Chocolate Pound Cake
Ingredients
for cake
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 4 ounces (1/2 block) full-fat cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs (room temperature)
- 3 tablespoons sour cream (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
- 1 cup plain flour (spoon and level)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
for chocolate icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 2 tablespoons room temperature butter
- 2-4 tablespoons milk
Chocolate Pound Cake
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325°F (not 350°F). Line a standard 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper.
Using a hand mixer (or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment), beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add cream cheese and mix until smooth and well-combined, about 1 minute. Add sugar and stir until well combined, about 1 minute. Then add sour cream and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined and creamy. Scrape the bowl again.
Beat the eggs one at a time on low speed until thoroughly combined before adding the next egg. (Be careful not to overmix after adding the eggs.) Once the third egg is mixed, add the flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking powder, and salt all at once. Mix on medium speed until well combined. (Be careful not to overmix.) Using a rubber spatula, turn the dough one last time to avoid lumps at the bottom of the bowl. The dough will be thick and very creamy.
Pour the batter evenly into the prepared mold. Tap the pan once or twice on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake for about 65-75 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. * We highly recommend 1) covering the bread loosely with foil halfway through the baking time to prevent the top from getting too brown, and 2) starting checking after 65 minutes. If your cake will bake for more than 75 minutes, you can bake it for longer. All ovens operate differently. )
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the tin for 1 hour. Then turn the slightly cooled sponge cake over onto a wire rack or plate. Wait until completely cool. Prepare the ganache: Mix sugar, cocoa powder, and softened butter. Then add 2 tablespoons of milk, adding more milk at a time as needed, until the mixture is smooth and drizzly.
Make sure the pound cake is 100% cool, then pour the ganache on top in an even, smooth layer.
Wait until the chocolate ganache has completely set before slicing and serving.
Note: See the full article for helpful storage tips and information.