Chocolate pound cake
March 12, 2003
MAKES 10 SERVINGS
1-3/4 cups cake flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa, preferably Dutch process
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, at room temperature
1-1/2 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sour cream, at room temperature
Confectioners' sugar
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set oven rack at middle height. Generously butter a 9x3-inch round or contour pan or a 9x2-3/4-inch springform pan. Dust cake pan with flour, then shake out any excess flour.
Set aside 1 cup flour. Sift together remaining flour, cocoa and salt and set aside.
Combine butter and sugar in bowl of a standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or use a large mixing bowl and a handheld electric mixer. Beat mixture until light and fluffy, for 6 to 8 minutes, scraping bowl two or three times with a rubber spatula.
Add eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition and scraping bowl as needed. Stir in vanilla extract. Add sour cream and beat 1 minute longer.
Stir flour-and-cocoa mixture into butter mixture. Set mixer on low speed and beat batter 2 minutes, scraping bowl as needed.
Using a wooden spoon, carefully fold in remaining cup of flour and mix gently. Pour batter into prepared cake pan. Shake pan to settle batter.
Place pan in center of hot oven on middle rack. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes or until cake is puffy and brown and a knife inserted in center comes out clean but moist. Timing may vary, but watch carefully and don't overbake.
Remove cake from oven, place on a wire rack, and cool in pan for 10 minutes.
Run a metal spatula or knife around edge of pan to loosen cake, then tap pan gently. Carefully turn out cake onto wire cooling rack and cool top side up.
If using a springform pan, unfasten rim and remove. Carefully invert cake onto wire cooling rack. Run tip of a metal spatula between bottom of pan and cake. When loose, lift off bottom of pan. Cool cake top side up on wire cooling rack.
Sprinkle cooled cake with confectioners' sugar.
Nutrition facts per serving: 479 calories, 25 g fat, 15 g saturated fat, 143 mg cholesterol, 58 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 100 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
