Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake is a rich, ultra-moist chocolate bundt cake topped with silky ganache - decadent, impressive, yet so easy to make. Serve it with a cuppa, whipped cream, or a scoop of ice cream for pure dessert bliss. 🍫☕
And if you're on a chocolate roll, try my Chocolate Mud Cake or Easy Chocolate Brownies - both guaranteed to keep your sweet tooth smiling!
This Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake is one of those "just a little slice" cakes that vanish before the kettle's boiled. The sour cream keeps it soft, rich, and moist for days, with a deep chocolate flavour that's indulgent but not too sweet.
Think of it as the lighter, bigger cousin to my Flourless Chocolate Cake - perfect for birthdays or afternoon tea.
Then there's the glossy chocolate ganache on top, because honestly, when has extra chocolate ever been a bad idea?
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Ultra-moist but holds its shape - thanks to the sour cream
- Deep chocolate flavour without being bitter or dry + luscious ganache on top!
- A massive cake is perfect for a crowd (or leftovers!).
- Flexible format - bake in a bundt pan, divide into loaf pans, or even mini bundts
- Stable to freeze & store - you'll love having slices on standby
Jump to:
Cake Ingredients
This sour cream pound cake recipe uses only pantry basics - plus a tub of sour cream.
- Cocoa powder - use a good quality unsweetened or Dutch-processed cocoa for a rich, dark chocolate flavour.
- Sour cream - use full-fat sour cream for maximum moisture and a rich, velvety texture.
- Hot water - "blooms" the cocoa to deepen the chocolate flavour and loosen the thick batter.
Variations
- Gluten-free option - replace the plain flour with a 1:1 gluten-free blend (ensure it has xanthan gum). You may want to reduce the water slightly (by ~10 ml) as some blends absorb more.
- Coffee-Chocolate Twist - Dissolve 1 teaspoon of instant espresso powder into the hot water for an extra cocoa lift.
- Swirl in Nutella or peanut butter - drop dollops into the batter and swirl gently with a knife for pockets of indulgence.
- Chocolate chips/chopped nuts - fold in approximately ½ cup of semi-sweet chips or hazelnuts for a different texture.
Need To Substitute An Ingredient?
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How To Make Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake
Making a sour cream chocolate pound cake recipe from scratch may sound difficult, but it is actually effortless!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
Step 1: Combine the dry ingredients - sift or whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, bicarb soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside. Grease and dust with cocoa (not flour) a very large bundt or tube tin (≥28 cm / 10″ inner diameter) and set aside.
Step 2: Cream butter and sugar - in a very large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy (this can take a few minutes).
Step 3: Add eggs - one at a time, beating lightly after each to incorporate.
Step 4: Add half the dry mixture, beat till smooth.
Step 5: Add ½ of the sour cream and beat again. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and sour cream.
Note: the mixture will be very thick at this stage.
Step 6: Add hot water - (this will loosen the batter), beat gently until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Step 7: Bake - pour the cake batter into the prepared tin. Bake for ~1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out with a few moist crumbs (don't wait for it to be completely dry).
Rest in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack and cool completely.
Step 8: Make the ganache - heat the cream until it simmers (either in the microwave or on the stovetop), then pour it over the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and then stir until it's glossy and smooth. If too runny, chill briefly until spreadable, then drizzle or spread over cooled cake.
Recipe Tips
- Room-temperature ingredients are key - butter, eggs, and sour cream all need to be at the same temperature so they blend easily.
- Use good cocoa - a dark, Dutch-processed, or extra-rich cocoa will make a difference in the depth of flavour and give the cake a rich chocolate flavor.
- Pan size matters - this is a BIG cake. You will need an extra-large bundt tin/tube tin - 28cm/10". The bundt tin has a hole in the centre to allow the cake to cook evenly - without this, the centre will remain uncooked while the edges overbake.
- Check doneness early - oven temperatures vary. Start checking at 1h 10mins.
- Cool thoroughly before icing - a warm cake won't 'hold' the ganache, it will melt and run off the sides of the cake.
