A deliciously moist chocolate sour cream pound cake that whips up easily in one bowl with simple pantry ingredients. The addition of sour cream truly makes this cake so moist that a frosting or glaze isn't necessary. Serve slices warm with custard or ice cream.
Pound cakes or bundt cakes look like such a labor of love, but honestly, it's all about prepping your pan properly and knowing when to turn the cake out of the pan.
In this post, I'll offer tips on how to easily prep your pan and remove your cake without any breakages or cake left behind. Happy Baking!
Have a slice of chocolate cake with a scoop of homemade chocolate ice cream!
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Important Ingredients with Substitutions
- Sour Cream - I'm loving Daisy brand sour cream. The only ingredient is cream. A lot of other brands have unnecessary added ingredients.
- Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - Dutch-processed (alkalized) cocoa powder is preferred for chocolate cakes due to its smooth, mellow flavor and rich, dark color. It offers a less acidic taste compared to natural cocoa powder.
- Optional Ingredients - This cake is beautifully moist as is. As a topping, I simply shaved some milk chocolate on top for an extra touch of sweetness.
See the recipe below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.
Instructions for chocolate sour cream pound cake
Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick baking spray.
In a medium bowl, sift and whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set aside.
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, cream the melted butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
Step 2: Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next.
Step 3: Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and mix on medium-low speed until just combined. Add the sour cream and mix again. Add the remaining flour and mix until combined.
Step 4: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the milk and vanilla extract and mix until the batter is smooth and well combined.
Step 5: Pour the chocolate cake batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
Step 6: Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer or toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Step 7: Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before turning out to cool.
Step 8: Serve as is, or top with grated chocolate, whipped cream, or a side of ice cream.
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Hint: Allowing the cake to rest for 10-15 minutes before removing it from the pan will greatly reduce the chances of the cake sticking inside. Alternatively, if left cooling for too long, you’ll end up with cake sticking to the pan.
Storage Recommendations
Store your bundt cake covered and at room temperature for up to 3 days and refrigerated for 5 days. Storing in the fridge will draw out some of the moisture, so make sure to wrap it tightly and eat it quickly. For a moist cake, store at room temperature.
Can I freeze my bundt cake? Let your cake completely cool on a cooling rack. Whether frosted or not, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap then freeze. Freezing a frosted cake isn't ideal, but it can be done.
To thaw, place your frozen cake on the counter overnight or for 6-8 hours. Keep it wrapped in the plastic wrap until thawed.
Can I reheat my bundt cake? Once your cake has thawed, place it on a parchment lined baking sheet then in an oven preheated to 350 F. Heat for 10-15 minutes until heated through.
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For the best result, use room-temperature ingredients. This will allow the ingredients to incorporate more evenly throughout the batter, this way we don’t have to mix any more than we need to, creating a moist cake.
Generously spray your Bundt pan with non stick baking spray.
This recipe can be made using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a good old-fashioned whisk and elbow grease.
Serve slightly warm with a side of chocolate or vanilla ice cream.
Recipe FAQs
Bundt cakes attain their moistness primarily due to the addition of moisture-rich ingredients like oil, sour cream, milk, or buttermilk. These ingredients not only provide moisture but also contribute to the cake's richness by adding fat, preventing it from becoming dry. Additionally, when topped with frosting or glaze, it seeps into the cake, enhancing its moist crumb.
Sour cream is a key ingredient that adds richness and moisture to cakes. Its high fat content ensures the cake remains moist while avoiding any thinning of the batter that could result from using oil. For a similar effect, Greek yogurt can be used as a substitute for sour cream.
Both Bundt cakes and Pound cakes share common ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, and butter. However, Bundt cakes are baked in round, fluted pans with a center hole and often feature additional moistening agents like buttermilk, sour cream, or yogurt for enhanced texture and flavor. On the other hand, Pound cakes can be baked in either a Bundt or loaf pan and have a simpler composition, typically comprising basic ingredients like butter, sugar, flour, and eggs. Bundt cakes are often adorned with frosting or glaze, while Pound cakes are commonly served plain or complemented with toppings like powdered sugar, fruit, or whipped cream.
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Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Moist Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake
Print Pin Let me know you LOVE it!Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups All purpose flour
- ¾ cup Unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted butter melted
- 2 cups White granulated sugar
- 4 large Eggs
- 1 cup Sour cream
- ½ cup Milk
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick baking spray.
- In a medium bowl, sift and whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the melted butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and mix on medium-low speed until just combined. Add the sour cream and mix again. Add the remaining flour and mix until combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the milk and vanilla extract and mix until the batter is smooth and well combined.
- Pour the chocolate cake batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer or toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before turning out to cool.
- Serve as is, or top with grated chocolate, whipped cream or a side of ice cream.
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