; 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar; 2 tablespoons (10 g) cocoa powder; 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted; 3 to 4 tablespoons (45 to 60 ml) half-and-half, heavy cream, or milk, at room temperature

Chocolate pound cake Recipe is a rich and moist throwback to the classics. Slather this chocolate bundt cake with a luscious chocolate glaze for an extra hit of chocolate goodness. This simple, double chocolate pound cake is the ultimate go-to for a tasty dessert that’s easy to whip up!

Table of Contents

Why Should You Make Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe

I am absolutely and totally obsessed with this easy decadent cake. Pound cakes are so versatile, crazy good, and easy to prepare. Check out my Peach Cobbler Pound Cake, Lemon Cream Cheese Pound Cake, Pineapple Pound Cake, Key Lime Pound Cake, and Chocolate Chip Pound Cake—just some of the favorites on the blog. And now, I’m thrilled to share this chocolate glazed chocolate pound cake!

This chocolate pound cake has it all: that rich, buttery, tender texture that’s simply to die for. It’s doing everything right in the classic crumb while packing all that moist, rich chocolate flavor you desire.
And it’s super easy with just a few simple ingredients that you most likely already have. It’s perfect for any occasion!

Ingredients:

This old-fashioned chocolate bundt pound cake requires only the simplest ingredients, and most of them you probably already have in your pantry and fridge. So here you go:

Chocolate Pound Cake
Dry ingredients: Some all-purpose flour, Dutch process cocoa powder, baking powder, and a pinch of salt would be required.
Wet Ingredients involve butter, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, brewed espresso, and sour cream.

Chocolate Glaze

Grab some powdered sugar, cocoa powder, unsalted butter, and half-and-half.

Substitutions

This chocolate pound cake recipe is super easy to whip up and tastes amazing. Here are some ingredient swaps if you need ’em:

Chocolate Glaze: While this homemade chocolate glaze makes the pound cake truly decadent, it’s also delicious on its own or with a light dusting of powdered sugar.

Dutch Process Cocoa Powder: If you can’t find Dutch-process cocoa, just use the same amount of unsweetened cocoa powder and swap out the baking powder for baking soda. Use ¼ teaspoon of baking soda instead of baking powder for this recipe.

Baking Powder: This acts as a leavening agent in the cake. You can replace it with baking soda.

Unsalted Butter: You can totally use salted butter instead; just skip adding extra salt.

Granulated Sugar and Light Brown Sugar: This recipe calls for both, but if you wanna go refined sugar-free, maple sugar works great too.

Eggs: This recipe hasn’t been tested without eggs.

Sour Cream: You can swap in thick and creamy Greek yogurt for a nice touch.

Vanilla Extract: This one just boosts the flavor of everything else; it’s not the main star.

Variation

Chocolate Loaf Cake: You can easily make this moist chocolate pound cake in a loaf pan. If you are keeping things simple to the original recipe, just divide the batter between two 9 x 5 loaf pans and bake at 350°F (177°C) about 50 to 65 minutes.

How To Make

Check out how to whip up this chocolate pound cake in just a few simple steps.

1.Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Coat 10-inch (12-cup capacity) bundt pan with nonstick spray. Make sure you get into all grooves with a pastry brush. Dust with flour or cocoa powder very lightly.

2.Whisk together flour, Dutch cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until well combined.

3.In your stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, cream together butter and sugars until it becomes lovely and airy. This is about 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed.Now, on low, add your eggs and vanilla extract one at a time. Make sure each one is well incorporated in the mix before adding the next. Mix everything up for good, well combined.

4.Use your hands or the lowest speed on your mixer, sifting the dry ingredients into the wet mix, alternating with the sour cream, until the batter just comes together.

5.Divide the chocolate pound cake batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Get another serving plate or another cooling rack and place on top of the bundt pan. Carefully flip the pan so the top of the cake is now facing down. Gently tap around the pan to loosen any stuck on bits then lift off the pan. Let it cool completely before adding the chocolate icing.

