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This Southern Chocolate Pound Cake is moist, tender, and loaded with chocolate flavor! The slices melt in your mouth with every bite. This cake also has a couple of unusual spices that'll add to the rich chocolate flavor.
Here are more chocolate and chocolate cake recipes for your chocolate lovers: Texas Sheet Cake, Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls, Blackout Cake, Chocolate Walnut Cookies, Chocolate Banana Pudding, German Chocolate Cake, and Chocolate Beignets.
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I love chocolate! I pound cake! My earliest food memory is eating frozen chocolate milk and one of my dad's pound cakes. Since the age of 3, any time you say chocolate, anything (almost anything), or pound cake, I'm going to get me a piece.
Now, as I was looking over my pound cake recipe selection, I noticed that I didn't have a chocolate pound cake recipe at all. This blog post is my solution to that problem.
Whenever I make a pound cake, I must choose between buttermilk, evaporated milk, cream cheese, or sour cream. Today, I wanted to keep it in the family, do it like my father taught me, and use sour cream to make it an old-fashioned chocolate pound cake.
This chocolate cake will not have chocolate ganache icing because I love the contrast of white icing and chocolate cake. However, I will include a chocolate glaze recipe in the recipe card below.
Enough chatting; let's jump into making a moist pound cake.
Key Ingredients
Look at this ingredient list to ensure you have everything you need for some divine chocolate sour cream pound cake.
Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
I always use unbleached flour in all of my pound cakes, but feel free to use the regular bleached cake or gluten-free flour you have at home.
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
Most of the chocolate flavor will come from the cocoa powder; be sure not to use Dutch-processed cocoa powder because the high amount of alkaline will keep the leavening ingredients from helping the cake rise. I'll also be adding some dark chocolate chips to the cake.
Sour Cream
The sour cream is crucial for a moist cake. It helps by shortening (reducing) the gluten formation in the flour from overdeveloping, so you have a lovely, tender cake.
Unsalted Butter
I was taught to make pound cake with unsalted butter, and I'm not breaking that rule today. I will also add some oil to ensure this is a moist chocolate pound cake. Margarine is not butter! It's whipped oil and food coloring.
Sugars
I love using a blend of dark brown and granulated sugar for the cake; it adds moisture and a layer of flavor that pairs well with the cocoa powder. You'll also need powdered sugar for the glaze.
Eggs
Brown eggs have a deeper orange-colored yolk compared to white eggs. That darker yolk color will make your chocolate sour cream pound cake taste 10 times better.
Leavening Agents
I like to use baking powder and baking soda in my cakes for color and height.
Cinnamon and Cayenne
These classic seasonings pair exceptionally well with chocolate, but don't worry; we only use a bit of cayenne pepper that will not make the cake spicy.
How to Make Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe
Here are the steps to preparing a yummy, moist chocolate pound cake to make any Southern grandparent proud and full!
Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F/162°C. In a large bowl, cream soft butter, sugar, and brown sugar on low for 1 minute, then increase speed to medium with a hand mixer for 5 minutes.
Check notes for how to know when butter and sugar are properly creamed. Add eggs one at a time.
Then add sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Add flour mixture in thirds, and mix on low speed.
Fold in the dark chocolate chips; the batter should be thick and fluffy.
Pour batter into a greased 10-12 cups bundt pan, shake to even out, and tap to release air bubbles.
Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean.
Glaze:
In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and buttermilk.
Mix until smooth on a low speed. Icing should coat a spoon but be pourable.
Chocolate Ganache/ Chocolate Glaze: Optional
Add heavy cream, butter, and sugar to a small pot over medium heat.
Bring to a boil and cut it off as soon as it comes to a rolling boil.
Add the chocolate to a medium bowl, pour hot cream over top, and cover with a towel or plastic wrap for 3-5 minutes.
Stir until smooth, cool for 3 minutes, and pour over cake immediately. Chocolate glaze will harden as it cools.
Assemble Cake:
Cool for 15 minutes, then invert on a cooling rack.
Pour glaze, chocolate ganache, or both evenly over the cooled cake. Serve immediately with sliced strawberries and vanilla ice cream.
How to Store Chocolate Sour Cream Bundt Cake
Chocolate sour cream pound cake is best 3 days after it’s made but will remain fresh, covered on the counter in a cool place for about 4 days. It can stay fresher longer by placing slices in an airtight container for 7 days in the fridge.
Freeze the cake for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. Thaw for 1-2 hours before eating. Reheat the cake in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes or pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Pro Recipe Substitutions, Tips & Tricks
Here are a few notes, substitutions, and flavor builders for this incredible chocolate sour cream pound cake recipe.
- Correctly creamed butter and sugar should be fluffy, light, and spreadable like icing.
- If you only have salted butter at home, use it. The rule is unsalted butter for cooking and baking and salted butter for buttering bread.
