Retool the classic pound cake to make it ultra-chocolatey
We love pound cake and we love chocolate, but the combination is often a disappointment. That's because most recipes simply add chocolate to a standard pound cake recipe, which mars its finely tuned texture and usually produces lackluster chocolate flavor.
We wanted to retool classic pound cake to make it ultra-chocolatey without compromising its hallmark velvety-soft crumb. For deep chocolate flavor we used mostly Dutch-processed cocoa powder, which incorporated seamlessly into the batter; a couple of ounces of milk chocolate added richness without interfering with the cake's texture.
We bloomed both the cocoa and the bar chocolate in hot water to maximize their impact. For an accurate measurement of boiling water, bring a full kettle of water to a boil and then measure out the desired amount. The test kitchen's preferred loaf pan measures 8½-by-4½ inches; if you use a 9-by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness 5 minutes early.
• America's Test Kitchen provided this article to The Associated Press.