Description
Mile High Chocolate Pound Cake is a rich and indulgent dessert featuring a moist and dense chocolate-infused pound cake layered with semi-sweet chocolate chips, all topped with a luscious chocolate buttercream frosting. Perfect for chocolate lovers looking for a decadent yet classic treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cake:
- 1 ½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (90g) semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3 ½ cups (440g) powdered sugar
- ½ cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ cup (60ml) heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s at the right temperature for baking the pound cake evenly.
- Prepare Pan: Grease a 9×5 inch loaf pan with butter or cooking spray and lightly dust with flour. This prevents the cake from sticking and helps with easy removal.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sifting helps to avoid lumps and evenly incorporates the leavening agents.
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In another large bowl, cream together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This step incorporates air for a lighter texture.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, mixing well after each addition to ensure they are fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract for flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the whole milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing only until just combined to avoid overmixing the batter.
- Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips if using, distributing them evenly throughout the batter without deflating it.
- Pour Batter: Pour the prepared batter into the greased and floured loaf pan. Smooth the top with a spatula for an even surface.
- Bake the Cake: Bake in the preheated oven for 60–70 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool Cake: Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature before frosting.
- Prepare Frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder, alternating with heavy cream, and beat until smooth and fluffy. Stir in vanilla extract for flavor.
- Frost Cake: Once the cake is completely cooled, frost it generously with the prepared chocolate buttercream using a spatula or piping bag as desired.
Notes
- Ensure all ingredients, especially the butter and eggs, are at room temperature for best mixing results.
- Sifting dry ingredients avoids clumps and helps the cake bake evenly.
- A toothpick test is the best way to check for doneness to prevent over or under baking.
- For added texture, walnuts or pecans can be folded into the batter along with chocolate chips.
- Chocolate chips are optional but highly recommended for extra bursts of chocolate.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting to avoid melting the frosting.
- Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- You can freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 2 months; thaw completely before frosting.
