Chocolate Pound Cake

 

I've just realized how scarce my posting were for the last few months and I promised I will get better at it. The truth is, being back in Singapore had made me lazy and I've been whipping up same old stuff as before, and the other reason is (now that it's out in the open), we are expecting a lil one end January next year :) This probably means all the postings I will be doing up will be things related to any cravings and this is the very first one after I came back from Singapore. And the darn thing about cravings is that, you never yearn for it until you are in a place that you can't get it - Sara Lee Chocolate Pound Cake! (And no, they don't have it in Sweden). I'm not a real fan of chocolate but this cold pound cake is just so dense and chocolatey, in the way I like that when I couldn't really find any recipe for it, I turn to my favorite baking site, Joy of Baking for it. However, although it was nice, it's still not as good as Sara Lee, so if any of you out there has one similar to Sara Lee, send me the recipe!

Ingredients
25 g unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder
3 tablespoons boiling water
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
100 g sifted plain flour plus 25g corn starch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
175 g granulated white sugar
185 g unsalted butter, softened and cut into pieces

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 177 degrees C. Butter a loaf pan or a round cake pan (I loaned mine to my brother-in-law at that point of time). Line the bottom of the pan with baking paper.
2. In a medium bowl mix the cocoa powder into the boiling water until smooth. Let cool to room temperature and then whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract. 
3. In the bowl of your electric mixer combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar) and mix on low speed for about 30 seconds or until blended. 
4. Add the butter and half of the chocolate/egg mixture. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat for about one minute to aerate and develop the cake's structure.
   
   
   
5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Gradually add the remaining egg mixture, in 2 additions, beating about 30 seconds after each addition to incorporate the egg and strengthen the cake's structure.
   
   
   
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover loosely with a piece of lightly buttered aluminum foil after about 25 minutes to prevent overbrowning.
   
   
   
7. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan, re-invert, and cool completely on a lightly buttered wire rack. Decorate with some chocolate shavings if desire.