This Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake recipe makes a super moist pound cake, with a chocolate ganache with a deep chocolate flavor to top. It has a rich chocolate flavor, and it’s the perfect dessert for all those chocolate lovers out there!

Ingredients you’ll need for this chocolate sour cream pound cake recipe

The ingredients needed for this irresistible cake are found in any grocery store:

All-purpose flour. Measure it using a spoon and scooping it into your measuring cup.
Dutch process cocoa powder. You can also use regular cocoa powder, but using Dutch-processed gives a deeper chocolate flavor
Baking soda. Gives softness and airiness to your cake
Salt. Enhances flavors
Butter. Unsalted and at room temperature
Granulated sugar. Sweetens your cake
Eggs. At room temperature. If pressed on time, let them sit in warm water completely covered for 5-10 minutes
Vanilla extract. Good quality vanilla extract goes a long way!
Sour cream. Packs your cake with moisture, fat, and flavor
Hot coffee. Preferably strong! Coffee enhances the chocolate flavor. The hot water also helps dissolve the cocoa powder and results in a stronger chocolate flavor. You can also do 1/2 cup of boiling water and a teaspoon of espresso powder.
Chocolate chips. Dark chocolate chips. You can also use a dark chocolate chopped bar
Heavy Cream. It will be used to make the ganache to frost the pound cake
Corn syrup. Makes the chocolate glaze more glossy and luscious

Take a look at the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full recipe.

Add-ons and Substitutions

Ganache alternatives: dust with powdered sugar or cocoa powder for a different finish
Chocolate Chips: Fold 1 cup of semi-sweet, milk, or dark chocolate chips into the batter for extra bursts of chocolate.
Nuts: Add ½ cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts for a crunchy texture.
Fruit: Add fresh raspberries, chopped cherries, or sliced strawberries to the batter or as a garnish on top of the ganache.
Sea Salt: Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt over the ganache for a sweet-salty contrast.
Caramel Drizzle: Drizzle caramel sauce over the ganache for an added layer of sweetness.
Crushed Cookies: Sprinkle crushed Oreos or chocolate wafer cookies over the ganache for a fun texture
Greek yogurt: Substitute the sour cream with equal parts of Greek yogurt if you do not have any at hand

Expert Tips: How to achieve a Moist Cake

1. Measure your ingredients correctly:

Baking is like chemistry, you need the correct amounts of the correct ingredients in the correct order to get the desired results; if you add too much flour to your pound cake, or not enough liquid, it could turn out dry.

Make sure to measure the flour using a spoon, scooping the flour into the measuring cup without compacting it, then using a knife to level it.

For liquids, put the measuring cup on a flat surface to be able to read the measurement more accurately.

2. Not preheating your oven:

Popping any of your baked goods in an oven that hasn’t reached the needed temperature could turn all of your baking efforts into nothing.

Apart from the baked goods starting to bake at an inappropriate temperature, making them rise more or less than desired, the baking time stated in the recipe is measured when the baked goods start to bake at the temperature called for, and they will bake unevenly.

3. Avoid opening your oven door frequently to check on your cake:

You should check your cake towards the end, not at the beginning and mid-baking. Opening the oven door too frequently will let the heat out, making the temperature drop.

4. Baking with room temperature ingredients:

Using room temperature ingredients make sure that they mix more evenly in the batter.

Leave out of the fridge the butter, sour cream, and eggs 1 hour prior to using.

5. The addition of sour cream:

And of course, this pound cake is super moist also because of the addition of sour cream. Read below for more details!

How to make this moist cake

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and dust a 10×5 inch loaf pan with butter/oil and flour.

In a medium bowl mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; these will be your dry ingredients. Set aside.

Over a large mixing bowl, cream on medium-high speed the unsalted butter and sugar for 2 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one by one. Add vanilla and mix.

Turn to low speed. Start adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in small amounts, alternating with sour cream, starting and finishing with the flour mixture.

Scrape with a rubber spatula the bottom and sides of the bowl and mix. Add hot coffee and mix until everything is well combined, but do not over-mix.

Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with just a few crumbs.

Let cool for 15 minutes, then carefully, remove from the pan and let the cake cool completely over a wire rack.

To make the ganache, place the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and set aside. Heat cream over a small saucepan on medium heat, until just simmering. Do not let the cream boil, or it might be too hot for your chocolate, making it separate or burn.

You should heat it until you see simmering bubbles around the edges. Immediately take the cream out of the heat and pour it on top of your chocolate, making sure the chocolate is completely covered with the cream.

Cover and let sit for around 7 minutes, then stir until smooth. Let the ganache cool for a few minutes, until reaching a spreadable consistency.

You will have to work quickly before the ganache hardens. Spread it on top of the cooled cake, making waves with the back of a spoon. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or just plain.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does adding sour cream to a cake do?

Sour cream has a high content of liquid, which makes the pound cake moist.

Also, sour cream has a high-fat content. Fat contributes to the tenderness of the baked goods because it prevents flour from absorbing the water. Any recipe with low-fat content will generally be tougher and drier.

Lastly, the acidity of the sour cream reacts with the baking soda, activating it. When this happens, carbon dioxide is produced, which makes your cake rise and become light and fluffy.

How to store this moist chocolate cake

Store this cake in an airtight container at room temperature, away from any heat sources, for 2-3 days.

You can also freeze it, placing a plastic wrap between the lid and the container to better seal the cake and avoid freezer burn, and freeze it for up to 3 months.

Can I bake this in a different pan?

Yes, you can! Just keep in mind that the baking time will vary depending on the size and type of pan you use, so be sure to watch it closely. Grease and flour the pan well to prevent sticking, no matter what shape you choose.

What if I don’t have a stand mixer?

No worries! A hand mixer works just fine for this recipe. You can even mix everything by hand, though it’ll take a little more effort to cream the butter and sugar properly.

Can I use natural cocoa powder instead of Dutch-process cocoa?

Yes, you can, but keep in mind that the flavor might vary. Dutch-process cocoa has a smoother, less acidic taste, so the cake might have a slightly different flavor profile if you use natural cocoa powder.

Can I freeze this Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake?

Yes, absolutely! This pound cake freezes really well. Once it’s completely cooled, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil or place it in a freezer-safe bag. It’ll stay fresh for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, just thaw it at room temperature, then add the ganache.

Here’s a video of this Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake Recipe so you can see up-close this decadent cake with its moist crumbs.

Take a look at the links below for more chocolate recipes, or click on this link for more Cake recipes.