Chocolate Pound Cake with Chocolate Frosting
⭐ Makes: 1 loaf or 12-16 slices
⏱ Total Time: ~1 hour 15 minutes (plus cooling)
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Pound Cake:
1¾ cups all-purpose flour
1¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ cup sour cream (or buttermilk for a slightly tangy flavor)
¼ cup whole milk
¼ cup hot water (to help the cocoa dissolve and intensify the flavor)
For the Chocolate Frosting:
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2–4 tbsp milk (depending on consistency)
½ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
Instructions
1. Make the Chocolate Pound Cake:
Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan (or line with parchment paper).
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes) using an electric mixer.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, sour cream (or buttermilk), and milk until smooth.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in 2 parts, alternating with the cocoa mixture. Start and end with the dry ingredients.
Stir in the hot water to make the batter smooth and slightly runny (this helps give it that moist, dense texture).
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top.
Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If it starts to brown too much on top, tent it with aluminum foil.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
2. Make the Chocolate Frosting:
Beat the softened butter in a medium bowl until creamy.
Add the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt. Mix until combined.
Gradually add the milk, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired frosting consistency. The frosting should be smooth and spreadable, not too thick or runny.
Continue to beat for 1–2 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy.
3. Assemble the Cake:
Once the cake has completely cooled, spread the chocolate frosting evenly over the top.
If you want to get fancy, you can pipe the frosting, add sprinkles, or drizzle extra melted chocolate over the top!