This chocolate pound cake is moist, buttery and deeply chocolatey. Simple to make yet elegant to serve, it’s delicious plain or finished with a glossy chocolate ganache. 
Perfect Chocolate Pound Cake
A classic pound cake has a rich buttery flavor, a tight, dense crumb and a golden crust. This chocolate pound cake keeps all of those traits while adding a balanced chocolate taste that’s rich but not overly sweet. It slices cleanly and looks lovely with whipped cream and fresh berries, or you can drizzle it with chocolate ganache for a more indulgent finish.
This recipe is less sweet than a layered chocolate cake and celebrates the simple, satisfying texture of a true pound cake.
Ingredients Needed
Traditional pound cake is built around butter, sugar, eggs and flour. For extra moisture, this version replaces a portion of the butter with sour cream. Use high-quality ingredients for the best results. You’ll need:
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 g) — room temperature. If using salted butter, omit the added salt in the recipe.
- 3 cups superfine sugar (600 g) — caster or superfine sugar dissolves more easily in the batter.
- 5 large eggs — beaten into the butter and sugar to incorporate air and help the cake rise.
- 1 cup cocoa powder (80 g) — Dutch-process cocoa gives a deeper, darker chocolate flavor.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 250 g) — measure carefully; spoon and level or weigh for accuracy. (2 1/4 cups = 281 g if you need conversions.)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda — a small amount helps with rise and crumb without compromising the dense texture.
- 1/2 teaspoon salt — balances the sweetness.
- 2/3 cup boiling water (160 ml) — blooming the cocoa in hot water intensifies the chocolate flavor.
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder — optional but recommended to enhance chocolate flavor; it won’t make the cake taste like coffee.
- 1 cup sour cream (240 ml) — adds moisture and tenderness in place of some butter.
Baking Tips
- Grease the bundt pan thoroughly and dust with cocoa powder, getting into every ridge to prevent sticking, even with non-stick pans.
- Bring butter, eggs and sour cream to room temperature (about 30 minutes out of the fridge). The butter should be soft but not melted.
- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy — about 5 minutes — to aerate the batter and dissolve the sugar.
- Scrape down the bowl frequently so all ingredients incorporate evenly.
- Add the eggs one at a time to maintain structure and ensure a stable, aerated batter.
- Bake at 325°F (160°C) for about 65–75 minutes. The cake is done when it pulls slightly away from the pan and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
If you enjoy chocolate that’s rich but not overly sweet, this chocolate pound cake delivers. It’s dense and buttery with classic pound cake texture and a refined chocolate character.
For more chocolate cake ideas, try variations such as fudgy mud cake, cupcakes or a quick mug cake depending on how indulgent or convenient you’d like the dessert to be.
Chocolate Pound Cake
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Equipment
- 12-cup bundt pan (10.5 in diameter x 4 in deep recommended)
Ingredients
Chocolate Bundt Cake
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 g), room temperature
- 3 cups superfine sugar (600 g)
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup cocoa powder (80 g)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (about 250 g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream (240 ml)
- 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
- 2/3 cup boiling water (160 ml)
Chocolate Ganache
- 4 ounces dark chocolate (113 g), 50% or semi-sweet
- 1/2 cup whipping cream (120 ml)
Instructions
Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
- Grease a 12-cup bundt pan thoroughly and dust with cocoa powder, making sure all ridges are covered.
- Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl occasionally.
- On low speed, add half the flour mixture, then the sour cream, then the remaining flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Dissolve the instant coffee in the boiling water.
- Carefully mix the hot coffee water into the batter until evenly incorporated.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Bake 65–75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs. A large crack on top is normal.
- Cool in the pan for at least 30 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
Chocolate Ganache
- Chop the chocolate finely and place in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat the cream until it is almost boiling.
- Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 3 minutes.
- Whisk until smooth. If needed, warm in 30-second bursts in the microwave at medium power and whisk again.
- Transfer the fully cooled cake to the serving plate and drizzle or pour the ganache over the top.
Notes
- Bundt pan size: Use a 12-cup pan or larger to prevent overflow.
- Room temperature: Bring butter, eggs and sour cream to room temperature before beginning; the butter should be soft, not melted.
- Storage: Keep the cake in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 5 days. Unfrosted cake freezes well for up to 2 months—thaw in the fridge, then bring to room temperature.
- Nutrition: Nutrition figures are estimates per slice (14 servings) including ganache.
Nutrition
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