Chocolate pound cake recipe

A chocolate pound cake makes the perfect midweek pick-me-up to share with friends and family. The simple recipe is super speedy to whip up and the baked loaf will keep for a good five days if kept well wrapped in greaseproof paper and stored in an airtight tin. Unlike our classic chocolate cake, this recipe has a slightly denser texture. Depending on what you fancy you can also add a few extras to your pound cake - chopped chocolate chips make a lovely addition, as well as nuts like pecans or walnuts.

Ingredients

• 125g butter, softened
• 125g golden caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 100g self-raising flour
• 40g cocoa, sieved
• 1-2tbsp milk

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C, gas 4. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with baking paper and set aside.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy and then gradually add the eggs and vanilla until you have a smooth mixture.
3. Sift your cocoa and flour and then fold them both through your wet ingredients. If the mixture feels a bit too dry, loosen with a little milk at a time until you have the perfect texture. It should have a ‘dropping’ consistency so that it slowly falls from a wooden spoon when held above the bowl.
4. Spoon the prepared mixture into the tin and bake for 45-50 mins in the oven until the sponge is springy to the touch and a skewer comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack.
5. You can leave it plain if you like, or top with a chocolate buttercream for a more indulgent treat.

Top tip for making chocolate pound cake

If your cake does start to dry up slightly treat yourself to a slice toasted – a perfect weekend breakfast.

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Classic pound cake

Lemon pound cake

Mary Berry's chocolate fudge cake