Chocolate Pound Cake is a decadent treat that combines the best of chocolate and cream cheese for a dessert that’s sure to satisfy anyone with a sweet tooth. Whether enjoyed on its own or paired with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, it’s a delightful indulgence for chocolate lovers! I love this recipe because those glorious chocolate crumbs seem to melt into your mouth. It’s like the cake version of velvet! You will also love my Chocolate Bundt Cake with Cream Cheese Filling!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Room Temperature Ingredients: This chocolate pound cake needs to be made with room-temperature ingredients. This will ensure easier mixing and help achieve that perfect crumb.
Cream Cheese: Cream cheese adds an incredible tenderness and moistness to the cake. The fat content in cream cheese helps create a dense yet soft crumb, making the cake exceptionally rich and luxurious.
Cake Flour: With a lower protein content of 7-8% compared to all-purpose flour (10-12%), cake flour is a specialized flour made from soft wheat that is finely milled for a fine texture. Cake flour helps to absorb more moisture which leads to a more stable structure and even rising of cakes.
Cocoa: Look for high-quality Dutch-processed cocoa. Dutch-processed cocoa is less acidic and will give the cake a darker color. It also will result in a less bitter flavor. So, if you want a richer and more moist cake, use Dutch-processed cocoa.
How to Prepare A Bundt Pan
There are a few ways you can prepare a bundt pan. Here are some options:
- Use GOOP (as grandma calls it) or Pan Release. The recipe for homemade pan release is simple and can be stored right in the refrigerator. I spread a generous coat around the bundt pan with a pastry brush. One important aspect of using Goop is when to remove the bundt cake. I prefer to let the cake sit in the pan for up to 5 minutes, then invert it onto a cooling rack. When allowed to cool to room temperature in the pan, I have found that it doesn’t release as beautifully.
- You can also use the traditional butter + flour method, which is buttering the pan generously and then adding about a 1/4 cup of cocoa powder. (Only use cocoa powder for chocolate cakes; otherwise, use all-purpose flour.) Slowly turn the pan around and around making sure the cocoa powder covers every nook and cranny. Tip it over a garbage can and shake out the excess.
- Baker’s spray is also an option, which is an aerosol pan-release spray. The baker’s version states it contains flour, which seems to work best on cakes.
How to Know When Pound Cake Is Done Baking
My favorite method of testing a pound cake’s doneness is to use a toothpick. Around the 55-minute mark, insert the toothpick and then carefully remove it. If you see a few crumbs that is a GOOD thing, your pound cake is done baking. Any wet batter on the toothpick means it needs to bake longer. If you happen to notice that the top is browned but your pound cake still needs to bake, you can gently cover it with a foil tent to make sure it will not brown anymore.
How to Serve Chocolate Pound Cake
Pound cake can be served warm, at room temperature, and is even delicious served cold. No matter what you do with this Chocolate Pound Cake, I know you love it! I happen to love this cake all on its own, but here are a few ways to jazz it up:
- Whipped cream – Traditional whipped cream, peppermint whipped cream, or even an orange-infused whipped cream would be amazing.
- Chocolate ganache (this is my favorite recipe)
- Fresh fruit – A fun trick is to pile fruit in the center of the pound cake and then more on top!
- Buttercream piped on – just like on my Harvest Chocolate Bundt Cake
How To Store Pound Cake
Pound cakes are best stored, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 3 days. Storing at room temperature helps the cakes keep both texture and flavor. However, you could store it in the refrigerator for up to five days if preferred. To freeze the cake, double-wrap it in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil. It will last up to 3 months in the freezer. Let the cake thaw in the refrigerator overnight before cutting and serving.
This recipe has been tested and updated as of September 2023.
Chocolate Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 3 cups (600 g) granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups (281 g) cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup (64 g) Dutch-processed cocoa
- 1 pinch kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together butter, cream cheese, and sugar.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg. Add vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cocoa, and salt.
- Add about half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat well. Add remaining flour mixture and mix until combined, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Pour into pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until done. Use a toothpick to test at 55 minutes. If the toothpick is removed with a few crumbs but no wet batter, the cake is done.
Video
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Thank you for making my recipe! You took pictures, right? Well go ahead and post them on Instagram! Be sure to mention me @iambaker and use the hashtag #YouAreBaker.
Can I add chocolate chip to this recipe?
Ok, with only 2 cups of white, very fine sugar, I decided to use 1 cup of light brown sugar for the third cup… omg… we’re dying! I baked it on the lowest rack and at 55min began testing. It went until maybe 70 minutes before I was able to remove it, but got it out in perfect time to have a very moist cake!! It’s sweet so no glaze or topping necessary… maybe some vanilla ice-cream!!
Hello,
Can I use this recipe for individual mini Bundt cakes?
I am looking forward to trying this! I had a recipe passed down from my aunt, but I can’t find it. One problem I’ve had when I made it in the past is sometimes the cake came out sort of rubbery. I’m guessing it was from either overmixing or undermixing. In your experience, have you ever had this happen to a pound cake and can you tell me why? Thanks so much! (gosh, looking at it makes me want a slice with my coffee right now!)
Thank you for the recipies
Absolutely delicious! I’ve made a couple of times. All my families,coworkers, friends love it! Thank you very much for your recipe!👍👌😊
I love making a lot of your recipes, especially the cakes. I’ve been learning how to bake homemade cakes and following your recipes helps me a lot. Thank you for sharing. I just made the chocolate bundt cake my husband is going to love it.
Delicious cake. Followed recipe exactly as printed. Will bake this for Thanksgiving. Thank you!
I love your recipe. I need one for a pineapple upside down cake.
Excellent! Cake came out very moist.