- Storage - best in the first day or two, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Freezing - wrap slices or the whole un-iced cake tightly (plastic wrap + foil) and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw the wrapped cake overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature before adding ganache.
Chocolate Pound Cake FAQs
Yes! Sour cream adds richness and moisture without thinning the batter, creating a moist chocolate pound cake with a beautifully soft, tender crumb. Its gentle acidity also helps relax the gluten, keeping the cake light rather than dense.
Yes - full-fat Greek yogurt is the closest substitute. Avoid low-fat or watery ones, or reduce other liquids slightly.
Absolutely! If you don't have a bundt tin, you can divide the mixture between two regular cake tins or loaf tins and reduce baking time - start checking at 1hr.
Alternatively, make your own bundt by placing a small oven-safe ramekin or empty (label-free) tin in the centre of a large (28cm/10") round cake pan. Grease every surface well, dust lightly with cocoa powder, shaking out any excess, then pour your batter around the makeshift "tube" carefully.
It'll bake into that classic ring shape - just without the fancy ridges!
Not necessarily - this cake is lovely plain, dusted with cocoa or powdered sugar. The ganache is optional for extra decadence.
No, unfortunately, this chocolate sour cream cake cannot be made in a Thermomix due to the large quantities of ingredients used.
More Chocolate Cake Recipes
There's something special about baking a luscious chocolate cake to share. Here are some more of my favourite chocolate cake recipes:
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Chocolate Sour Cream Pound Cake
Ingredients
For the pound cake
- 360 g (1 ⅓ cups) plain flour all purpose flour
- 50 g (½ cup) cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon bi-carbonate of soda baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 225 g (1 ½ cups) butter
- 600 g (3 cups) caster sugar
- 5 eggs room temperature
- 250 g (1 cup) sour cream
- 185 ml (¾ cup) hot water
For the ganache
- 250 g dark chocolate
- 240 g (1 cup) thickened cream
Instructions
- Grease and dust with cocoa powder a very large bunt tin (at least 28cm or 10 inches wide) and set aside. Preheat oven to 160 degrees celsius (fan-forced).
- Sift the plain flour, cocoa powder, bi-carbonate of soda and salt into a large bowl. Stir to combine.
- In a separate very large mixing bowl, beat the butter and caster sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.
- Slowly add ½ of the dry ingredients and beat until smooth and creamy.Add ½ of the sour cream and beat again. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients and sour cream. Note: the mixture will be very thick at this stage.
- Add the hot water and continue beating until smooth and combined.
- Pour mixture into the prepared bundt tin and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few crumbs on it. Set aside to cool before turning out onto a wire rack.
- To make the ganache, break the chocolate into pieces in a small bowl and set aside. In a microwave-safe bowl, heat the cream on HIGH for 1 minute or until slightly simmering.Note: alternatively you can heat the cream in a saucepan over the stovetop.
- Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Stir continuously until the chocolate has melted and the ganache is smooth.
- Allow the ganache to chill in the fridge until slightly thickened (if needed) before spreading over the top of the cooled cake.
Notes
- Room-temperature ingredients are key - butter, eggs, sour cream all need to be in sync so they blend easily.
- Use good cocoa - a dark dutch-processed or extra-rich cocoa will make a difference in depth of flavour.
- Pan size matters - this makes a large cake. You will need an extra large bundt tin/tube tin - ensure it is at least 28cm or 10 inches wide.
- If you don't have a bundt tin, divide the mixture between two regular cake tins or loaf tins, and reduce baking time - start checking at 1 hr.
- Check doneness early - oven temperatures vary. Start checking at 1h 10mins.
- Cool fully before icing - a warm cake won't 'hold' the ganache, it will melt and run off the sides of the cake.
- Storage - best in the first day or two, but can be stored in an airtight container at room temp for 3-4 days.
- Freezing - wrap slices or the whole un-iced cake tightly (plastic + foil) and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge, then bring to room temp before adding ganache and serving.
- This recipe is not suitable for a Thermomix machine due to the large quantities of ingredients used!
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