Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake
This Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake is rich, moist, and full of cocoa flavor, with sour cream for tenderness and coffee to enhance the chocolate. Top it with a simple chocolate glaze or enjoy it plain for an easy, cozy dessert.
Equipment
- 10-cup Bundt pan
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Kitchen Scale
- Rubber spatula
- Wire cooling rack
- Heatproof bowl (for blooming cocoa and making glaze)
- Small saucepan (to heat cream and butter for the glaze)
Ingredients
For the cake
- 140 g unsalted butter ½ cup + 2 tbsp, softened
- 250 g granulated sugar 1 ¼ cups
- 2 large eggs + 1 yolk room temperature (for best texture)
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 205 g all-purpose flour 1 ¾ cups
- 35 g unsweetened cocoa powder about ⅓ cup
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 205 g sour cream ¾ cup + 1 tbsp
- 100 ml hot brewed coffee or hot water a generous ⅓ cup
- ½ teaspoon instant espresso powder
Optional chocolate glaze
- 120 g dark chocolate chopped, (4 oz)
- 60 ml heavy cream ¼ cup
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Instructions
- Prep the pan: Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Generously grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan, or grease and dust with cocoa powder for a neat chocolate finish.
- Bloom cocoa: In a small bowl, whisk the hot coffee (or water) with the cocoa powder and espresso powder (if using) until smooth. Let cool slightly.
- Cream butter & sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes.
- Add eggs & vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time (or 2 whole + 1 yolk for extra richness), then mix in the vanilla.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Combine wet & dry: Add ⅓ of the dry mixture to the butter mixture, then half the sour cream. Repeat with another ⅓ of dry, the rest of the sour cream, and the final ⅓ of dry ingredients. Mix gently, just until combined.
- Add cocoa mixture: Pour in the bloomed cocoa mixture and stir until the batter is smooth and glossy.
- Bake: Spread the batter evenly into the prepared Bundt pan. Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the deepest part comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool & glaze (optional): Let the cake cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack. For the glaze, heat cream and butter until steaming, pour over chopped chocolate, let sit 1–2 minutes, then stir until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cake. Once set, top with powdered sugar if desired.
Notes
Disclaimer: I bake by weight for accuracy. Cup measurements are approximate and may vary depending on how you scoop.
Audrey's tip: When it comes to bundt cakes, timing is everything! Let the cake cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes—no more, no less—before turning it out. This short cooling time allows the cake to set just enough to release cleanly, but if you wait too long it may start sticking to the pan. A little patience (and a good pan prep) makes all the difference for that picture-perfect finish!
Storage: This cake keeps wonderfully. Store it tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze slices individually in plastic wrap and a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and enjoy with coffee or a scoop of ice cream. Alternatively, you can try freezing the whole cake by wrapping it in plastic wrap and aluminum foil.
Nutrition
Calories: 369kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 5gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 89mgSodium: 154mgPotassium: 166mgFiber: 3gSugar: 24gVitamin A: 505IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 38mgIron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!