- Margarine is not butter! It's whipped oil and food coloring.
- Any oil will work in place of coconut oil.
- You can use a stand mixer if you have one.
- I like using homemade cake grease for my bundt and loaf pans. The ratio is 2:1, flour to oil. I used 2 tablespoons of flour and 1 tablespoon of oil for this recipe. Keep cake grease in a container and use it when baking cakes or muffins.
- Feel free to add 1 teaspoon of espresso powder or ground coffee to the cake for that delicious flavor.
- Room temperature ingredients blend better; this is why it's crucial to use room temperature butter and eggs to incorporate the right amount of air into the cake, so the ingredients will blend better.
- Slice the butter into tablespoons and leave it on the butter wrapper if you forget to take your butter out ahead of time. To soften it, you can also zap it in the microwave on 50% power for 30-45 seconds. Once you can leave your finger indented in the butter, it's ready.
- Place eggs in a bowl or glass and cover with warm tap water for 5 minutes, or crack the eggs into a bowl if you forget to take them out in advance.
- Place an oven thermometer in the center for 10 minutes to ensure your oven is heating to the right temperature.
- Do not use Dutch process cocoa powder in this recipe because it will keep the baking soda and baking powder from doing their job (making the cake rise).
- Be sure to use a full-fat sour cream. Leave the low-fat stuff for something else. We want this to be the best chocolate cake ever, so we need all the flavor.
- Feel free to use gluten-free or cake flour instead of all-purpose flour for a gluten-free pound cake.
- You can use self-rising flour in place of all-purpose flour. If you do, omit the baking powder, baking soda, and salt from the recipe.
- To ensure I'm not using too much flour, I use a smaller measuring cup to dump the flour into my measuring cup, then level it off with the back of a knife. For example, use a ½ cup to measure 1 cup of flour. This keeps the flour from being packed when you scoop it.
- You can use light brown sugar or all granulated sugar instead of dark brown sugar.
- Feel free to use your favorite chocolate chips (semi-sweet, milk, or bittersweet) instead of dark chocolate chips or omit them completely.
FAQs
Here are the top questions readers have about making a chocolate sour cream pound cake.
What does adding sour cream to a cake batter do?
Sour cream's high-fat content prevents serving dry cake; the extra fat makes the cake richer and more moist.
What makes a pound cake turn out dry?
A classic pound cake is denser than others, but dense doesn't mean dry. Suppose you overmix the cake batter, overbake, or use the incorrect ingredient measurement. In that case, it can cause your cake to dry out.
Why is my pound cake soft?
If you use cake flour instead of all-purpose flour, the acidity will keep the gluten from forming and allow you to have a softer crumb.
How much sour cream to add to the cake?
This will vary according to your cake size; typically, 1 cup (8 oz.) of sour cream is perfect for one cake.
Is it better to put sour cream or milk in a cake?
Sour cream and buttermilk will make your cakes more moist than milk. Sour cream will almost guarantee a moisture cake for cakes known for being drier.
Why does my sour cream pound cake fall?
If your oven temperature is too low, it can keep your cake from rising correctly as it bakes. Use an oven thermometer to confirm that your oven is heating to the right temperature, then adjust the temperature by how many degrees it is off.
What is the secret to a good pound cake?
There are a few things to remember for making a good pound cake. Here are my top 3. 1) Use room temperature ingredients (eggs, butter, and sour cream) to ensure your ingredients blend and add the right volume to the cake. 2) Take the extra time, about 5-7 minutes, to cream the butter and sugar until it's light and fluffy. 3) Properly and meticulously grease every curve and cranky in your prepared pan. Pound cakes are infamous for sticking because they're so dense.
How do you keep a pound cake moist after baking?
Suppose you've properly baked the cake at the correct temperature with the right measurement of ingredients. In that case, you shouldn't need to moisten the cake after baking. However, brushing the cake with a simple syrup mixture is the professional baker's way to ensure the cake is moist throughout.
Do you let a pound cake cool before flipping?
Absolutely, you want to allow the cake to cool completely for a minimum of 10 minutes on a cooling rack before inverting the cake. This extra time will keep the cake from sticking to the pan.
Why does my pound cake fall when I take it out of the oven?
Cakes fall for several reasons, but the main reason could be overmixing the cake batter, taking the cake out before it's done baking, incorrect oven temperature, which can happen when opening the oven and sneaking peeks, or your oven temperature being off. Also, too many air bubbles can cause the cake to fall, so gently tap it a few times on the counter before baking.
How can you tell if a pound cake is undercooked?
If you see a dent (slope) in the center of the cake, that's one indication. The best way to confirm if it's undercooked is to insert a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out with raw batter on it, the cake needs more time to bake. Note that this check can cause the cake to have a dent in the center, but you can still bake it until fully cooked.
