Chocolate Pound Cake

8 servings Prep: 20 m Cook: 1 h 30 m Total: 1 h 50 m Intermediate
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Chocolate Pound Cake
Classic Southern chocolate pound cake made with real butter and cocoa, baked low and slow until rich and dense. Perfect plain or topped with chocolate fudge icing for a special occasion dessert.

Ingredients

8 servings
  • 2 sticks butter
  • 1/2 cup Crisco
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 3 cups flour, sifted before measuring
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 5 eggs
  • 1/2 cup cocoa

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Grease and lightly flour an angel cake or bundt pan.
  2. Cream butter, Crisco and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, cocoa and salt. Add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk and vanilla, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
  4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 300°F for 1 and 1/2 hours, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  5. Cool in pan for 10-15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Common Problems and Solutions

Q: Why did my pound cake sink in the middle?

A: Opening the oven door too early can cause the cake to fall. Keep the oven closed for at least the first hour of baking. Also, make sure your oven temperature is accurate—use an oven thermometer to verify it's truly at 300°F.

Q: How do I know when the cake is done?

A: Insert a toothpick or cake tester into the center of the cake. It should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The cake should also pull away slightly from the sides of the pan.

Q: Can I use all butter instead of Crisco?

A: While you can substitute all butter, the combination of butter and Crisco creates the ideal texture—butter for flavor and Crisco for tenderness. All butter may result in a slightly denser cake.

Tips and Techniques

Sifting the flour before measuring is important for this recipe—it ensures you don’t pack too much flour into your measuring cup, which would make the cake dry. Room temperature eggs incorporate more easily into the batter, creating better volume.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • Crisco: Additional butter (total 3 sticks)
  • Whole milk: Buttermilk

Equipment Needed

  • Angel food cake pan or bundt pan
  • Electric mixer (stand or hand mixer)
  • Flour sifter or fine mesh strainer
  • Wire cooling rack

Historical Context

Pound cakes got their name from the traditional formula of a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour. This chocolate version is a Louisiana favorite for family gatherings and church socials.