Fuss Free Chocolate Pound Cake

Sometimes you want chocolate cake without the song and dance of layers and frosting. This pound cake delivers: a dense, buttery, deeply chocolate loaf with a fine, velvety crumb that needs nothing more than a fork.

The fat is a one-two punch: butter for rich flavor, shortening for a tender, moist crumb that stays soft for days. Cocoa powder, not melted chocolate, keeps it simple while still tasting properly chocolatey.

Two old-school techniques carry it. First, cream the butter, shortening, and sugar until truly light and fluffy, since that trapped air is most of the cake’s lift. Second, add the dry ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour, which keeps the batter smooth and the crumb tender.

Add the eggs one at a time so the batter stays emulsified and doesn’t curdle. Bake in a tube pan until a toothpick comes clean, then cool before slicing.

Chef Tips

• Cream the butter, shortening, and sugar a full few minutes until pale and fluffy; this is where most of the rise comes from.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well between each, so the batter doesn’t break.
• Alternate flour and milk, starting and ending with flour, to avoid overmixing and a tough crumb.
• Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then turn out, since a hot cake can tear or stick.

Variations

• Fold a cup of chocolate chips or chopped toasted pecans into the batter.
• Glaze with a simple chocolate ganache or dust with powdered sugar.
• Stir a teaspoon of espresso powder into the cocoa to deepen the chocolate flavor.