Description
Rich chocolate flavors mingle in this classic chocolate pound cake, creating a dense, moist dessert perfect for afternoon tea or elegant gatherings. Chocolate lovers will savor each deeply satisfying slice that promises pure indulgence with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (227 grams or 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ¾ cups (219 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (50 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (85 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
- 1 cup (170 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
Instructions
- Preparation Ritual: Ignite the oven to 325F (165C). Lavishly coat a 9-5-inch loaf pan or bundt pan with grease and flour, ensuring every crevice is protected.
- Butter Transformation: Whip butter and sugar in a spacious mixing bowl until the mixture achieves a cloud-like, airy consistency, approximately 3-5 minutes of vigorous blending.
- Egg Integration: Introduce eggs individually, thoroughly incorporating each before adding the next. Infuse vanilla extract, stirring until harmoniously combined.
- Dry Ingredient Symphony: In a separate vessel, choreograph flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt into a uniform mixture through whisking.
- Ingredient Fusion: Methodically marry dry ingredients with the butter mixture, weaving in milk and sour cream. Ensure a seamless integration, beginning and concluding with dry ingredients. Mix until just united, avoiding over-manipulation.
- Chocolate Enhancement: Tenderly fold chocolate chips throughout the batter, creating delightful pockets of molten chocolate.
- Baking Performance: Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the surface with precision. Bake for 60-70 minutes, monitoring until a toothpick emerges with minimal moist crumbs.
- Cooling Choreography: Allow the cake to rest within the pan for 10-15 minutes, then gracefully transition to a wire rack for complete cooling.
- Ganache Finale (Optional): Gently warm heavy cream, cascade it over chocolate chips. Pause momentarily, then stir until achieving a glossy, uniform consistency. Elegantly drizzle over the cooled cake.
- Culinary Celebration: Slice and savor the decadent, rich chocolate pound cake, reveling in its luxurious texture and intense flavor profile.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients like eggs and butter to ensure even mixing and a moist, tender crumb. Cold ingredients can lead to uneven baking and a dense, dry cake.
- Adjust cocoa powder quality and type for deeper or milder chocolate flavor. High-quality Dutch-processed cocoa delivers richer, more complex chocolate notes.
- Gently fold dry ingredients and stop mixing once ingredients are just combined. Overmixing develops gluten, resulting in a tough, rubbery cake texture.
- Let chocolate chips sit in warm cream for exactly one minute before stirring to create smooth, glossy ganache without burning or separating the chocolate.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg