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Easy Old Fashioned Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe

Confession time: I simply cannot resist an easy old-fashioned chocolate pound cake recipe. There. Iโ€™ve said it. And when you see what happens when you combine chocolate cake with a classic pound cake into a Bundt pan, itโ€™s seriously so good that youโ€™ll cry tears of joy.

A slice of chocolate pound cake on a plate. The pound cake has chocolate frosting on it.


 
Prep TimeCook Time/Cool TimeServingsPrep Level
15 minutes1 hour 5 minutes/20 minutes16Beginner +

What You’ll Love

  • This easy, old-fashioned chocolate pound cake has a dense, moist crumb with rich cocoa and buttery flavors.
  • Itโ€™s simple to make with basic ingredients, and using room-temperature butter and eggs ensures a smooth batter and perfect texture.
Picture of a chocolate pound cake from the side. There is a slice sticking out.

Chocolate Pound Cake (In A Bundt Pan)

To get a moist pound cake, you may have heard that it takes a pound each of flour, eggs, butter, and sugar to make–hence the name. While pound cakes are usually baked in a loaf pan, they can also be baked in a Bundt pan.

Traditionally, pound cakes are dusted with powdered sugar, glazed, or even topped with frosting. Being the glutton I am for all things chocolate, I went with chocolate frosting, which turns this into one decadent chocolate pound cake.

The next time a special occasion rolls around, like a birthday party, Valentineโ€™s Day, an anniversary, or even just because itโ€™s Saturday, you will have the perfect cake to make.

A chocolate bundt cake on a white cake stand. There is chocolate frosting drizzled all over the cake.

A slice of chocolate pound cake. There is chocolate frosting on top of the slice and sliding down the side.

Featured Comment

quincella says:

“Fantastic Chocolate Pound Cake. Iโ€™ve been searching and trying different recipes but none of them seem to work for me until this one. I followed the instructions exactly with the exception of adding 3/4 cup of mini chocolate chips. It was so rich, chocolatety, moist and EASY to make. My search has ended. This is the one!”

Step-By-Step Instructions

Dutch process cocoa in a clear glass mixing bowl with flour.

Start by adding the all-purpose flour to a medium bowl.

Add the Dutch-process cocoa to the bowl. Dutch-process cocoa is an unsweetened type of cocoa powder that creates a smoother and more mellow flavor. If you donโ€™t have this type of cocoa powder, you can use unsweetened cocoa powder instead. 

Dry ingredients in a clear glass bowl for pound cake.

Add the baking powder and salt to the bowl and mix the ingredients.

White sugar and butter in a clear glass mixing bowl.

Add the softened butter to a large bowl and beat until creamy. Next, mix the sugar with the butter.

Adding eggs to a mixing bowl with sugar and butter.

Add the eggs and mix the ingredients.

Pouring liquid coffee into the bowl with pound cake ingredients.

Pour the vanilla extract into the bowl and mix well. Next, pour the liquid coffee into the bowl and mix. For this recipe, I used coffee that I had brewed earlier in the day.

Instant coffee granules help you make the right amount of liquid coffee, which gives this chocolate pound cake more depth. You can also use some of your morning coffee.

Pouring buttermilk into a bowl with chocolate cake ingredients.

Pour part of the buttermilk into the bowl.

Adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in a clear glass mixing bowl.

Alternately, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk and mix. Buttermilk lends a special tang and adds moisture. Itโ€™s absolutely worth buying to make this cake, but if you don’t have any, you can make it by combining one cup of milk and one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.

Chocolate pound cake in a bundt pan.

Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan. I will gently tamp it against the counter to help remove any bubbles.

Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.

Cooked chocolate bundt cake on top of a white cake stand.

Once the cake cools for about 20 minutes, I will place the cake stand on top of the pan and flip it over. It should come out easily.

Pouring chocolate frosting over the top of a chocolate bundt cake.

How To Store The Cake

You can store the cake in an airtight container or cover it with plastic wrap. It does not have to be refrigerated, but it will last a few days longer in the refrigerator.

More Delicious Cake Recipes

Grab the easy recipe for chocolate frosting from cocoa powder that I use on this cake.

A slice of chocolate pound cake. There is chocolate frosting on top of the slice and sliding down the side.

Easy Old Fashioned Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe

4.43 from 131 votes
Julie Pollitt
Easy old fashioned chocolate pound cake is made with fresh ingredients and turns out so moist and rich. This might be the best chocolate cake you've ever eaten!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Additional Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Cake
Cuisine American
Servings 16
Calories 401 kcal

Ingredients
  

Pound Cake

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa or unsweetened cocoa
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 cups softened butter
  • 3 cups white granulated sugar
  • 5 eggs
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup liquid coffee
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan.
  • Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl and mix.
  • Next, add the softened butter to a large mixing bowl.
  • Add the sugar and mix well.
  • Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and coffee to the sugar mixture and combine.
  • Next, alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk and mix until combined.
  • Pour the cake mixture into the bundt pan and bake for 60-70 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
  • Allow the cake to cool for about 20 minutes. Then, place the cake stand over the cake pan and gently flip it over.
  • Frost the cake and enjoy!

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 401kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 5gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 336mgFiber: 1gSugar: 38g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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4.43 from 131 votes (125 ratings without comment)

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42 Comments

  1. What can you use instead of coffee to add the extra liquid?

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Joyce,

      You can use water or milk in place of the coffee. I hope you love it!

  2. Can this be made in a stand mixer? Also are the eggs added all at once or one at a time? And where is the chocolate frosting recipe? I didn’t see it here. Thanks!

    1. Lisa pickett says:

      @Julie Pollitt,

  3. Can you use a loaf pan or something comparable measurement-wise in lieu of bundt pan?

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      You can, but you might want to check the cake a little sooner in the oven. It might bake faster.

  4. Edith Boyce says:

    On this old fashioned chocolate cake what if I donโ€™t like coffee in it. Can I just use the regular cocoa

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      You can use cocoa as long as it’s in liquid form. Or water will work, as well. Hope you enjoy it!

  5. Made this pound cake for Easter. It was very moist, dense. The flavor was not too chocolaty. The buttermilk give as my husband says an interesting flavor. I doubled the frosting recipe just in case it wasnโ€™t enough. Glad I did it.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Terese,

      Glad you liked it! Hope you had a nice Easter.

  6. Quincella says:

    Fantastic Chocolate Pound Cake. I’ve been searching and trying different recipes but none of them seem to work for me until this one. I followed the instructions exactly with the exception of adding 3/4 cup of mini chocolate chips. It was so rich, chocolatety, moist and EASY to make. My search has ended. This is the one!

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Yay! I love to hear that! I am so glad you love it.

  7. I made this cake but added a vanilla glaze on top. Absolutely delicious ๐Ÿ˜‹

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Oh boy, that sounds wonderful. Can you share how did you made the glaze? I’d love to try it and I bet some other readers would, too!

  8. What can I use instead of buttermilk

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Jennifer, You can use milk if you’d like to for this recipe instead of buttermilk.

  9. Love this recipe! I have never used coffee in my pound cakes in the past but this was perfect! Very moist and turned out great. Big hit with my family.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      That’s fantastic to hear! Thanks for sharing and so glad to hear everyone loved it!

  10. Geraldine Cason says:

    This cake came out awesome. Very moist and delicious. I’m going to make another one to day for my sons birthday. Thank you for sharing

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Geraldine, that’s so great to hear! I am glad you liked it. Happy birthday to your son!

  11. SO DANG TASTY – and easy! The Bundt pan is so much better than layers.
    Came out perfect – I added a few toasted cinnamon-sugared walnuts to the bottom, โ€˜cuz we love nuts, and topped it with a simple glaze for my husbandโ€™s birthday – he (and I) LOVED it! Thanks Julie, Iโ€™ll be making this one again with variations.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Sounds wonderful! I am so glad you liked it. Happy Birthday to your hubby!

  12. There are no amounts listed for the ingredients….

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Rick,

      If you click on the “Jump to Recipe” button at the top it will pop you right down to the recipe card with the measurements and instructions. You can also print it out.

  13. 5 stars
    Amazing recipe!! I followed everything exactly as written (ok, Iโ€™m heavy on the vanilla and I added a capful or two of butter extract) and it came out perfectly moist and delicious! Almost like a cakey brownie. I wonโ€™t ever use another chocolate pound cake recipe. This is the one!!!

  14. Thank you for the recipe! Iโ€™m wondering if you could add cream cheese to the recipe? And if so, would something need to be removed?

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hey Jackie! I haven’t tried adding cream cheese to this recipe, but I am sure it would work. I would just add 8 ounces of cream cheese and not adjust anything else. Let me know how it goes!

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Gayle,

      You can freeze this. Just make sure you seal it up well. Enjoy!

  15. 4 stars
    This is very close to the recipe on the side of the Hershey’s Cocoa Can and it’s delicious. I’ve been making that cake since I was a kid (now I’m 71) and it has never failed me. I was wondering what happened to the recipe for the frosting/glaze shown in the photo? I often use brown sugar frosting (an old Amish/Shaker recipe) and it’s absolutely delicious on this cake, but I don’t think it would work on a bundt cake, just a cake made in a 9 x 12 pan. Don’t over bake the cake or overcook the frosting no matter what kind you use. The brown sugar frosting burns easily so be careful with it!

  16. 5 stars
    This cake is absolutely delicious. And I doubled the icing to cover the whole cake, itโ€™s wonderful.
    Iโ€™m usually not a chocolate cake lover but this being a scratch POUND cake was amazing. I recommend it if you like chocolate cake.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Benita,

      I am so glad you loved it! It’s definitely addictive!

  17. Any suggestions for preventing a cake from sticking to the bottom of the pan?

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Hi Maxine,

      I do a couple of things. Make sure you spray the inside with nonstick cooking spray and dust it with some flour. After it cooks, only let it cool for about 10-15 minutes and then turn it over. If you let it cool for longer it will stick to the pan.

  18. 5 stars
    I made this cake last night and it turned out really good. I’ve made hundreds of pound cakes in my time and many times, chocolate ones will turn out dry – but this one is perfectly moist and very rich. I just used my pound cake pan instead of my bundt pan because it was handier to get to. This is definitely a keeper. Thanks for sharing it.

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      I love to hear that! Good tip on the pound cake pan!

  19. now this is just frustrating who posts the cake recipe without the icing?! Absurdity!

    1. Julie Pollitt says:

      Sorry about that. The link is there above the recipe card.