Chocolate Pound Cake

Name: Chocolate Pound Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1 Cup butter (softened); ½ Cup shortening; 3 Cups sugar; 5 large eggs (room temperature); 3 Cups all purpose flour; ½ teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; 4 Tablespoons cocoa powder; 1 Cup milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

This Chocolate Pound Cake is dense, sweet, and moist, with a rich, old-fashioned flavor that’s simply irresistible. It’s the kind of cake that takes you back to your grandmother’s kitchen with its timeless appeal.

chocolate pound cake dusted with powdered sugar

Table of Contents

Many chocolate pound cake recipes deliver a very rich flavor, but this one is different. It’s more on the sweeter side, which I personally prefer. It’s the perfect balance of chocolatey goodness and just the right amount of sweetness.

Love this pound cake? Then you’ve got to try my best pound cake recipe for a traditional favorite. And if you’re a fan of all things chocolate, my chocolate no-bake cookies, chocolate-covered pretzels, and chocolate chip pan cookies are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

This recipe comes from a cookbook published in 1967 that holds various desserts from Home Ec teachers. Because of my love for our family’s traditional pound cake, I wanted to try this chocolate version. It was delicious!

Why I Love This Recipe

Classic Flavors: This recipe is a tried and true, it has the classic chocolate flavor with a hint of vanilla that you expect from a pound cake. It’s a real crowd-pleaser!
Family Favorite: It has everything you need and expect in a classic chocolate pound cake, making it a true family favorite!
Perfect Texture: The combination of butter, shortening, and eggs gives this pound cake a dense yet tender crumb that’s just perfect. It’s super moist and sweet with a good chocolate flavor.
Surprisingly Easy: Despite its fancy appearance, this pound cake is actually quite simple to make. If you can mix ingredients in a bowl, you can make this cake.

Want to save this recipe?

Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!

Key Ingredients

Butter: Butter adds a rich, creamy flavor to the chocolate pound cake and helps to keep it moist.
Shortening: This ingredient helps to give the cake a tender crumb and a bit of extra moisture.
Sugar: Sugar sweetens the cake and also helps to give it a golden crust.
Eggs: Eggs act as a binding agent in the cake, helping to hold all the other ingredients together.
All-Purpose Flour: This is the base of the cake, providing structure and stability.
Salt: A pinch of salt helps to balance the sweetness of the other ingredients and enhance the flavor of the chocolate.
Cocoa Powder: This is what gives the cake its rich, chocolate flavor and dark color.
Milk: Milk adds moisture to the cake and also helps to activate the baking soda, which helps the cake rise.
Vanilla Extract: This ingredient enhances the chocolate flavor of the cake and adds a subtle, sweet aroma.
Powdered Sugar: We’ll use this to dust the top of the cake for a beautiful presentation once it’s baked and cooled.

Equipment

Stand Mixer – You’ll need this to cream together the butter, shortening, and sugar, as well as to mix the eggs and the dry ingredients. It saves time and ensures a smooth, well-mixed batter.
Tube or Bund Pan – This is the type of pan required for this recipe. Make sure to grease and flour it well to prevent the cake from sticking.

How to Make Chocolate Pound Cake

Preparation

To start, preheat your oven to 325˚ F and prepare your pan by greasing and flour it. This will make sure your cake doesn’t stick to the pan and comes out easily after baking.

Step 1 – Cream the Butter and Sugar

In a stand mixer, combine the butter, shortening, and sugar. Mix them together for 2 minutes until they are creamy and well combined.

Step 2 – Add Eggs and Mix

Next, add the eggs to the butter and sugar mixture one at a time. Mix each egg for 3 minutes before adding the next one. This will make sure they are well incorporated into the batter as well as add air to the finished cake.

Step 3 – Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. In another bowl, mix the milk and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and milk mixture to the egg mixture alternately, mixing well after each addition.

Step 4 – Pour the Batter into the Pan

Once your batter is ready, pour it into your prepared pan. Make sure it’s spread out evenly.

baked cake in bundt cake on cooling rack

Step 5 – Bake the Cake

Place your pan in the preheated oven and bake at 325˚ F for 80 minutes. You can use a toothpick to check if it’s done – if the toothpick comes out clean, your cake is ready.

Step 6 – Cool and Remove from Pan

After baking, let your cake cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Then, carefully remove it from the pan and place it on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Step 7 – Dust with Powdered Sugar and Serve

Once your cake is fully cooled, you can add a sweet touch by dusting it with powdered sugar. This will give it a light, sweet finish. Your delicious chocolate pound cake is ready to be enjoyed!

Expert Tip

To quickly cool the pound cake, place it on an uncovered cooling rack in the refrigerator. The cake will cool faster, allowing you to add the powdered sugar.

Recipe Variations

Different Pan: Try baking this cake in a different type of pan, such as a loaf pan or a square pan. Just adjust the baking time as needed.
Add Nuts: For a crunchy texture, add a cup of chopped nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, to the batter.
Chocolate Glaze: Instead of dusting with powdered sugar, make a simple chocolate glaze to drizzle over the cake. Just melt together some chocolate and butter, then pour it over the cooled cake.

chocolate pound cake with slice taken out

What to Serve With

For a classic dessert pairing, serve a slice of this chocolate pound cake with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. The lightness of the cream complements the rich, dense cake perfectly.
If you’re a fan of contrasting temperatures, try serving this cake with a scoop of your favorite ice cream. The cold, creamy ice cream is a great match for the warm, fudgey cake.

Recipe FAQs

What makes this pound cake different from a regular chocolate cake?

The main difference lies in the ratio of ingredients. A pound cake is called so because it traditionally consists of a pound of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. In this chocolate pound cake recipe, we’ve added cocoa powder to give it a rich chocolate flavor, making it a bit different from your standard pound cake.

Can I use a different type of pan if I don’t have a tube or bundt pan?

Yes, you can. If you don’t have a tube or bundt pan, you can use two 9×5 inch loaf pans. Just make sure to adjust the baking time as it may be a bit shorter in the loaf pans.

What does the combination of butter and shortening do for this cake?

The combination of butter and shortening gives the cake a great texture. The butter adds a rich, buttery flavor, while the shortening helps to keep the cake moist. If you don’t have shortening, you can use all butter, but the texture of the cake may be slightly different.

Storing and Reheating

Storing: For leftovers, store the chocolate pound cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freezing: This cake also freezes well. Once it has completely cooled, wrap it in a layer of plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil. It can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Thaw: When you’re ready to enjoy your pound cake, simply let it thaw at room temperature. This should take about 3-4 hours.
Reheating: If you prefer your cake warm, you can reheat individual slices in the microwave for about 20 seconds. Be careful not to overheat, as this can dry out the cake.

Serving Size

What to Expect: This chocolate pound cake recipe yields a rich and dense cake that can serve about 16 slices.
How to Scale: If you want to serve more than 16, you can double the recipe and follow the instructions as directed. You may need to use a larger mixing bowl to accommodate the increased batter. Follow the baking instructions, but keep an eye on the cake as it may need a little longer in the oven due to the increased quantity.

Chocolate Pound Cake

Why I Love This Recipe

Key Ingredients

Equipment