“There’s something undeniably tempting about those glossy drizzles.”
“Why a pound cake today?” Mr. J asked.
Honestly, there’s no reason at all—you never really need an excuse to bake a pound cake, especially a rich, chocolatey one. But on an icy, snow-filled winter day, it just feels right.
I’m not the biggest fan of chocolate, but every now and then—especially at that certain time of the month—it becomes the comfort food I crave. I don’t care much for bitter dark chocolate; it’s the sweetness of milk chocolate that my heart desires. If I’m already in a moody slump, why add more bitterness? Who could ever say no to warm, gooey chocolate cake? A slice with a cup of tea or coffee, and suddenly the worries of the day begin to fade.
I’ve always loved pound cake—and so did Sebastian. There’s a Starbucks within walking distance from my house, and we used to take him there. We’d order a slice of lemon pound cake for ourselves and a cup of water for Sebastian. We’d sit outside, breaking the cake into little bites to share with him. After a few visits, he caught on and started leading us there himself. Yes, he walked us to Starbucks. Before long, Sebastian had become the local celebrity—everyone knew the big brown dog who took his humans for lemon pound cake twice a week.
Now, even though he’s been gone for a few years, I still think of him every single time I see a slice of pound cake—any flavor. Strange as it sounds, a simple slice of cake can reconnect me to all those cherished memories.
What you will need:
For The Cake
- 1 1/4 Cups AP flour
- 1/4 Cup dark coco powder
- 1 Tablespoon instant coffee
- 1/8 Teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Stick (or 1/2 cup) of butter, softed
- 1.5 Cups of sugar
- 3 Large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 Cup Sour cream
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate Glaze
- 3/4 Cup dark chocolate chips
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1/4 Teaspoon vanilla extract
Making the Cake:
Preheat the oven to 330F and grease a 9 inch pan
Wet Ingredients
- Cream butter and sugar until the mixture is fluffy and light in color.
- Add eggs, one at a time into the butter mixture.
- Add sour cream into the mixture until all combine.
Dry Ingredients
- Sifted all dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Beat the mixture on low speed until just blended.
- Lastly, add vanilla extract.
- Don’t over mix the batter or the cake will be tough.
Baking
Middle of the oven at 330F for 1.5 hour or until it pass the clean toothpick test.
Chocolate Glaze
- Prepare a double boiler with hot, but not boiling water.
- Combine chocolate chips, butter, and corn syrup. Stir until chips are melted and mixture is smooth, then add vanilla.
- Pour the warm glaze over top of cake.
The glaze can be a messy job, but if you’d rather skip the cleanup—no worries! Just pour the chocolate glaze directly into the cake mold. Add a couple dollops of fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Then grab the biggest spoon your mouth can handle and dig in. Who’s going to judge you? You put in the effort of making the cake—now it’s time to enjoy the reward.
Well, Stevie will probably judge you—especially if he isn’t getting any. On the other hand, he is a cat, when he isn’t plotting his next attack, he is judging.
Recently, he’s discovered that the dining chair is his perfect little fort. From there, he hides his body under the table while staying just high enough to launch a sneak attack on our thighs or stomachs.
The other day, he was waiting patiently under the table for me to walk by… and then—WHACK! He caught me right on the shin. A little bruise and sting later, I decided I definitely deserved a slice of cake to comfort my wounded skin.
Easy Chocolate Pound Cake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 330°F (165°C). Grease and flour the baking pan.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix in the sour cream until fully combined.
- Sift the dry ingredients together, then gently add them to the butter mixture. Beat on low speed until just blended.
- Stir in the vanilla extract. Do not overmix or the cake will be tough.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for about 1 hour 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool before glazing.
- Prepare a double boiler with hot (not boiling) water.
- Add the chocolate chips, butter, and corn syrup. Stir until melted and smooth.
- Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.
- Pour the warm glaze evenly over the cooled cake.