Dark and rich, this Chocolate Pound Cake is any chocolate lover’s dream. A dense chocolate cake has dark chocolate chips throughout and then is topped with a dark chocolate glaze.
If you are a chocolate lover, make sure you check out all of my other chocolate recipes! (The Dark Chocolate Cake with Nutella Buttercream and German Chocolate Cupcakes with Raspberry Filling are two of my favorites!)
I love a good cookbook, so much that I have been known to just sit and read a cookbook like someone else would read a novel. I love them all, but a good baking book especially excites me.
And if you need a baking book in your kitchen, Homemade Decadence from Joy the Baker is the one to add.
Homemade Decadence by Joy the Baker
I’ll admit that it was the cake on the cover of the cookbook that first drew me in to this book. But then I spent some one-on-one time with this book, reading through the pages, and kind of fell in love with the whole book. I love that there are recipes that have just a little twist to make them unique – like the Butterscotch Cream Pie with Thyme-Marshmallow Meringue. But then you get recipes that are familiar, like Lemon Bars. There is definitely a great variety of recipes in this book.
Then came the decision of what to make. It wasn’t an easy one. In fact, I couldn’t decide, so I narrowed it down to about 6 or 7 recipes and then I had my husband choose. This Chocolate Pound Cake was the easy winner.
As much as I love a good layer cake, there is something charming and alluring about the understated pound cake.
But this Chocolate Pound Cake is nothing close to understated.
What is a Pound Cake?
Traditionally, pound cake got its name from the ingredients – a pound of flour, a pound of sugar, a pound of butter and a pound of eggs. It’s a denser, richer cake. And traditionally baked in a loaf pan.
Today, there are a lot more liberties taken and the name usually just refers to a cake that is not as light and fluffy, but has that dense, rich texture. All I know is that I love pound cake!
Tips for this Chocolate Pound Cake
- The cake ingredients call for hot coffee. And, well, I’m not a coffee drinker. I considered substituting in just water for the coffee, but in the end I decided to just go for it because I know that the coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor. But since I’m not a coffee drinker, I didn’t have a cup of coffee laying around. And I know I should have probably gone for high quality, but I bought a little jar of instant coffee from the grocery store, hoping for the best.Now, I can’t say to how this would have turned out had I used high quality coffee, but this chocolate pound cake was a hit with the whole family. The flavors are deep and dark and if you are a chocolate fan, you will definitely love this.
- We all devoured a piece of this cake the day I made it. But if you have the self control, I beg you to wait a day – as much as I liked it when it was fresh, the texture and crumb of the cake on the second day was so spot on. And honestly – I can’t tell you if it got even better by the third day because there wasn’t any left! 🙂
- This recipe does call for Dutch Processed Cocoa instead of the more common regular unsweetened cocoa powder. If you can find it, I definitely think it’s worth picking up for this recipe. Sometimes it’s hard to find, though, so in that case, you can replace the cocoa in the cake with 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and a scant 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda. For the glaze, you could just replace it with regular unsweetened cocoa powder.
More Pound Cake Recipes
Buttermilk Pound Cake with Caramel Icing
Coconut Orange Pound Cake
Pistachio Lemon Pound Cake
Brown Sugar Pound Cakes with Brown Butter Icing
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Chocolate Pound Cake
Ingredients
Pound Cake
- 1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1/3 cup hot coffee
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
Glaze
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
- pinch of salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 to 4 tablespoons milk or water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix together the cocoa powder and hot coffee until the cocoa powder has dissolved.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing for 1 minute after each addition. Mix in the vanilla. Add in the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Very carefully mix in the coffee/chocolate mixture until combined. Add in the buttermilk, then fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, to make the glaze, sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Stir in the salt and then the vanilla. Whisk in 2 tablespoons of milk, then continue to add the liquid until the glaze reaches the desired consistency.
- When the cake is cooled, pour the glaze over the top of the cake. Let the cake sit for 30 minutes before cutting and serving.
Jeffery says
This sounds great! Any ideas if how to convert the measurements to fit a Bundt size pan?
Deborah says
I’m not sure how well it would convert over to a bundt. An 8×5-inch loaf pan holds about 8 cups, while a bundt pan fits about 12 cups, so if you were to just bake the cake as is in the bundt, it would be pretty short. You could try doing 1 1/2 times the batter, but I’m not sure how it would bake up.
Audree says
ir just make a double, and then cupcakes with what’s leftover 😉 single serve on the go deliciousness
Jeffery says
Thank you!
Jeffery says
Thanks!
heather @french press says
looks like I need to find another spot on my cookbook shelf and Ill take a pound cake over a layer cake any day –
Gayatri says
This cake turned out AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
Deborah says
So glad you loved it! My husband has been begging me to make another one!
luciana says
Hi..I just wondering what is the mesurament of the cup you use??
Deborah says
I just use a standard measuring cup.
Sarah says
I don’t like coffee, is there a substitution for it? Also, do you know if this recipe would work in a bread machine on the Quick Bread setting? Thanks.
Deborah says
I haven’t tried it, but you should be able to use just hot water. And I don’t use a bread machine, so I’m not familiar with it, so I’m not sure if it would work. Sorry!
Ishwariya says
Hello,
It looks so good!!! I wanna know if coffee is just black coffee or with milk and sugar.
Deborah says
It’s just straight black coffee.
Margaret Jacobs says
What can I substitute for hot coffee? Or is that an absolute necessity:)
Deborah says
The coffee just intensifies the chocolate flavor. I haven’t tried it without the coffee, but you should be able to just use hot water if you don’t want to use coffee.
Nancy Long says
So understand your obsession with cookbooks. Sadly, I’ve had to give away several hundred of mine. Hubby moved me to a place 1/3 the size of our former home and I have no space for them. Really miss reading them.
Joanne says
I really need to start baking from this cookbook!! This is definitely on the short list for first recipe to make…who can resist so much chocolatey deliciousness!
Chels R. says
That cake looks incredible! I’ve got so many cookbooks now that I think I’m going to request a new bookcase just for my cookbooks.
Janet says
Can I use regular flour instead of cake flour for this recipe? This cake looks yummy!
Deborah says
Hi Janet – I only tried it with cake flour, but you can easily make your own cake flour at home if you don’t want to buy it. Here is a tutorial that I have used: http://www.melskitchencafe.com/kitchen-tip-how-to-easily-make-your-own-cake-flour-two-methods/
Janet says
Hi Deborah,
Thanks. I was trying to bake it gluten-free. I guess I will give it a try. 🙂
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
I’ve also been whipping out the cookbook reviews like crazy. . there are so many out there right now and more to come next year!!! There’s also a “Red Velvet Lover’s” cookbook on my wish list! 🙂 I’ve been waiting to get my hands on Joy’s cookbook. . I’ve heard great things and this chocolate pound cake looks amazing!!! pinned!!
Christina @ The Beautiful Balance says
Oh my goodness this is perfection. I use coffee in all of my chocolate recipes and swear by its impact on taste.
Sharana @ Living The Sweet Life Blog says
YUM — I adore Joy, and I think you completely nailed this cake 🙂
Liz @ Tip Top Shape says
I’m assuming that cover photo is the chocolate peanut butter pretzel cake?? Yum!!
Melanie @ Carmel Moments says
I’m obsessed with cookbooks too and I can’t wait to get my hands on this one! Loved the first one and I’m sure I’ll love this one. This cake looks like downright decadence. Mmm…
Pinned.
Have a beautiful day!