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Best Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake

This recipe makes a dark, moist, fine-crumbed chocolate cream cheese pound cake. It's so good, it needs no frosting or glaze! Make sure the cocoa is fully dissolved in the hot coffee, as that will enhance the chocolaty flavor.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 14 people
Calories 7829.7 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Fluted Tube Pan (Bundt Pan)
  • 1 Electric Mixer (Stand or Hand-held)
  • 3 Mixing Bowls (Large, Medium, Small)
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons

Ingredients
  

Main

  • cooking spray
  • 1 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
  • ½ cup hot coffee
  • ½ cup whole milk warmed
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 cups white sugar
  • 1 ½ cups butter softened
  • 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs at room temperature
  • 2 large egg yolks at room temperature

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a fluted tube pan (such as Bundt) with cooking spray.
  • Mix cocoa powder and hot coffee together in a bowl until cocoa is fully dissolved. Whisk in milk to thin and cool mixture.
  • Stir flour, salt, and baking powder together in a bowl.
  • Cream sugar, butter, and cream cheese in a bowl with an electric mixer until white and fluffy (like frosting), about 5 minutes. Mix in vanilla. Add eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, mixing completely after each addition. Mix in 1/2 of the flour mixture until incorporated. Stir in cocoa-milk mixture, then mix in remaining flour mixture until well blended. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into a few places comes out dry, 70 to 90 minutes.

Notes

Room temperature ingredients are crucial for a smooth emulsion and a fine crumb. Ensure your butter, cream cheese, and eggs are at the correct temperature for optimal mixing and cake structure. Thoroughly dissolving the cocoa powder in hot coffee is key to unlocking its full, deep chocolate flavor; don't rush this step. When adding the flour, mix only until just combined to avoid developing the gluten too much, which can result in a tough cake. For Bundt pans, after greasing with cooking spray, a light dusting of flour provides an extra layer of non-stick insurance, especially for intricate designs. Always allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely; this helps prevent crumbling.