This Chocolate Chip Pound Cake is moist and tender with gooey and sweet chocolate chips scattered throughout, baked until golden and crispy on the top in a sweet bread loaf pan.
Easily slice your desired portions from this moist chocolate chip bread and enjoy with whipped cream, ice cream, or make a cream cheese frosting similar to my pumpkin bread!
Jump To
- Favorite Loaf Pan Recipes
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- What is the secret to a good pound cake?
- 🛒Ingredients
- ⏲️ Recommended Equipment
- What does Sour Cream do for a Pound Cake?
- 🥣Instructions
- Texture and Flavor
- Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake Popular Substitutions
- Recipe Troubleshoot
- 📋Tips
- Storage Instructions
- 👪Serving Suggestions
- Variations
- 🤷Frequently Asked Questions
- More Chocolate Chip Recipes
- 📖Recipe
Favorite Loaf Pan Recipes
We love good quick bread or muffins for breakfast! Try these recipes next!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Delicious cookie dough flavor - just like my chocolate chip bars, enjoy the delightful taste of a giant cookie dough cake in every bite.
- Simple ingredients and easy recipe - Made with basic ingredients and featuring a straightforward recipe, anyone can whip up this cake effortlessly.
- Minimal equipment required - With just an electric mixer or a whisk, you can create this delectable treat with minimum effort.
- Perfect for sharing - Whether you're headed to a picnic or a potluck party, this cake is easy to bring along and is perfect for a crowd!
What is the secret to a good pound cake?
To make a delicious pound cake with great texture, always measure the ingredients accurately, allow certain ingredients to reach room temperature, add enough moisture, avoid overmixing the batter, and bake the pound cake at a lower temperature.
🛒Ingredients
- All-purpose flour - I don’t recommend using cake flour as it tends to be too light. While gluten-free flour could be an option, I haven’t tested it for this moist chocolate chip banana bread.
- Baking powder - Provides the right amount of lift to the cake. Check the expiry date to ensure the pound cake loaf rises well.
- Salt - Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor of the cake. I like to use kosher salt or sea salt over table salt, as these give the most natural flavor to any baked goods.
- Unsalted butter - Softened to room temperature. I recommend using unsalted butter to control the salt amount in the cake. You can still use salted butter, but adjust the amount of added salt accordingly.
- Oil - Canola, olive oil or other vegetable oil is suitable.
- Granulated sugar - Light brown sugar could be used as well. Sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the cake.
- Large eggs - Provide leavening, structure, richness, color, and flavor to the cake. Remember to bring them to room temperature before use.
- Pure vanilla extract - Use pure vanilla and not the artificial kind. Real vanilla extract adds depth of flavor to this loaf cake. I prefer vanilla as it gives the cake its perfect ‘’bakery-style’’ flavor. If you don’t have it, it is fine but for best results, I still recommend using some sort of extract such as almond or rum.
- Sour cream - The secret ingredient for a rich and moist pound cake! The sour cream adds moisture and flavor to this chocolate chip bread with a tender crumb. Buttermilk can be used instead.
- Chocolate chips - Semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate, or dark chocolate chips can be used in this moist cake. Mini chips are perfect here as they spread more evenly in the wet ingredients.
For the full list of ingredients, please scroll down to where you'll find the recipe card.
⏲️ Recommended Equipment
What does Sour Cream do for a Pound Cake?
Sour cream is the secret to this Pound Cake! It adds moisture without thinning the batter, keeping the chocolate chips evenly distributed.
The acidity of sour cream softens gluten strands, resulting in a tender cake, while its fat content adds richness and a velvety texture. A perfect combo for a delicious pound cake!
🥣Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F/180°C and grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, chocolate chips, and salt. Set it aside.
Note: You can also whisk the ingredients with a hand whisk instead of using an electric mixer for a lighter texture. Mix the ingredients until just combined.
In a separate medium or large bowl, use a mixer with the paddle attachment to beat butter, oil, and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla extract, beating until combined. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with sour cream in 2 parts, starting and ending with the flour.
Mix in chocolate chips. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil.
Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
Texture and Flavor
Flavor - Indulge in the irresistible blend of butter and chocolate with every bite of this chocolate chip loaf cake. Thanks to mini chocolate chips you'll feel lots of chocolate in every bite.
Texture - This cake boasts a super moist buttery texture, expertly downsized to fit a loaf pan. It's a lighter version of a classic butter cake, achieved by reducing the eggs and butter while adding milk to create a delightfully airy batter.
For the best experience, slice it while slightly warm, allowing the chocolate chips to melt and create a heavenly sensation!
Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake Popular Substitutions
Eggs: I haven’t tried any substitutions for this particular recipe but for vegan egg replacement you could try the basic recipe for 1 flax seed egg per regular egg. For 1 egg replacement: combine 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal and 3 tablespoons water; let gel for 5 minutes and mix in the batter.
Sour cream: - thick full-fat Greek yogurt, buttermilk, or full-fat plain yogurt (flavored would work too, such as vanilla yogurt) can be used as a substitute for sour cream.
Gluten free: To make this pound cake gluten-free, use a good 1:1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill with xanthan gum.
Baking powder: - This acts as leavener in this recipe. You can substitute with ¼ tsp baking soda.
Recipe Troubleshoot
What do I do if my pound cake is browning too much?
In most cases, this recipe works perfectly fine without a cover. However, if you notice the edges starting to brown too quickly while it's baking, you can easily prevent burning by covering the cake with tinfoil.
What makes a pound cake too dry?
There are a few factors that can make chocolate chip pound cake dry:
- First, don’t overbake the chocolate chip bread. Stick to the recipe cooking time and check on the cake before the end of the cooking time if you suspect that your oven runs hotter than most.
- Always measure your ingredients accurately when baking! More dry ingredients added to the cake batter will result in a dry chocolate chip pound cake.
- I’ve used sour cream in this moist chocolate chip loaf, which provides good moisture and flavor. You could use buttermilk instead, but I don’t recommend regular milk as the reduced fat content may result in a dry cake.
📋Tips
- Powdered Sugar Topping - Dusting the chocolate chip loaf cake with powdered sugar is a lovely optional topping. Only add this once the cake has cooled slightly, or the powdered sugar will just melt into the cake. A rich chocolate glaze is another delicious option.
- Optional step - Coating the chocolate chips in flour can help prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf pan, much like you’d do to blueberries when making blueberry bread.
- Prep the pan - Grease the loaf pan with butter and flour to prevent the pound cake batter from sticking. Another option would be to line the loaf pan with parchment paper, allowing extra length for overhang on either side. Once the chocolate chip bread has baked and coles, it’s easy to remove it by pulling up the pieces overhang.
- Let the chocolate chip pound cake cool for a few minutes in the loaf pan before transferring it to a wire rack. This helps prevent the cake from keeping its shape and will be easier to remove too. Don’t forget to remove the cake from the loaf, as it will continue cooking.
- Cover the loaf with aluminum foil if the top of the chocolate chip bread browns too quickly.
- Baking Time - Every oven is different. I recommend using an oven thermometer to check your oven temperature for accuracy. Keep a close eye on the cake while baking as oven times may vary.
- How to know when the cake is ready? Do a toothpick test: Use a toothpick to check for doneness; it should come out clean with no crumbs.
- Room Temperature Ingredients - Bring cold ingredients to room temperature for even mixing, resulting in a moist and well-blended cake.
- Gentle Mixing - Avoid overmixing the batter, use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix dry ingredients by hand until just combined.
- Delicious variations - Experiment with add-ons like cinnamon or orange zest in the batter. Top it off with confectioners' sugar or an easy chocolate glaze.
Storage Instructions
- 🍱To Store. To keep the pound cake fresh, it can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. You have two options: either seal it in an airtight container or individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap to prevent it from going stale. Avoid refrigerating the cake, as it can actually go stale faster in the fridge.
- 🥶Freezing. For convenience and future enjoyment, you can make this pound cake ahead and freeze it for up to 3 months. Before freezing, ensure the cake is well protected from freezer burn by tightly wrapping it first in plastic wrap and then in tin foil. This way, it will retain its delicious flavor and texture until you're ready to indulge.
