This chocolate pound cake bakes up so rich & velvety, with lots of deep chocolate flavor. Lovely for dessert or as an afternoon pick-me-up!

Chocolate pound cake sliced and served on a wooden board.

*Original publish date: April 30, 2020.*

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If you’re like me, nothing says comfort like chocolate!

I’ve got lots of dessert recipes for chocolate lovers! You must try my famous brownies from scratch or my thin & crispy chocolate chip cookies (they taste just like Tate’s!), or how about a creamy chocolate pudding with whipped cream on top?

But if you’re looking for a simple cake, then this chocolate pound cake will do the job!

I love pound cake because of how simple it is and because it’s buttery, velvety, rich, and dense. It’s so perfect! Some of life’s greatest pleasures are a slice of pound cake and a cup of tea or coffee.

Add chocolate and you’ve got the ultimate cake for any occasion!

Chocolate pound cake recipe, baked in a loaf and served with fresh strawberries.

Why you’ll love chocolate pound cake

So chocolate-y: Chocolate pound cake is made with cocoa which results in a deep and indulgent chocolate flavor that’s completely irresistible!

Texture: The “pound” in pound cake refers to each pound of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. This combination creates a dense and moist texture that is so satisfying and comforting! Paired with chocolate, you have the ultimate dessert!

Easy: This cake recipe is straightforward and doesn’t require any kind of advanced baking skills. It’s a great cake to make to impress your guests!

Adaptability: This chocolate cake recipe can be adapted to include additional ingredients such as chocolate chips, nuts, or a hint of coffee.

Ingredients and notes

Butter

Butter provides moistness, richness, and flavor to the cake batter. The butterfat coats the flour particles and helps inhibit gluten formation, resulting in a more tender and delicate crumb.

Unsalted butter allows you to control the amount of salt in the dish.  (Different brands of butter can contain different amounts of salt, so this way you get a more consistent result.)

This recipe works best if you allow the butter to come to room temperature first.  You can set it out on the counter a few hours ahead of making your recipe, or you can microwave it for 10 seconds, turn it over, and microwave it again for another 8 seconds.  

For a vegan or dairy-free chocolate pound cake recipe, use plant-based butter that can substitute for dairy butter 1:1.

Sugar

Sugar sweetens the cake, but it also plays a crucial role in the texture. The rough texture of the sugar crystals help to aerate the butter during the creaming process. The incorporation of air into the batter is what makes the cake rise.

Additionally, sugar holds onto moisture, preventing the cake from drying out.

Regular white sugar is fine, or sub for another type of sweetener if you like.  As long as it swaps 1:1 for granulated sugar it should work.

Eggs

Eggs provide structure, moisture, and richness to the cake. Use large chicken eggs or a plant-based product that subs 1:1, preferably at room temperature.

Sour cream

Provides a rich, moist mouthfeel to the cake.

Vanilla

Vanilla extract adds a subtly sweet flavor without being at all sugary.  

For a more pronounced flavor, try using vanilla bean paste.  You could also split a vanilla bean down the center lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add those.  

Or you could try this with an altogether different type of extract or flavoring, such as:

Or anything else you have on hand!

Flour

Flour provides the structure of the cake. I like to use cake flour because it yields such a beautiful fine, even crumb. If you’re not familiar with this product, you can learn all about it here: Why Use Cake Flour?

Cocoa

Dark cocoa gives a beautiful color to the cake, and regular unsweetened cocoa provides that rich, deep chocolate flavor.

Baking soda

Baking soda is a leavening agent that helps the cake rise slightly and contributes to a softer texture.

Salt

Salt carries the flavors and intensifies them.  The end result won’t taste salty, but it will make everything so much more flavorful!  

I like kosher salt best because it doesn’t have any additives (table salt usually contains iodine which can leave a bitter taste), so the flavor is pure.  It’s also inexpensive and easy to find in a regular grocery store.

Variations and substitutions

Additions: Add chocolate chips, espresso powder, chocolate chunks, nuts, or dried fruit for added texture and flavor.

Alternative flour: If you are in a pinch and don’t have cake flour, you can substitute it for all-purpose flour.

Alternative to sour cream: Greek yogurt will work as a substitute for sour cream.

Gluten-free: I have not personally tested it this way, so I can’t guarantee the results, but I do believe that this recipe would come out well using a gluten-free flour blend. Look for one that subs 1:1 for regular flour. Here are a few good options:

Tools and equipment

How to make chocolate pound cake

Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar

Just like any other pound cake, this recipe starts with butter and sugar.

Sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl, for making chocolate pound cake.

Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl on medium-high speed with a stand or electric mixer for 3 to 5 minutes or until very pale and fluffy.

Creaming butter and sugar together to make chocolate pound cake.

You want the mixture to be very pale and very fluffy.

This is so important because the air you incorporate during this step will leaven the cake. It will make it rise and give it the proper delicate texture you want.

Don’t skimp! Set a timer for 5 minutes and beat it with a vengeance.

Step 2: Add eggs

You can add the eggs once the butter mixture looks almost white and doubles in volume.

Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add the first egg, mixing in on medium speed until completely incorporated.

Continue to add eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl and allowing each one to fully incorporate before adding the next.

Step 4: Add liquid ingredients

Stir in the sour cream and vanilla on medium-low speed until well blended.

Adding sour cream to chocolate pound cake batter.

