Chocolate Bliss: A Pound Cake for the Ages
Calling all chocoholics! This decadent chocolate pound cake is so rich, moist, and intensely chocolatey, it’ll have you reaching for seconds (and maybe thirds).
Craving a slice of pure chocolate heaven? Look no further! This isn’t your average pound cake, it’s a symphony of chocolate flavours, a dense but light and delightful dream. It’s perfect for afternoon tea parties, birthday celebrations, or just because you deserve a little chocolate indulgence. So, preheat your oven, grab your mixing bowls, and get ready to bake a masterpiece!
Jump to RecipeHere’s why you need to make this cake, NOW:
- Easy Elegance: Rich, complex flavour, simple ingredients. Perfect for beginners!
- Moist Magic: Forget dry cakes! This recipe guarantees a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Cocoa Crazy: Intense chocolate flavours in every bite.
- Customise It: Add chips, nibs, glaze, or nut butter for a twist!
- Crowd-Pleaser: Guaranteed to be a hit at any gathering!
A note on moisture
Forget dry, crumbly cakes! The secret to ultimate chocolate cake bliss lies in one key ingredient: the magic that keeps it moist. I used buttermilk in this (and most) recipes because it’s my go-to moist-maker (I see you, FRIENDS fans). But I’ve done a quick breakdown of different ingredients you can use to make a cake nice and moist, especially one that’s cocoa-heavy such as this.
- Milk: The baseline for moisture. Milk adds liquid and some fat. However, it lacks the tenderising properties of other options. So it makes sense to use this with something more moisturising, such as buttermilk.
- Buttermilk (my secret weapon!): This champion of moist cakes adds both moisture and acidity. The acidity reacts with baking soda, creating a light and tender crumb, while the moisture keeps the crumb from drying out.
- Yoghurt: Similar to buttermilk, yoghurt adds moisture and a touch of tang. However, its thickness can sometimes lead to a denser cake. Opt for plain yoghurt and thin it slightly with milk if needed (which in turn makes buttermilk).
- Sour Cream: The king of richness! Sour cream adds incredible moisture and fat, resulting in a denser but very moist cake. It also tenderises the crumb just like buttermilk. However, its strong tang may overpower the chocolate flavour sometimes, so use it sparingly.
- Cream: While heavy cream adds incredible richness, it lacks the acidity needed for lift. This can lead to a denser, flatter cake. Use it in small amounts alongside another leavening agent like buttermilk.
Beat the heat: Why cooler ingredients make a better chocolate cake (especially here!)
Let’s talk temperature! While many recipes call for room-temperature ingredients, our Singapore kitchen might be running a little warmer than ideal.
Here’s the scoop: using ingredients that are slightly cooler than room temperature can actually be beneficial for this chocolate cake (or other baking-related kitchen projects).
Why? When butter is perfectly at room temperature (which is currently… 36°C), it can soften too much, leading to a batter that’s difficult to handle and a cake that might be denser than desired. Eggs can curdle when mixed with the creamed butter and sugar at these warm temperatures.
So, for this recipe, I’d recommend taking the chill off your ingredients, but not completely. Aim for ingredients that are cool to the touch, but not cold. This will ensure your buttercreams properly without getting too soft, and your eggs will incorporate smoothly, creating a light and airy batter for a truly magnificent chocolate cake!
Before you bake, you bloom
Blooming cocoa powder isn’t just about showing it some love – it’s a technique that unlocks a deeper, richer chocolate flavour in your final cake. Here’s the science behind it:
- Flavour trapped within: Cocoa powder particles have a fatty outer layer that can trap some of the flavour compounds.
- Hot liquid = Flavour release: Blooming involves mixing the cocoa powder with a hot liquid like melted butter or hot water. This hot liquid helps dissolve that fatty layer, releasing the trapped flavour molecules.
- Goodbye bitterness, hello depth: Blooming can also help mellow out some of the bitter notes in cocoa powder, resulting in a more complex and well-rounded chocolate taste.
Blooming Steps (Simple as 1-2-3!):
- Whisk it together: In a small bowl, whisk your dry cocoa powder with some of the hot liquid from the recipe (like melted butter or hot water).
- Let it sit: Once whisked smooth, let the cocoa mixture sit for a minute or two. This allows the hot liquid to fully work its magic on the flavour compounds.
Impact on the Final Cake:
By blooming your cocoa powder, you’ll achieve a more intense and decadent chocolate flavour in your pound cake. It’s a small step that makes a big difference in the final product!
Are you ready to get baking? Grab your aprons!
Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe
Course: DessertDifficulty: Easy8
servings30
minutes1
hour10
minutes300
kcalCalling all chocoholics! This decadent chocolate pound cake is so rich, moist, and intensely chocolatey, it’ll have you reaching for seconds (and maybe thirds).
You’ll need;
227g unsalted butter, softened
225g fine sugar
50g dark brown sugar
2 large eggs (see notes)
186g all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
125g full fat/cream milk
40g cocoa powder
50g buttermilk
- For the Streusel
200g plain flour (separated into 100g portions)
50 white sugar
110g dark brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
120g melted butter
- For the Ganache
50g white chocolate buttons
50ml thick cream
You’ll need to;
- Start with the cake
- Measure both sugars into one medium-sized bowl. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside. Grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- Make the streusel by combining 100 grams of the flour, both sugars, cinnamon and melted butter. When it gets to a wet sand stage, add the remaining flour and fold in till all streaks of white disappear. Set this aside.
- Preheat oven to 175°C.
- Bloom cocoa powder, by heating the milk in a small pot over medium heat. Once bubbles form around the edges, remove from heat. It’s crucial not to boil the milk. Add the cocoa powder to the warm milk, and whisk till smooth. Then, add the buttermilk to this mixture, continue whisking till combined, then set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar. Cut the butter into large cubes, and place it into a large mixer bowl. Add both brown and white sugars, and start beating with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. You can use a handheld machine or a stand mixer. and place in the bowl of a stand mixer. (see notes)
- Add eggs one at a time to the butter-sugar mixture, ensuring to beat thoroughly before the next addition. You can also scrape down the side of the bowl at this stage if you haven’t already.
- Finish up the batter by folding in the wet and dry ingredients. Be sure to start and end off with the dry. So, start with one portion of the flour, and half the cocoa-milk mixture. Once this is incorporated, add another third of the flour and the rest of the cocoa-milk mixture. Then finally, add the last third of the flour and finish up the folding in. (see notes)
- Bake the cake by transferring the batter to your waiting loaf tin. Smoothen and gently nudge the batter to the corners of the loaf tin, then top this off with the streusel that you’d prepared earlier. You don’t have to use all, just a third will do. You can keep the others for another day.
- Transfer the tin to the oven, and bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes. Check at the 55-minute mark, to ensure that only a very slight bit of the wet batter is clinging to your wooden skewer when you insert it.
- Cool the cake once cooked. I’ve drizzled some white chocolate ganache on my cake, you don’t have to if you’re not into this. It’s unbelievably delicious regardless of the drizzle.
- Serve warm.
Notes
- Properly creamed, the butter and sugar will be pale brown and have a fluffy, airy, and paste-like texture. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Eggs – slightly above room temperature, I used 65g (each) eggs.
- Use a rubber spatula and fold the flour in just until incorporated. There may be a few streaks of flour visible, but that’s okay! Stop as soon as you see no dry flour pockets.