Chocolate Almond Pound Cake

A chocolate pound cake with real personality. Melted unsweetened chocolate and almond extract go into the batter, chopped almonds coat the greased bundt pan, and cornmeal gives the crumb a subtle gritty texture you won’t find in standard pound cakes.

The cornmeal is what makes this one worth bookmarking. It adds a faint toasted corn flavor and a slightly rustic bite that plays off the bitter chocolate and sweet almond beautifully. You’ll notice it on the first slice and wonder why more chocolate cakes don’t use it.

Melt the chocolate and butter separately and let both cool slightly before mixing. Hot melted chocolate will cook the eggs the second they touch, giving you scrambled bits in your batter instead of a smooth, glossy mixture.

Chef Tips

• Coat the greased bundt pan with the chopped almonds before adding batter. As the cake bakes, they toast and form a crunchy almond crust on the outside.
• Add eggs one at a time and beat well after each. This builds structure gradually and keeps the batter emulsified.
• Alternate the dry ingredients with the milk in three additions, starting and ending with dry. This prevents the batter from curdling.
• Cool in the pan for exactly 10 minutes. Too long and it sticks; too short and it crumbles when you flip it.

Variations

• Drizzle with a dark chocolate ganache after cooling for extra richness.
• Replace almond extract with orange extract and add a tablespoon of orange zest for a chocolate-orange version.
• Use hazelnut extract and chopped hazelnuts instead of almonds for a Nutella-inspired twist.