Vanilla is really going to round out the chocolate flavor, and sour cream and chocolate complement each other in the most fantastic way. The sour cream’s mild natural acidity will also get together with that little pinch of baking soda and boost the cake’s rise so it climbs sky-high and light as a feather.

Step 5: Add dry ingredients

Add the flour, dark cocoa, regular cocoa, salt, and baking soda, folding together gently until just barely combined.

Adding dry ingredients to chocolate pound cake batter.

Step 6: Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake the cake until a skewer is inserted in the center of the cake or the part comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Chocolate pound cake batter in a loaf pan.

Cool the cake in the pan for 30 minutes, remove it from the pan, and let it cool on a wire rack.

Baking tips

  • Start with fresh, high-quality ingredients for a decadent chocolate pound cake. Using good-quality cocoa powder, real butter, fresh eggs, and pure vanilla extract can make a huge difference in the flavor and texture of your cake.
  • Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature (I give mine about 15 seconds in the microwave). It should be soft but not melty.
  • Allow the eggs to come to room temperature as well. Room-temperature ingredients blend more easily, creating a smoother batter.
  • Creaming the butter and sugar together is a crucial step. Beat them together for a long time (about 5-7 minutes) until the mixture is light and fluffy. This incorporates air, yielding a lighter texture in the final cake.
  • Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. This ensures that each egg is fully incorporated into the batter, so it’s velvety smooth and lump-free!.
  • Fold the dry ingredients in very gently. This is the step where you want to be careful not to overwork the batter. If you do, your cake could come out tough and not rise properly.
  • Check for doneness a few minutes before the minimum recommended baking time. Overbaking can result in a dry cake.
Overhead image of a dark chocolate sour cream pound cake sliced and served on a board.

FAQ’s

What is chocolate pound cake?

If you’re unfamiliar with classic pound cake, let me illuminate you.

At first glance, it looks pretty plain and not very exciting. It’s basically just plain cake.

But take a bite, and you’ll be transported.

The crumb is so fine it almost feels creamy in your mouth.

The buttery flavor will totally wow you.

The balance of sweet and rich is everything you never knew you even needed.

It’s homey, old-fashioned, and nostalgic, making you feel loved and cared for. It’s truly magical!

But for today’s recipe, we will satisfy that beast of a chocolate craving. So this has everything that we already love about pound cake plus the intense, deep, dark, rich flavor of chocolate!

Can pound cake be made in a different size pan?

Pound cake is traditionally made in a loaf pan, but it can also be baked in other size pans as well.

The recipe can be doubled to make a double-layer 8-inch round cake, a triple-layer 6-inch round cake, or two dozen cupcakes, or you can bake it in a 10-cup bundt pan or tube pan.

Be aware that if you bake it in a different-sized pan, you may need to adjust the bake time. You’ll know your cake is done baking when a toothpick inserted into the thickest part comes out clean or with just one or two moist crumbs clinging to it.

I would also add that pound cake is very sturdy and can withstand a lot of weight, so if you want to make a stacked cake with many layers (like a wedding cake), this recipe is a great choice.

How to serve

Honestly, this delicious cake does not need a single thing. It’s simple perfection, just as is. But there is nothing wrong with gilding the lily every now and then.

Here are a few of my best suggestions:

How to store and keep

Room temperature: Slip your chocolate pound cake into a zip-top bag once it’s completely cool, and it should last at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.

Refrigerator: If you still have leftovers after 3 to 4 days, pop them into the fridge in an airtight container, and they should keep for another week or two.

Freeze: You can also freeze this cake. Wrap it in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and place in a freezer-safe bag. It will last in the freezer for a couple of months at least. Thaw it at room temperature or in the fridge before slicing.

How to make chocolate pound cake from scratch, with a fine, delicate crumb and a rich chocolate taste.

A few more of my favorite classic cake recipes

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Chocolate pound cake sliced and served on a wooden board.
5 stars (3 ratings)

Chocolate Pound Cake

Servings: 12
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
This chocolate pound cake bakes up so rich & velvety, with lots of deep chocolate flavor. Lovely for dessert or as an afternoon pick-me-up!
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Ingredients

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and mist a 5-cup loaf pan with non-stick spray.
  • Cream the butter and sugar together in a large mixing bowl on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, or until very pale and fluffy.
  • Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a silicone spatula, then add the first egg, mixing in on medium speed until completely incorporated.
  • Continue to add eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl and allowing each one to fully incorporate before adding the next.
  • Stir in the sour cream and vanilla on medium-low speed until well-blended.
  • Add the flour, dark cocoa, regular cocoa, salt, and baking soda, folding together gently until just barely combined.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, and bake the cake until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs (approx. 75 to 85 minutes).
  • Cool the cake in the pan for 30 minutes, then remove it from the pan and allow it to finish cooling on a wire rack.

Notes

*Greek yogurt will also work in a pinch.
Double the recipe to bake it in (2) 8-inch diameter cake pans, (3) 6-inch diameter cake pans, as 24 cupcakes, or in a 10-cup bundt pan.  Adjust bake time as needed.
Calories: 265kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Cholesterol: 79mg, Sodium: 246mg, Potassium: 98mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 17g, Vitamin A: 504IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert, Snack
Tried this recipe?Mention @bakingamoment on Instagram or tag #bakingamoment.
Chocolate pound cake sliced, with a text overlay above that reads "Chocolate Pound Cake."

Author

  • Allie

    Allie is the creator and owner of Baking a Moment. She has been developing, photographing, videographing, and writing and sharing recipes here since 2012.

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