👪Serving Suggestions
Once the cake is cool enough to remove from the pan, we like to cut it into slices and enjoy it warm with butter, peanut butter, or favorite preserves: this strawberry jam or banana berry jam.
But you can also add some frosting or icing to this cake. Here are some tasty ideas to try:
What to Serve with Chocolate Chip Pound Cake
- Easy Whipped Cream - homemade is best!
- Vanilla Bean Ice Cream
- Cream Cheese Frosting - similar to my Pumpkin Bread
- Chocolate Ganache frosting
- Chocolate Frosting
- Hot Fudge Sauce or Caramel Sauce
- Simple confectioners sugar icing + fresh blueberries or strawberries on top. Or make an easy strawberry glaze from my strawberry banana bread recipe.
- You can also mix in some citrussy notes by adding lemon, orange or lime zest to the icing. Have you tried my Lemon Bread or Coconut Lime Cake yet?
Variations
What variations can I make to this recipe?
- Mini chocolate chips can be used instead of regular chocolate chips. The smaller size spreads more throughout the batter.
- Add some warming spices like a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg to the cake batter for extra flavor!
- Milk chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate chips, or dark chocolate chips can be added to this chocolate chip pound cake.
- Add a chocolate ganache to the top of the baked chocolate chip bread, dust the cake with powdered sugar, or top it with a cream cheese frosting.
- Buttermilk can be used instead of sour cream.
- Add mashed banana to this recipe for moist chocolate chip banana bread.
- A yellow cake mix could be used in this chocolate chip cake recipe.
- Bake this buttery pound cake in a tube pan.
- Double this recipe if you have two cake pans.
🤷Frequently Asked Questions
Store the chocolate pound cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 - 5 days.
Use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients and avoid over-measuring flour. For flour, it is best to use spoon and level method.
Mix the batter until just combined to prevent a dense texture.
Keep an eye on the cake to avoid over-baking and ending up with a dry cake.
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📖Recipe
Super Moist Chocolate Chip Pound Cake Loaf (With Sour Cream)
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¼ cup canola, or vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup sour cream, or buttermilk or thick greek yogurt
- ¾ cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, chocolate chips, and salt. Set it aside.
- Note: You can also whisk the ingredients with a hand whisk instead of using an electric mixer for a lighter texture. Mix the ingredients until just combined.
- In a separate medium or large bowl, use a mixer with the paddle attachment to beat butter, oil, and sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract, beating until combined. On low speed, beat in the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with sour cream in 2 parts, starting and ending with the flour. Mix in chocolate chips. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, loosely cover the pan with aluminum foil.
- Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
- To Store. To keep the pound cake fresh, it can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. You have two options: either seal it in an airtight container or individually wrap each slice in plastic wrap to prevent it from going stale. Avoid refrigerating the cake, as it can actually go stale faster in the fridge.
- Freezing. For convenience and future enjoyment, you can make this pound cake ahead and freeze it for up to 3 months. Before freezing, ensure the cake is well protected from freezer burn by tightly wrapping it first in plastic wrap and then in tin foil. This way, it will retain its delicious flavor and texture until you're ready to indulge.
- What do I do if my pound cake is browning too much? In most cases, this recipe works perfectly fine without a cover. However, if you notice the edges starting to brown too quickly while it's baking, you can easily prevent burning by covering the cake with tinfoil.
- What makes a pound cake too dry?
- First, don’t overbake the chocolate chip bread. Stick to the recipe cooking time and check on the cake before the end of the cooking time if you suspect that your oven runs hotter than most.
- Always measure your ingredients accurately when baking! More dry ingredients added to the cake batter will result in a dry chocolate chip pound cake.
- I’ve used sour cream in this moist chocolate chip loaf, which provides good moisture and flavor. You could use buttermilk instead, but I don’t recommend regular milk as the reduced fat content may result in a dry cake.
This recipe has been adapted from Pretty Simple Sweet
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