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I love chocolate – it has always been my downfall. Even though the weather is heating up now, you can bake early in the morning before it gets too overly hot. The tube pan (the one you use to make an angel food cake) will yield about 16 nice slices but this cake freezes well. You can slice it and wrap each slice in plastic wrap to keep separated and place them all in a plastic zip bag and put in the freezer until the day you want to serve them. That way you can remove only the number of slices you will use at any one time. No need to freeze if you will be using the entire cake within 3 to 4 days. I know this will become one of your favorite recipes.

Chocolate Pound Cake

Ingredients:

1 (8-oz.) pkg. semisweet chocolate baking squares, chopped **

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

1/2 cup chocolate syrup

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup buttermilk

Powdered sugar (optional) for appearance

Sliced almonds (optional) for decoration

** You can substitute 2 (4.4 oz.) pkgs. Mexican chocolate, chopped. If so, omit the ground cinnamon.

Method:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Microwave chocolate baking squares in a microwave safe bowl at HIGH for 1 minute 15 seconds or until chocolate is melted and smooth, stirring at 15-second intervals.

Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric mixer for 2 minutes or until creamy (a stand mixer is best). Gradually add granulated sugar, beating 5-7 minutes longer or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Stir in melted chocolate, chocolate syrup, and vanilla and beat until smooth.

Combine flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt, and then add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan.

Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from the pan to the wire rack and let cool completely for about 1-1/2 hours. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Then, if desired garnish with sliced almonds.

Note: This is a very good dessert served with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, with or without additional chocolate syrup. Or, serving with a couple of large fresh strawberries on the side is another idea. Of course, the cake alone is a special treat. Enjoy!


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