This Chocolate Pound cake is the real deal. Intense, moist, dark and full of flavour. Probably the first loaf that has got me so head over heels. This loaf is amazing!!!!!
The recipe makes a large cake and I made it in two medium-sized loaf tins. More the better isn’t it. Good thing it makes such a large cake because it disappeared quickly once it was served. What’s even better is that this cake is delicious on its own. It doesn’t need any extra fussing or icing but is complete on its own.
I adapted this recipe from Maida Heater’s book “Happiness is Baking”. Although I learnt about Maida Heater a little too late in my life, I could immediately see why she is considered a baking legend. Her recipes are full of love, indulgence and they scream comfort. I can’t wait to get a hold on some of her other books.
What is a pound cake
A Pound cake most often refers to a cake that is made with a pound each of four ingredients: Butter, eggs, flour and sugar. ( This is a fail-proof recipe by the way and the easiest to remember too). Generally baked in loaf tins or bundt pans, they can be served plain or with a simple glaze or dusted with icing sugar.
Years ago I made a Vanilla pound cake and I’ve yet to get over it. It was the best loaf I had ever made. In the chocolate category, this loaf cake hits the top of the list. The cake tastes even better the next day, and the flavour develops even more. On my wishlist now is a good orange lemon pound cake. Must find a good recipe soon.
Ingredients for this Chocolate Pound Cake
You’ll need regular baking ingredients for this cake. Flour, baking powder, butter, vanilla, coffee powder, cocoa, sugar, eggs and milk. As with most of the recipes I post here, I’ve reduced the amount of sugar used in the cake.
If you’re surprised to see coffee powder in the list of ingredients, don’t worry. Many chocolate cake recipes use coffee powder and this intensifies the flavour of chocolate in the cake, apart from giving it a deeper colour. Use instant coffee powder and do not skip it. Thank me later.
Don’t be alarmed by the quantity of each ingredient, remember this makes a large cake.
Chocolate Pound Cake
INGREDIENTS:
3 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
226 gms/2 sticks/1 cup butter softened/at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 tbsp + 1 tsp instant cofee powder
1 3/4 cups castor sugar
3 eggs
1 cup cocoa powder
1 3/4 cups milk
- Start by preheating the oven to 175 C. Grease and line a 10 x 4-inch loaf tin or like I did, 2 medium-sized loaf tins.
- Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and keep aside.
- In a separate large bowl, beat the butter using an electric beater. Add the vanilla and almond extracts, followed by the coffee powder and the sugar.
- Continue beating the mixture on medium speed, till the butter and sugar mixture turns fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Lower the speed of the beater and add the cocoa. Scrape the sides of the bowl to gather all the batter.
- Add the milk and sifted dry ingredients to the batter, alternately, starting and ending with the flour.
- Beat the batter only till the mixture is smooth. Do not overbeat.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake in the preheated oven for 75-90 minutes.
- The cake is done when the top of the cake springs back when lightly touched and the cake comes away slightly from the sides of the pan.
- Let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes before you take it out of the pan.
- If you’d like to serve it with frosting, apply a layer of ganache on the cake when it has completely cooled. You can find the recipe here.
- Cut the cake into slices once it has completely cooled.
