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    Home » Recipes » Cake Recipes

    Super Moist Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake (the Best Ever!)

    Published: Aug 28, 2021 · Modified: Jan 1, 2023 by Priya Maha

    Jump to Recipe
    A loaf of chocolate sour cream pound cake on a pink plate

    Have you ever tried cakes with sour cream? Well, you must try this chocolate sour cream pound cake!

    It is soft and fluffy and has an amazingly moist texture with a deliciously rich and decadent chocolate flavor, perfect for chocolate lovers.

    Pound cakes are very old-fashioned and simple cakes typically made using equal portions of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. They are soft and fluffy and easy to customize to many different flavors like matcha, lime, lemon, banana, etc with the simple addition of extra ingredients such as fruits, powders, and extracts for the extra flavors.

    A loaf of chocolate sour cream pound cake on a pink plate.
    An easy-to-make, from scratch homemade chocolate pound cake with sour cream. Baked in a loaf pan and topped with a simple chocolate ganache icing, this chocolate cake is truly irresistible!

    When making a chocolate pound cake, you replace a small portion of the flour with cocoa powder. That gives you a chocolate pound cake.

    The chocolate sour cream pound cake recipe I have on this page is a slight extension of a typical old-fashioned chocolate pound cake in that I have added sour cream to it. The sour cream does not replace any ingredients in the chocolate pound cake. It is merely an additional ingredient.

    Table of contents

    • What is Sour Cream?
    • How to Make the Cake
      • Ingredients
      • Mixing the chocolate pound cake batter
      • Making the chocolate ganache glaze
      • Decorating the cake with chocolate ganache glaze
    • Notes
      • Why do you need to sift the cocoa powder?
      • Can you substitute cocoa powder with melted chocolate?
      • Can you replace brown sugar with white sugar?
      • How long can this moist pound cake last?
      • Can you bake the cake in a round cake tin?
    • Like this super moist cake recipe? Here are my other posts you might want to check out
    • Recipe (Printable)

    What is Sour Cream?

    Sour cream is essentially fermented heavy cream. It has a creamy texture and looks almost similar to yogurt. The difference between these 2 is that sour cream is made using the cream while yogurt is made using milk.

    Sour cream is widely used in cooking and baking. It is a common ingredient in cheesecakes and lends a creamy texture to the cheesecakes. In normal cakes, sour cream helps the cakes bake with a lovely moist texture, and adds a wonderfully rich flavor, thanks to its creamy texture and slightly tangy flavor.

    Sour cream can be purchased from the milk and dairy section in most stores. It does not typically have a very long shelf life and should be kept refrigerated at all times.

    A loaf of chocolate sour cream pound cake on a pink plate.
    Super moist chocolate cake with sour cream, made from scratch, and is the best ever!

    How to Make the Cake

    Ingredients

    Cake

    • Self-raising flour + baking powder + salt
    • Brown sugar
    • Butter
    • Eggs
    • Cocoa powder
    • Sour Cream
    • Milk
    • Vanilla Extract

    Chocolate ganache glaze

    • Dark chocolate
    • Heavy whipping cream

    Mixing the chocolate pound cake batter

    A poster of 6 images showing how to mix chocolate cake batter.
    1. Start by combining the milk and sour cream in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and set aside.
    2. Measure the brown sugar into a large bowl. Add in the butter. Cream butter and sugar on medium speed with a paddle attachment on an electric mixer until they turn light and fluffy. This should take approximately 2 minutes.
    3. Scrape bowl (sides and bottom) with a rubber spatula at one minute interval.
    4. Next, add in the eggs. Do this one at a time. Each time, beat until the traces of the egg are no longer visible.
    5. In a separate bowl, sift together the self-raising flour, salt, baking powder, and cocoa powder.
    6. Fold in the sifted dry ingredients (the flour mixture) into the creamed wet ingredients mixture in 3 batches.
    A poster of 6 images showing how to bake a chocolate cake.
    1. Alternate each batch of the dry ingredients with the milk-sour cream mixture in 2 batches.
    2. Scrape the sides of the bowl. Add vanilla extract and mix well.
    3. Pour batter into a well-greased and floured 8 inches by 4 inches loaf tin.
    4. Level the top and bake at 165 degrees Celsius for 50 to 55 minutes. Test the cake at 50 minutes by inserting a skewer or a cake tester in the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Remove it from the oven.
    5. Let the cake rest in the tin for about 5 minutes. Use a jam knife to loosen the sides of the cake against the cake tin.
    6. Transfer the cake onto a wire rack (with the top facing up) and cool cake completely before adding the chocolate glaze.

    Making the chocolate ganache glaze

    A poster of 4 images showing how to make chocolate ganache topping.
    1. Measure the cream into a heat proof medium bowl. Double boil (by placing the bowl over a small saucepan of boiling water but making sure the bowl does not touch the hot water) it until it starts to bubble on the sides. Remove from heat.
    2. Chop the chocolate (no need to chop if using chocolate chips or chocolate buttons).
    3. Pour the hot cream onto the chocolate. Let it sit for 2 minutes.
    4. Stir slowly to combine the chocolate and the cream to a smooth glaze. Let it cool down slightly until it reaches a slightly thickened consistency before using on the cooled cake.

    Decorating the cake with chocolate ganache glaze

    A poster of 2 images showing how to drip chocolate ganache on the sides of a cake.
    Topping the sour cream chocolate pound cake with delectable dark and silky chocolate ganache glaze.
    1. Spoon the chocolate glaze generously on the top of the cake.
    2. Slowly push it to the sides of the cake loaf with a spoon to create the dripping effect.

