Quick and Easy Chocolate Chip Pound Cake (No Sour Cream!)

This Chocolate Chip Pound Cake dessert is quick, easy, and made with simple baking basics you may already have! This chef-tested recipe is made without sour cream and makes a super moist and fluffy classic pound cake with rich and gooey chocolatey goodness in every bite! It’s perfect for bake sales, pot lucks, and celebrations!

As a trained pastry chef, I love modifying timeless recipes, and this take on classic pound cake is a great example! With these easy-to-follow instructions, you’ll bake a soft, rich, and buttery pound cake packed with your choice of chocolate chips.

A cake like this is called a pound cake because classically it has one pound each of flour, sugar, butter, and eggs. The classic recipe even dates back to the 1700’s!

Today were going with a *slightly* updated version.

This chocolate chip pound cake is delightful topped with powdered sugar and enjoyed for breakfast or an afternoon snack with coffee or tea, but it’s also perfect for special occasions. You can make it extra elegant with glazes, frostings, whipped cream, and more!

Also who doesn’t love a good chocolate chip dessert? From these incredible small batch chocolate chip cookies, to these chocolate chip cupcakes, or this super fluffy chocolate chip bundt cake, you just cant go wrong!

WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE THIS RECIPE

• The pound cake turns out perfectly light, fluffy, and satisfying without being too rich.
• There’s a touch of gooey chocolatey goodness in every bite.
• The cake is perfect garnished with a simple dusting of powdered sugar or topped with glazes and frostings.
• It’s perfect for every occasion: birthdays, showers, brunches, and more!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

• Butter – Softened, unsalted butter is a key. When I’m short on time, this is how I soften butter quickly.
• Sugar – Makes the cake decadent and delicious.
• Vegetable oil – Adds extra moisture creating an extra tender and fluffy crumb.
• Eggs – Eggs are essentially the glue that holds the batter together. They create a stable, sturdy cake while richening flavor.
• Flour – Acts as the structure, creating a cohesive cake that won’t fall apart.
• Baking powder & baking soda – These are the leavening agents that expand the batter in the oven. We’re using baking powder and soda to offset acidity and improve browning on the surface.
• Kosher salt – Salt also helps in the batter rising while making everything sweet taste even sweeter!
• Buttermilk – The acidity helps create an extra tender, pleasantly tangy cake.
• Vanilla – A small amount of quality vanilla extract heightens the sweet and creamy tastes. For a more intense vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean paste or scrape out the seeds from a vanilla bean.
• Mini chocolate chips – This wouldn’t be a chocolate chip pound cake without them! You can use milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate chips.
• Powdered sugar – To garnish and improve presentation.

Best loaf pan to use

I always use light colored pan when I bake. They distribute heat a lot more evenly than darker pans, which may over bake your dessert. For this recipe I use a standard size loaf pan that is 8 1/2″ X 4 1/2″ and spray it with baking spray so the cake releases easily.

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE CHIP POUND CAKE

Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a loaf pan generously with baking spray.

Cream butter with sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (you can also use a hand mixer), cream the butter and sugar on low-medium speed until light and fluffy.

Combine wet ingredients: Next, add the vegetable oil and mix to combine. Then, add one egg at a time, mixing on medium speed after you add each egg.

Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, stir the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.

Flavor buttermilk: Pour the buttermilk into a liquid measuring cup and mix with vanilla extract.

Make pound cake batter: Add a third of the flour mixture into the wet batter while mixing on medium speed. Then, mix in half of the buttermilk. Mix in another third of the flour mixture, followed by the last of the buttermilk. Finish with the remaining flour mixture.

Add chocolate chips: Toss them lightly in flour (this keeps them from sinking), then add them to the cake the batter and mix to combine.

Bake, cool & serve: Pour the batter into the loaf pan, and bake until it is set and the sides pull away from the pan (50-55 minutes). Let cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes, then turn the cake out and finish cooling on a wire rack. Dust with powdered sugar, and enjoy!

How to keep a pound cake from drying out

To keep a pound cake from drying out make sure to bake at the right temperature and do not over bake. Test the cake around the 50 minute mark with a long skewer inserted into the middle of the cake. It should be mostly clean with a slight crumb.

Also make sure to keep the cake in an airtight container so it retains it’s moisture.

TIPS FOR RECIPE SUCCESS

• Make sure all of the ingredients are at room temperature. If you add cold ingredients to the cake batter, it damages the density of the cake. Taking the chill off the refrigerated ingredients helps guarantee that your cakes bake evenly and rise correctly.
• Don’t over mix the pound cake batter. Mix only until combined, so you don’t end up with a tough cake.
• The color of your loaf pan makes a difference. Lighter loaf pans (like this one) distribute heat more evenly than dark pans.
• Pound cake is done when it’s fully set. To check for doneness, insert a toothpick in the center. It should come clean or with some moist crumb attached.
• As always, let your cake cool before decorating. It won’t make much of a difference if you garnish it with powdered sugar, but if you decide to dress it up with a glaze or frosting, they will slide right off if the cake is still warm.

STORAGE AND FREEZING

Storing: Extra chocolate chip pound cake is best wrapped in a snug layer of plastic and stored at room temperature for up to two days. It can also be kept in the fridge for up to a week. Be sure to wrap the cake tightly in plastic, or it will dry out quickly.

Freezing: If you’re planning to freeze this pound cake, hold off on toppings. Instead, wrap it in a tight layer of plastic and a layer of foil, then place it in a freezer-safe bag and freeze for up to two months—Thaw for a few hours on the counter before serving.

FAQ

What can I use instead of buttermilk in pound cake?

If you’re missing buttermilk, mix 1 cup of milk with one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar, and let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes before using it as a buttermilk substitution.

Can I bake this in a bundt pan instead?

Sure! Pour the chocolate chip cake batter into a 10-cup bundt pan, and bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes, or until the cake is set and the sides pull away from the pan.

WAYS TO ENJOY

Feel free to dress up your loaf of chocolate chip cake with one of these premium toppings:

• Make a simple glaze with confectioner’s sugar and milk to pour over the top.
• Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
• Coat with a layer of fluffy chocolate buttercream.
• Fold extra mini chocolate chips into classic vanilla frosting to frost your pound cake.

I love when you share my recipes!!