A traditional chocolate pound cake made with just 6 ingredients and no added baking powder or soda. A little dense, rich, and chocolate-y, this old-fashioned cake is perfect for afternoon coffee or tea. This type of recipe was very common before the advent of commercial baking powder and soda in the mid-19th century.
For more old-school cake recipes, try our blueberry buckle, easy German apple cake, and beautiful Victoria sponge.
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Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Cake and pastry flour: you might also find this labeled cake flour or pastry flour, and it's a lower gluten flour that's ideal for baking that needs a nice soft crumb. All-purpose plain flour can be used but the cake will be a little less delicate.
- Cocoa powder: it doesn't matter if it's Dutch process or natural for this recipe, as there's no chemical leavening agent used.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the printable recipe card with full ingredient measurements and complete instructions.
How to Make Pound Cake
Step 1: sift the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.
Step 2: beat the butter, then beat in the sugar.
Step 3: add the eggs one at a time, mixing between each addition.
Step 4: add the flour mixture to the bowl.
Step 5: mix until the flour is almost incorporated.
Step 6: switch to a spatula and gently mix until the batter is ready.
Step 7: transfer to a lined loaf tin.
Step 8: bake for about an hour and cool before serving.
Top Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients: cold eggs in particular will cause the butter mixture to seize and the end texture of the cake will suffer. To quickly warm up cold eggs, submerge them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for about 10 minutes.
- Don't over-mix: for a nice tender crumb, finish mixing by hand and be careful not to mix too long. It should be just combined, and a few streaks of flour are fine.
- Do a skewer test: for this recipe, there will be a few small crumbs left on the skewer or toothpick when it's done baking. It should be mostly clean and not have any wet batter sticking to it.
Recipe Notes
This recipe has an equal flour, butter, sugar, and egg ratio, making the cake heavier and dense like a traditional old-fashioned pound cake. If you like a lighter, fluffier cake with more moisture, add ½ cup (125 ml) of buttermilk or ½ cup (113 g) sour cream to the wet ingredients after adding the eggs. If using buttermilk or sour cream, add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to neutralize the acidity and help the cake rise properly.
It's a rich cake and doesn't need a topping, but is nice served with a bit of Chantilly cream as pictured. If you want something just a little sweeter, try topping with maple cream cheese frosting.
How to Store
Storage: keep in a sealed container at room temperature for 4-5 days.
Freezing: cool fully before transferring to an airtight container or wrapping in aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months, and thaw at room temperature before serving.
FAQ
What makes a pound cake different from a regular cake?
A traditional pound cake is made with a pound of each ingredient: butter, sugar, flour, and eggs. A modern cake uses different quantities, includes a leavening agent like baking powder, and might also use milk.
Why is my chocolate pound cake dry?
If your cakes are consistently turning out dry, you may want to check your oven temperature with a special oven thermometer (they cost about $10). You can also use weight measurements, which are much more accurate than cups.
What causes a pound cake to be gummy?
If your cake turns out gummy, it's probably due to over-mixing. When the flour is mixed for too long, the gluten has stronger development, and it can result in a gummy or tough cake.
If you make this Traditional Chocolate Pound Cake recipe or any other cake recipes on the Baked Collective, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more baking, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Chocolate Pound Cake
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
- 2 Mixing bowls
- Electric hand or standing mixer
- Loaf tin
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups cake & pastry flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Lightly grease a standard loaf tin and line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides. Set aside.
- Sift the cake flour and cocoa powder into a medium-sized bowl. Add the salt and whisk well to combine. Set aside.1 ¼ cups cake & pastry flour, ½ cup cocoa powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-low speed for one minute. With the mixer running, add the sugar a bit at a time. Once all of the sugar is added, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed of the mixer to medium and continue to cream the butter and sugar together for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway. The mixture should be much lighter in color and fluffy in texture.1 cup butter, 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition.4 large eggs
- Next, add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on low until the flour is almost mixed in. Switch to a wooden spoon or spatula. Gently finish folding the batter by hand until the flour is just combined. Be careful not to overmix to ensure a tender crumb.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. It will be quite thick and creamy, almost like chocolate mousse. Place the tin in the oven and bake for 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few crumbs.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes. Use the parchment paper overhang to lift the cake from the pan to the rack to cool completely.
Notes
- This recipe has an equal flour, butter, sugar, and egg ratio, making the cake heavier and dense like a traditional old-fashioned pound cake. If you like a lighter, fluffier cake with more moisture, add ½ cup (125 ml) of buttermilk or ½ cup (113 g) sour cream to the wet ingredients after adding the eggs. If using buttermilk or sour cream, add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda to neutralize the acidity and help the cake rise properly.