Paula Deen Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake

Paula Deen Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake takes 1 hour 50 minutes and a full cup of sour cream, butter and cocoa to make a dense, tender Bundt cake. This easy chocolate pound cake dessert fits potluck tables, church suppers and holiday gatherings, and it feeds 16 people with ease.

Beat the batter for the full 2 minutes after the last of the flour goes in, because that is what gives the crumb its fine, even texture. Cut it short and the cake bakes up coarse and a little dry.

Paula bakes it at a low 325°F for well over an hour, so the center sets slowly without the outside drying out. The recipe also says not to open the oven for the first hour, which keeps the cake from sinking in the middle.

Paula Deen Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

16

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Calories

380

kcal

Cocoa and sour cream make a tight, moist crumb that slices cleanly from the Bundt pan. A long bake at a gentle temperature gives you a crisp outer crust and a soft, rich center.

Ingredients

• 2 sticks softened Butter
  

• 8 oz Sour cream
  

• 3 cups sugar
  

• 6 eggs
  

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

• 2 1/4 cups cake flour
  

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  

Directions

• Prep the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 325°F, then grease and flour a 10-inch Bundt pan. Get into every ridge so the cake releases cleanly later.
• Cream the butter mixture: Using an electric mixer, cream together 2 sticks softened butter, 8 oz sour cream and 3 cups sugar. Beat until it looks smooth and fluffy before you add anything else.
• Add eggs and vanilla: Add the 6 eggs, 2 at a time, beating well after each addition. Then beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Mix the dry ingredients: Stir together 2 1/4 cups cake flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder in another bowl. Mixing them first spreads the cocoa evenly through the batter.
• Combine the batter: Add half the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and beat well, then add the remaining half. Continue beating at medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, without opening the oven for at least the first hour. If the cake needs it, bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Tools for this recipe

• Nordic Ware Anniversary Bundt pan, KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?

You can, but the crumb will come out a bit heavier and less tender. If you only have all-purpose, remove 2 tablespoons from each cup and replace them with cornstarch to get closer to cake flour.

How do I store leftover chocolate pound cake?

Wrap the cooled cake tightly or keep it under a cake dome at room temperature. It stays moist for about 3 days, and sliced pieces freeze well if wrapped individually.

Can I bake this cake a day ahead?

Yes, and it slices even better the next day once the crumb has settled. Wrap it well once it is completely cool, then dust it with powdered sugar just before serving.

Can I bake this in loaf pans instead of a Bundt pan?

Two 9x5 loaf pans work if you grease and flour them well. The cakes will bake faster than the Bundt, so start checking with a toothpick around the 1 hour mark.

Why did my pound cake sink in the middle?

Opening the oven door early is the most common cause, since the cold air collapses the cake before the center sets. Keep the door closed for at least the first hour and the cake will hold its shape.