    A loaf of chocolate cake with chocolate ganache topping and drips on a pink plate.
    An easy-to-make, homemade chocolate pound cake with sour cream baked in a loaf tin and topped with delectable chocolate ganache.

    Notes

    Why do you need to sift the cocoa powder?

    • Cocoa powder tends to be lumpy and it is best sifted before being added into the cake batter. If you see any lumps of cocoa powder in your sieve, you need not discard them. Simply use a spoon to break them and sieve through.

    Can you substitute cocoa powder with melted chocolate?

    • Melted chocolate can be used in cakes. This recipe, however, uses cocoa powder. Hence it cannot be substituted with melted chocolate without making changes to the quantity of remaining ingredients like the flour and the liquid ingredients.
    • It is best that the cake is made with cocoa powder.

    Can you replace brown sugar with white sugar?

    • Yes, technically you can replace brown sugar with white sugar. Do note that the brown sugar in this chocolate sour cream pound cake recipe contributes to the deep molasses-like flavor of the chocolate cake. When combined with sour cream, it adds to the rich taste of the cake. Substituting this with white sugar means your cake will miss out on this flavor.
    • When substituting, use granulated sugar (finer sugar granules) rather than the regular white sugar.

    How long can this moist pound cake last?

    • This chocolate sour cream pound cake can last at room temperature for a good 4 to 5 days provided you handle it without moisture.
    • If you wish to keep it longer, it is best to refrigerate it. Consume with one week. The cake is best wrapped in a plastic wrap (cling wrap) without the chocolate topping to ensure it remains moist.

    Can you bake the cake in a round cake tin?

    • Yes, it can. Use a 7 inches round tin. Reduce the baking time to 45 minutes. Check the cake for doneness by inserting a skewer in the center of the cake at 40 minutes interval. If the skewer comes out without any wet batter sticking to it, it is ready. Otherwise, continue to bake further. The cake will bake to an approximate height of 2 inches in a 7 inches round tin.
    • You can also use this chocolate sour cream pound cake to make a birthday cake or celebration cake. Double the recipe and bake it in two 7-inches round cake tins. Sandwich the layers with the frosting of your choice and decorate as you wish.

    Like this super moist cake recipe? Here are my other posts you might want to check out

    • Old School Butter Pound Cake with Buttercream Icing
    • Old Fashioned Lemon Pound Cake
    • Banana Pound Cake
    • Lime Pound Cake with Easy Lime Glaze
    • Matcha Pound Cake
    • Moist Sour Cream Lemon Cake (without Buttermilk)
    • Chocolate Icing Recipe

    Recipe (Printable)

    Here is the full printable version of my super moist chocolate sour cream pound cake recipe.

    A loaf of chocolate sour cream pound cake on a pink plate

    Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake

    This chocolate sour cream pound cake recipe is truly the best ever! It's amazingly moist and flavorful and it super easy to make too.
    4.91 from 30 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 50 minutes
    Frosting Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
    Yield: 1 Eight inches by 4 inches loaf cake
    Author: Priya Maha
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Metric - US Customary

    Ingredients

    Cake

    • 165 g self-raising flour
    • 180 g brown sugar
    • 180 g butter at room temperature
    • 3 eggs at room temperature
    • 15 g cocoa powder
    • 90 g sour cream
    • 3 tablespoon milk
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    Chocolate Glaze

    • 60 g dark chocolate chopped
    • 60 ml heavy cream
    Metric - US Customary

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 165 °Celsius.
    • Add the milk and sour cream to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside.
    • In a medium-sized bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy for about 2 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl halfway through.
    • Add the eggs, one at a time. Beat until the traces of the egg are no longer visible. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
    • In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Fold in the sifted ingredients into the creamed mixture in three batches. Alternate with the milk-sour cream solution in two batches.
    • Finally, add in vanilla extract and combine well. Pour batter into a well-greased and floured loaf tin measuring 8 inches by 4 inches and bake for 50 to 55 minutes. Test the cake at 50 minutes baking time by inserting a skewer in the center of the cake. The cake is done if the skewer comes out without any wet batter.
    • Remove the cake from the oven and let it rest in the tin for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Place the cake facing up on the rack.
    • To make the chocolate glaze, double boil (or microwave) the cream until the sides start to bubble.
    • Remove it from heat and pour it onto the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for a few minutes before stirring. Mix until it becomes a smooth glaze. Let ts cool down until it reaches a slightly thick consistency.
    • Spread the glaze generously on the cooled cake top. Use a spoon to gently push the glaze to drip around the sides of the cake.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 3572.7kcal | Carbohydrates: 341g | Protein: 50.2g | Fat: 230.4g | Saturated Fat: 137.9g | Trans Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 1013.3mg | Sodium: 2158.7mg | Potassium: 1525mg | Fiber: 15.5g | Sugar: 195.8g | Vitamin A: 6753.3IU | Vitamin C: 1.2mg | Calcium: 661.3mg | Iron: 14.7mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @decorated_treats or tag #decoratedtreats!

    And that's my super moist and flavorful chocolate sour cream pound cake recipe for you.

    A slice of chocolate cake on a white plate.
    Chocolate pound cake recipe with sour cream - amazingly moist crumbs

    Enjoy!

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    I'm Priya, and I'm so excited that you dropped by :) Welcome to DECORATED TREATS, a place where I share all my cake decorating ideas & true and tried recipes for all things sweet.

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