Double Chocolate Pound Cake

Double Chocolate Pound Cake. This is a rich and buttery cake with a nice chocolate flavor and then with a really nice and dense texture covered with a thick chocolate glaze. 

STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE :

Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit then butter a 9 by 5 inches(23cm by13cm) loaf pan and line the bottom with a parchment paper. 

In a small bowl with unsweetened dutch process cocoa powder, pour in boiling water, dissolving the cocoa powder in hot water will bring out the chocolate flavor of the cocoa which is what you will want., Set it aside to cool to room temperature.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand mixer bowl, add in room temperature butter and beat that on medium speed until nice, creamy, and smooth. 

You will then add granulated white sugar and pure vanilla extract beat that on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy, the mixture will turn whitish in color. Beat in four large eggs and have them at room temperature, that way they will mix very well, the eggs will be added one at a time while beating after each addition.

Add the cooled cocoa mixture and beat it in the mixture then sift in the dry ingredients and alternate with two tablespoons of milk at low speed just until everything is mixed in. 

Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan then depending on your oven, bake it for around 60 minutes and start checking the cake on the 50th minutes just to make sure your cake does not overbake. A pound cake does break at the top when baking so doesn’t be worried when your cake cracks.

A toothpick inserted at the center should come out clean, place the cake on a wire rack to cool and firm up before taking it out of the pan. Run a knife around the inside of the pan then flip the cake over on a wire rack and let it cool completely before glazing. 

For the glaze you will need a saucepan over simmering water, add semisweet chocolate or any type that you like in a stainless steel bowl then add in butter and honey, you can use light corn syrup, golden syrup or brown rice syrup and that will help the glaze to be nice and smooth.

Place the bowl over simmering water and just stir until its all melted and smooth. Take it off the heat and let it sit to cool down and as it colls down it will thicken then place a baking pan below the cake on a wire rack and pour the glaze over the top of the cake and smoothen it to the edge of the cake. 

If you prefer this cake without the glaze then you can just leave it out. Let it sit until the glaze dries before serving and my personal preference is to let it sit overnight before eating.

Ingredients :

• 1/4 cup (25 grams) unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) boiling hot water
• 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) cake flour
• 1 teaspoon (4 grams) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
• 1 cup (225 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (6 grams) pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons milk, at room temperature

Chocolate Glaze:

• 3 ounces (90 grams) semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons (25 grams) butter, diced
• 1 tablespoon honey (or light corn syrup, golden syrup, agave, brown rice syrup or liquid glucose)

Instructions :

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the center of the oven. Butter, or spray with a nonstick vegetable spray, a 9 x 5 inch (23 x 13 cm) loaf pan. Line the bottom of the pan with a piece of parchment paper.

In a small bowl mix the cocoa powder into the boiling water until the cocoa powder has dissolved and is smooth. Let cool to room temperature.

In a separate bowl, sift or whisk the cake flour with the baking powder and salt.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and vanilla extract and beat, on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl as needed.

Beat in the cooled cocoa mixture. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture (in two additions) along with the milk (in one addition) and mix only until combined.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for about 55 to 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake just comes out clean.

Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 15-20 minutes. Run a spatula or knife around the inside of the pan and then remove the cake from the pan, peel off the parchment paper, re-invert, and cool completely on a wire rack.

Chocolate Glaze:

Melt the chocolate, butter, and honey in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Remove from heat and let cool until it thickens to pouring consistency.

Pour the glaze over the top of the cooled cake, letting the glaze flow down the sides.

Well wrapped, this cake will keep four to five days at room temperature or it can be frozen for a couple of months.