Chocolate Pound Cake
This rich, dense chocolate pound cake is the kind of dessert that makes folks quiet down when you slice into it. It's got that tight, velvety crumb that melts on your tongue, with deep chocolate flavor in every bite. Perfect with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or just a glass of cold milk.
Cooking tutorial
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup vegetable shortening
- 3 cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- Butter and flour for greasing the pan
Instructions
- 1
Heat your oven to 325°F. Grease a 10-inch tube pan or bundt pan real good with butter, then dust it with flour, tapping out any excess.
- 2
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until it's all mixed through. Set that aside.
- 3
In a large bowl, beat the butter and shortening together with an electric mixer on medium speed until it's smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
- 4
Add the sugar to the butter mixture and beat on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes until it's light and fluffy—don't rush this part, it makes the cake tender.
- 5
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one goes in. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you go.
- 6
With the mixer on low speed, add about a third of the flour mixture, then half the milk, then another third of the flour, the rest of the milk, and finally the last of the flour. Mix just until you don't see any dry streaks.
- 7
Stir in the vanilla extract by hand with a wooden spoon, making sure everything is evenly mixed.
- 8
Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Tap the pan gently on the counter a couple times to get out any air bubbles.
- 9
Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- 10
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 15 minutes, then turn it out onto the rack to cool completely before slicing.
Pro Tips
- ★Make sure your butter, eggs, and milk are all at room temperature—this helps everything blend smooth and gives you a better texture.
- ★Don't open that oven door for at least the first hour—pound cakes are dense and need steady heat to rise properly without sinking in the middle.