Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake

This Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake is a rich, sweet, and decadent bundt cake that is topped with a silky chocolate ganache that everyone is sure to love.

If you cannot get enough of this sweet and delicious sour cream pound cake, then be sure that you also try making my Homemade Sour Cream Pound Cake as well.

Not sure if you remember me sharing with you that a pound cake can be made in many different variations. Just in case you missed that post I will insert the link to where I shared with you my grandmother's recipe for a Homemade Sour Cream Pound Cake.

So today I will take a little time to show you another way to make a good ole pound cake. This time I will share with you my mother's recipe for a Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake. Between the two recipes, you will use very similar ingredients, but of course, the chocolate pound cake recipe will have more of the ingredients as well as a few additions.

The chocolate pound has rich chocolate flavor and if you decide to give this recipe a try, then you will notice that it makes a lot of cake batter so you want to combine all of the ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Let's get started!

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake Ingredients

1. Butter - Try to grab the best butter that you can and allow it to sit at room temperature a bit for easier mixing. Salted or unsalted butter can be used.
2. Sugar - Use granulated or cane sugar to add sweetness to the cake. Light brown sugar could be used as a substitute.
3. All-Purpose Flour - Use plain all-purpose flour with nothing added to it. You may whisk or shift before using it to smooth out any large clumps.
4. Eggs - This cake requires five large eggs to make. Try to remove the eggs before using them and allow them to come to room temperature.
5. Cocoa Powder - Helps to make the pound cake light, fluffy, and loaded with chocolate flavor. Use high-quality unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe. I love using Dutch process cocoa powder.
6. Baking Soda - Be sure to check the date of the package before adding it to the chocolate pound cake to make sure that it has not expired. Expired baking soda will prevent the cake from rising properly. No one wants their cake to fall.
7. Salt - Helps to balance the sweet flavor and prevents the cake from tasting flat. Use any that you prefer, I like to use kosher salt for baking.
8. Vanilla Extract - Use pure vanilla extract and not imitation for best results.
9. Sour Cream - One eight-ounce container of sour cream is all that is needed for the cake recipe. Adding sour cream to the cake will help to keep the cake moist and balance well with the sweetness of the cake. Use full-fat regular sour cream for this pound cake recipe with sour cream. I would not recommend substituting milk for this ingredient or using a dairy-free option for this particular recipe.
10. Hot Water - Thins out the cake mixture making it easier to add to the cake pan.

See the recipe card below for exact ingredient quantities and instructions.

How to Make Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and lightly flour a bundt pan. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

With an electric mixer cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in sour cream. Alternate adding the flour mixture and the eggs.

Add a little flour mixture, mix, then add in an egg, and mix. Do this until all is combined.

At this point, the batter will be very thick.

Add in a cup of boiling water and be careful not to burn yourself. The mixture may splash out so at this point I prefer to use a whisk. Whisk the mixture until smooth and combined. Stir in vanilla extract.

Pour into prepared bundt pan.

Bake at 325 degrees F. for 1 hour to 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until done and a cake tester (toothpick) comes out clean.

At this point, you can enjoy it as is, add the frosting of your choice, or chocolate ganache.

For a quick and easy chocolate ganache. Bring ½ cup of heavy cream to a boil and pour over 4 ounces of good quality dark chocolate, chopped or broken into ½-inch pieces. Chocolate chips could be used. Wait 1 minute and stir until smooth and glossy.

Drizzle chocolate ganache onto the cake while it is still warm. Slice and enjoy!

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Try to use room temperature ingredients for easier mixing and a smooth batter that will help you to have a light, tender, and fluffy cake.
• After adding the cake batter to the cake pan, lightly tap the bottom of the pan on the kitchen counter to remove any air bubbles.
• While mixing be sure to scrape the side of the bowl to make sure the cake is fully combined.
• Take your time preparing the cake pan to prevent your cake from sticking to the pan. Use shortening and lightly flour before adding the cake batter or use baking spray.

Storage Tips

Storage. Store any leftover chocolate cake at room temperature in an airtight container or cake storage for 4 to 5 days. Slice a serve as normal. If you prefer to store it in the refrigerator, then you may do that instead.

Reheating. If you're storing the chocolate pound cake in the refrigerator, then allow it to come to room temperature or slightly reheat it before serving. You can heat it in the microwave for just a few seconds. 

Freezing. This pound cake recipe can be made in advance and stored in the freezer for up to 30 days. Wrap the cooled cake tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap, followed by a tight layer of aluminum foil, and place it in the freezer. When you're ready to serve, simply remove it from the freezer the night before and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving it the next day. Once it has thawed, then it can stored at room temperature.

Want More Pound Cake Recipes? Try These:

• Homemade Sour Cream Pound Cake
• Easy Pound Cake Recipe
• Sweet Potato Pound Cake
• 7 Up Pound Cake
• SunDrop Pound Cake Recipe
• Greek Yogurt Pound Cake 
• Pound Cake Trifle with Berries  
• Eggnog Pound Cake 

Have any comments, questions, or other delicious ideas and ways to enjoy this Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe? Please share them in the comments below!

📖 Recipe

Original post date 11/08/2013. Updated 12/04/2024.