This Chocolate Pound Cake Made Me Look Like a Real Baker
As my dad's 60th birthday and an accompanying beach trip to celebrate it approached, I knew I wanted to surprise him with a homemade dessert he'd love. Though he thoroughly enjoyed the mini Key lime pies I made on Mother's Day, he deserved his own special treat for this occasion, and only chocolate would do.
That's when I came across this Classic Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe. The description reads: "The first word that came to our Test Kitchen Professionals' minds when they tried it was 'decadent.'" That's all I needed to know.
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck; Food Styling: Erin Merhar
As a newlywed, I jump at any chance I get to use my shiny new KitchenAid mixer from our registry, so I was excited to try this recipe. The ingredient list is simple, and I had all but one item on hand. This Chocolate Pound Cake only takes about 30 minutes of hands-on time, but it requires a while in the oven and time to chill, so plan accordingly. The good thing about a long bake time is that the entire kitchen was already cleaned up when we took the cake out of the oven.
Overall, this Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe came together easily and turned out beautifully. There are just two things I'll do differently the next time I make it (and I WILL be repeating this one). Since I was traveling several hours to the beach with it in tow, I prepared the cake the night before we left. Next time, I'll serve the cake the day I make it to ensure the absolute best consistency. Don't get me wrong: It was delicious, but I think the time in transit caused the cake to lose some of its original moistness. Second, I'd add an extra topping. We generously dusted the finished pound cake with powdered sugar, and it looked gorgeous. But for serving, I'm going to add a scoop of ice cream, a spoonful of warm strawberry compote, or a drizzle of caramel sauce to each slice next time. Since the cake is so rich, it needed an accompaniment with different texture and temperature, even if in the form of a cold glass of milk.
This Classic Chocolate Pound Cake was a huge hit with my parents and husband, and I can't wait to bake it for our friends. If you're like me, you'll love a slice of this indulgent cake with your morning coffee the next day, too.
Get the Recipe: Classic Chocolate Pound Cake
If you have a chocolate lover in the family or are looking for a droolworthy dessert to feed a crowd, this Classic Chocolate Pound Cake should be your next baking project.
