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Chocolate sour cream pound cake with a chocolate ganache glaze. The cake is on a white plate
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4.84 from 6 votes

Glazed Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake

Dive into this moist Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake, where a dense, velvety crumb explodes with rich, dark chocolate flavor. A blend of cocoa powder, melted bittersweet chocolate, and brown sugar fuels the deep chocolate flavor of this cake.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Cooling Time2 hours
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16 servings
Calories: 357kcal
Author: Cheryl Norris

Equipment

Ingredients

Cake Release

  • 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter melted
  • 1 tablespoon natural cocoa

Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake

  • 2 cups (250 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour sifted
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 6 ounces (169 grams) 60% bittersweet chocolate chopped into small pieces
  • 3/4 cup (64 grams) natural cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
  • 3/4 cup (180 ml) boiling water
  • 1 cup (242 grams) sour cream room temperature
  • 12 tablespoons (169 grams) unsalted butter room temperature
  • 2 cups (400 grams) packed dark brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 5 large (250 grams) eggs room temperature

Chocolate Ganache

  • 4 ounces 60% bittersweet chocolate chopped fine
  • 4 ounces heavy cream
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

FOR THE PAN

  • Stir together the melted butter and cocoa in small bowl until paste forms; using a pastry brush, coat all interior surfaces of standard 12-cup Bundt pan, (If mixture becomes too thick to brush on, microwave it for 5-10 seconds, or until warm and softened.) Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees.

FOR THE CAKE

  • Place the flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium-sized bowl and whisk the ingredients together to combine.
  • Place the chopped bittersweet chocolate and instant espresso into a medium-sized heatproof bowl. Sift the cocoa powder on top of these ingredients to remove any lumps.
  • Pour boiling water over the ingredients, let it sit for 1 minute then whisk until smooth. Cool this mixture to room temperature (about 80°F) and then whisk in the sour cream. Set it aside until ready to add to the cake batter.
  • Crack the eggs into a small bowl or a measuring cup.
  • Cut the butter into 12 pieces and place it in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the sugar 1/2 cups at a time, beating on medium speed for 30 seconds after each addition. If at any time the butter or the sugar-butter mixture is sticking to the paddle attachment or the side of the bowl scrape it off.
  • After all the sugar is added cream the sugar and butter on medium speed for another 4-5 minutes until it is fluffy and creamy. Add the vanilla extract and mix on medium speed until it is incorporated.
  • Stop the mixer and add the eggs one at a time. Mix on medium speed for about 20 seconds or until each egg is thoroughly incorporated. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula after adding the first 3 eggs. Mix in the remaining eggs one at a time.
  • Add about one-third of flour mixture and mix on low speed until it's just incorporated. There may be flour on the side of the bowl which is okay. Add half of the chocolate/sour cream mixture and mix on low speed until just incorporated.
  • Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and repeat, using half of the remaining flour mixture and all of the remaining chocolate mixture; add the remaining flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Scrape down the bowl again and mix on medium until the batter is thoroughly combined, about 30 seconds.
  • Spoon the batter into the prepared Bundt pan, being careful not to pour batter on the sides of the pan.
  • Bake for 45-50 minutes until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached or an instant-read thermometer registers 200°F. Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack.
  • Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then invert cake onto parchment-lined wire rack. Cool to room temperature, about 3 hours.
  • This cake is so good, that no other toppings are needed, but if you want a little something extra you can add a chocolate glaze (see recipe below) or sift powdered sugar over the top.

Storage

  • Room Temperature: With the chocolate glaze the cake can be stored at room temperature in a covered container for up to 2 days.  Without the glaze the cake can be stored for up to 4 days.
  • Refrigerator: The best way to store it in the refrigerator is to cut the cake into pieces (about 2-3 servings each piece) and wrap each piece in plastic wrap.  Wrapping the cake pieces will help it stay moist.  When ready to serve let it come to room temperature.
  • Freezer: To freeze the cake without the glaze wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and then place them in a freezer storage bag.  To freeze a whole cake, wrap it in two layers of plastic and then one layer of aluminum foil.  Freeze the cake for up to 1 month.  When ready to serve, thaw in the refrigerator 24 hours before serving.

Chocolate Ganache Glaze (Optional)

  • Chop the chocolate into small pieces and place them in a small heatproof bowl.
  • Heat the heavy cream to the boiling point either in a small saucepan on the stove top or in a microwave safe measuring cup. In the microwave heat it on high for 60-90 seconds.
  • Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate. Let the mixture sit for 1 minute without stirring. Gently whisk it starting from the center and working your way out until it is smooth and cream. If any lumps of chocolate remain microwave the ganache on high for 15-20 seconds.
  • Let the ganache cool until it is 80-85°F. Slowly spoon it over the top of the cake. The cake can be served right away after adding the ganache glaze or you can let the glaze set until it is solid.

Notes

This chocolate cake recipe is from America's Test Kitchen.
Weighing the Ingredients: Use a kitchen scale to weigh the flour, butter, and eggs. Weighing your ingredients will ensure the most consistent results.  Weighing the eggs is especially important if you’re using organic cage-free eggs. I typically use conventional large-grade AA eggs, which have a consistent weight of 50 grams. 
Bittersweet Chocolate:  In stores you'll see bittersweet chocolate with a percentage of 60-70%.  That number represents the amount of cocoa mass in the chocolate bar.  The higher the number the less dairy and sugar in the chocolate.  In testing this recipe I discovered that a chocolate with 60-62% cocoa mass worked best for creating a moist cake.  At 70% the cake was a little on the dry side.
Bundt Pan: Use a 12-cup bundt pan for this recipe. If you use a 10-cup bundt pan do not fill it more than 3/4 full.  Make cupcakes or mini-bundt cakes with the remaining batter.

Nutrition

Serving: 0g | Calories: 357kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 262mg | Potassium: 221mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 455IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 2.4mg