More Pound Cake Recipes
If you love pound cakes, then I know you'll love these recipes too!
- Buttermilk Pound Cake
- Lemon Loaf Pound Cake
- Pound Cake Trifle
- Red Velvet Pound Cake with Spiked Eggnog
- Strawberry Whisky Cake
- Butter Rum Cake
- Sweet Potato Pound Cake
Before You Begin
Here are my steps for getting organized and moving fast in the kitchen.
Step 1: Preheat oven to 325°F/162°C before pulling the ingredients out. Read the recipe one time fully, undistracted, before starting.
Step 2: Make sure your eggs, sour cream, and butter are at room temperature.
Step 3: Measure everything out into individual bowls.
Step 4: Start following the recipe and get ready for the best chocolate pound cake ever!
My chocolate sour cream pound cake recipe is a delicious mix of rich chocolate and tangy creaminess, resulting in a mouthwatering dessert. Whether you're baking for a special occasion or simply because this cake is guaranteed to impress. The unique blend of flavors creates a gourmet experience you won't forget.
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📖 Recipe
Moist Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake
Ingredients
Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups dark brown sugar packed
- 6 large eggs room temperature
- 8 oz. full-fat sour cream room temperature
- ½ cup coconut oil
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups cake flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips
Glaze:
- 2 cups powdered sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons milk
Chocolate Ganache: optional
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 6 oz. dark chocolate chips or chopped bar minimum 63%,
Instructions
Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake:
- Preheat oven to 325°F/162°C. In a large bowl, cream soft butter, sugar, and brown sugar on low for 1 minute, then increase speed to medium with a hand mixer for 5 minutes. Check notes for how to know when butter and sugar are properly creamed. Add eggs one at a time. Then add sour cream, oil, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add flour mixture in thirds, and mix on low speed. Fold in the dark chocolate chips; the batter should be thick and fluffy.
- Pour batter into a greased 10-12 cups bundt pan, shake to even out, and tap to release air bubbles. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted inside comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then invert on a cooling rack.
Glaze:
- In a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and buttermilk until smooth. Pour glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Serve immediately with sliced strawberries and vanilla ice cream.
Chocolate Ganache/ Chocolate Glaze: Optional
- Add 1 cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar to a small pot over medium heat and bring to a low boil. Add 12 oz. chocolate chips to a medium bowl, pour hot cream over top, and cover with a towel or plastic wrap for 3-5 minutes. Stir until smooth and pour over the cake. Chocolate glaze will harden as it cools.
Video
Notes
- Correctly creamed butter and sugar should be fluffy, light, and spreadable like icing.
- If you only have salted butter at home, use it. The rule is unsalted butter for cooking and baking and salted butter for buttering bread.
- Margarine is not butter! It's whipped oil and food coloring.
- Any oil will work in place of coconut oil.
- You can use a stand mixer if you have one.
- I like using homemade cake grease for my bundt and loaf pans. The ratio is 2:1, flour to oil. I used 2 tablespoons of flour and 1 tablespoon of oil for this recipe. Keep cake grease in a container and use it when baking cakes or muffins.
- Feel free to add 1 teaspoon of espresso powder or ground coffee to the cake for that delicious flavor.
- Room temperature ingredients blend better; this is why it's crucial to use room temperature butter and eggs to incorporate the right amount of air into the cake, so the ingredients will blend better.
- Slice the butter into tablespoons and leave it on the butter wrapper if you forget to take your butter out ahead of time. To soften it, you can also zap it in the microwave on 50% power for 30-45 seconds. Once you can leave your finger indented in the butter, it's ready.
- Place eggs in a bowl or glass and cover with warm tap water for 5 minutes, or crack the eggs into a bowl if you forget to take them out in advance.
- Place an oven thermometer in the center for 10 minutes to ensure your oven is heating to the right temperature.
- Do not use Dutch process cocoa powder in this recipe because it will keep the baking soda and baking powder from doing their job (making the cake rise).
- Be sure to use a full-fat sour cream. Leave the low-fat stuff for something else. We want this to be the best chocolate cake ever, so we need all the flavor.
- Feel free to use gluten-free or cake flour instead of all-purpose flour for a gluten-free pound cake.
- You can use self-rising flour in place of all-purpose flour. If you do, omit the baking powder, baking soda, and salt from the recipe.
- To ensure I'm not using too much flour, I use a smaller measuring cup to dump the flour into my measuring cup, then level it off with the back of a knife. For example, use a ½ cup to measure 1 cup of flour. This keeps the flour from being packed when you scoop it.
- You can use light brown sugar or all granulated sugar instead of dark brown sugar.
- Feel free to use your favorite chocolate chips (semi-sweet, milk, or bittersweet) instead of dark chocolate chips or omit them completely.
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