6.Whisk powdered sugar, cocoa powder, melted butter, and half-and-half in a bowl until it’s smooth and well blended. If you want an even thinner glaze, then just add a little more half-and-half; if you want a thicker one, add a bit more powdered sugar. Drizzle that chocolate glaze over your cooled bundt pound cake and let it set about 30 to 45 minutes; slice it up and dig in!

How To Store, Freeze and Thaw

Leftover Pound Cake :Storage Wrap those slices in an airtight wrapper and keep at room temperature for about 3 to 4 days. To keep them longer, put ’em in the fridge for another day or two.
Freezing: Wrap each slice in plastic wrap and place them in a ziplock bag. You can keep them in the freezer for as long as 3 months. Thawing until you put on the glaze is probably the best plan if you’re freezing.
Thawing: Just pull out as many slices as you want, and let them thaw at room temp or in the fridge until they’re thawed, then go for it!

YP’s Expert Tips:

Spray that bundt pan a little bit with some non-stick spray so the cake does not stick to it all. If you have a pastry brush, or even just a clean paper towel, work the spray into those grooves. Dust the inside of that pan with a good dusting of cocoa or use some cake goop to help that cake just pop right out clean.

Let the cold ingredients chill a bit at room temperature. This makes them get along better, so you won’t have to whip it too much. That would dry out your chocolate chip pound cake.

Don’t overmix the batter! Use the lowest speed on your mixer or just fold in the dry stuff by hand. Just mix until everything is just combined.

It’s best to let the cake cool in the pan for at least 10 to 15 minutes. If taken out too early, it may fall apart easily because it is still quite hot. Keep it out for too long, and it will stick to the bottom of the pan like crazy.

If you suspect the cake is sticking, slide a silicone knife or thin spatula around the edges to release it. Another trick? Place a dish towel in the sink, pour hot water over it, and place the bundt pan (cake side up) on it for 10-15 minutes. The steam helps it release.

If you buttered the pan with an oil spray, let it cool for an hour then freeze for 1-2 hours. Use a silicone knife to gently release the cake from the pan before flipping on to a cooling rack.

Make sure the cake is fully cool before you slap on that icing. It usually takes about 30-45 minutes after you take it out of the pan, or about an hour after pulling it from the oven.

FAQs for Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe

1. Why is this chocolate pound cake so moist?
The butter, sour cream along with proper mixing makes this cake quite moist. Sour cream contributes to keeping the whole thing rather rich and tender, and then there is just not overmixing the batter, which provides that nice crumb.

2. Can I use regular cocoa powder in place of Dutch process?
Totally! If you don’t have Dutch process cocoa, just swap it for unsweetened cocoa powder. And of course, you should use a bit of baking soda instead of baking powder for that lift!

3. What type of pan should I bake this pound cake in?
You can make this in either bundt pan or in a loaf pan—whichever you happen to have on hand. Just grease it up properly so your cake doesn’t stick around to haunt you

4. How do I know when the pound cake is done baking?
Push a toothpick into the center. If it comes out with some moist crumbs, you’re good! If it is covered in wet batter, give it a little more time.

5. Can I freeze this chocolate pound cake?
You bet! Just wrap those slices in plastic wrap, toss ’em in a ziplock bag, and freeze for up to three months. Just wait to glaze it until you’re ready to eat!

6. What’s the best method for storing leftover pound cake?
Keep those slices in an airtight container for room temp, 3-4 days. If you want it to last even longer, freeze it for another couple of days.

7. Can I add other things to the cake?
Of course! You can add chocolate chips, nuts, even swirl in some peanut butter. Be creative!

8. What’s going on with this chocolate glaze?
The glaze is the final flourish for that cake. Whip it into some powdered sugar, cocoa powder, melted butter, and half-and-half, and drizzle it over the cooled cake for an ultimate chocolate kick!

9. How do I prevent the cake from sticking to the pan?
Spray that pan down with some non-stick spray, then dust it with some cocoa powder or flour. When well-greased, your cake should come out clean as a whistle!

10. Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Yes! Simply swap out the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour. It’ll still turn out great!