This Chocolate Pound Cake recipe is the most decadent, moist and delicious chocolate cake EVER! When paired with a silky ganache glaze hinted with peppermint flavor, this will become your favorite recipe for the holiday season or all year round! If you love chocolate and peppermint flavors, definitely try this Peppermint Chocolate Pie, Peppermint Brownies, Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream, Chocolate Peppermint Cheesecake and Peppermint French Silk Pie.
Disclosure: I partnered with McCormick for this Ultimate Chocolate Pound Cake with Peppermint Ganache Glaze recipe post, but all opinions expressed here are my own. I am grateful for authentic partnerships like this.
The Most Decadent Chocolate Pound Cake!
Chocolate Pound Cake Recipe Ingredients
This cake gets its signature rich chocolate flavor and incredible moistness from the following ingredients:
- Semisweet Chocolate Chips
- Butter
- Cocoa Powder
- Instant Coffee
- Buttermilk
- Vanilla
Having both semisweet chocolate chips and cocoa powder in this recipe provides such a wonderful chocolate intensity that any chocolate lover would adore! The addition of instant coffee amps up that intensity even more. If you love all things mocha, you will truly appreciate this additional flavor.
I adore the flavor that butter gives to cakes. There is nothing like it! I try to add it whenever possible. Use the best butter you can because it truly makes a difference.
Finally the keys that make this cake super moist is buttermilk. I love using buttermilk in cake batters. It coats the crumb perfectly and adds that rich acid tang. I add vanilla as a classic ingredient as well. This cake can be baked all year round as a classic chocolate cake or you can add the peppermint glaze to make it special for the holiday season.
WHY MAKE THIS ULTIMATE CHOCOLATE POUND CAKE WITH PEPPERMINT GANACHE GLAZE?
This is truly the ultimate chocolate pound cake. With its layers of mouthwatering flavor in every single bite, you might find yourself humming after each fork full. The moistness is truly something special (not a dry crumb to be found in this chocolate pound cake!). It also gets a wonderful hint of additional flavor from McCormick pure vanilla extract. It shines through in every possible slice balancing all of the exquisite chocolate essence.
PEPPERMINT GANACHE GLAZE
If you want to just serve this cake on its own, you totally can because it is so perfect on its own. However since it’s the holiday season, a peppermint ganache glaze was totally necessary. It is glossy and perfectly delicious.
The addition of McCormick pure peppermint extract is what makes it so glorious. The peppermint essence shines through and pulls at every appetite string. Because of the quality of the flavor, a little goes a long way here so you don’t need to add too much to have a major impact on taste. This peppermint ganache glaze is truly remarkable.
- Want the best chocolate cake recipe that ever existed? This Chocolate Cake with a blackberry buttercream is decadent and insanely delicious.
- Love coconut and pecans? Try my German Chocolate Cake recipe!
- Want chocolate cake in cupcake form? These Perfect Chocolate Cupcakes are amazing!
- This Chocolate Birthday Cake is addictive!
- Love berries and chocolate like this recipe? Try my Raspberry Chocolate Cake!
If you want more pound cake recipes like my sour cream pound cake recipe or my lemon pound cake recipe or even my amazing 7 up pound cake or cream cheese pound cake, click HERE
Chocolate Pound Cake with Peppermint Ganache Glaze
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- ¼ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 ½ cups unsalted butter, room temperature 3 sticks
- 2 ¾ cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 2 ¼ cups sifted all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon instant coffee powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅓ cups buttermilk room temperature
- 1 tablespoon McCormick pure vanilla extract
For the Glaze:
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons corn syrup
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ⅛- ¼ teaspoon McCormick Pure Peppermint Extract
- Crushed holiday peppermint for garnish
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Liberally prepare a 12-cup Bundt pan with the nonstick method of your choice.
- Pour the chocolate chips into a medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating interval, until the chocolate is melted.
- In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter for 2 minutes on high speed. Slowly add the granulated sugar. Cream together for an additional 5 minutes, until very pale yellow and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, combining well after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Turn your mixer down to its lowest speed and slowly add the flour in 2 batches. Be careful not to overbeat. Add the cocoa powder, coffee powder, baking powder, and salt. Lastly, add the melted chocolate, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Make sure the chocolate cools slightly so as to not curdle the buttermilk. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and mix the batter until just combined. Be careful to not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 70 to 80 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Check frequently to ensure you do not overbake this cake.
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. Let cool to room temperature. Lightly cover the cake with foil or plastic wrap so it does not dry out.
For the Glaze:
- In a small saucepan, add heavy cream and corn syrup and heat over medium heat until hot.
- Remove from heat then stir in chocolate. Continue to whisk until smooth then add in peppermint extract and allow to cool and thicken.
- Drizzle over cooled cake and let set. Garnish with crushed peppermint candy and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
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Just had a slice still warm from the over. Sooo tender and flavorful. Don’t change a thing.
Would there be a problem if I used Sour Cream instead of Buttermilk? Can’t wait to try this recipe.
I had a reader do this and didn’t have any issues. Let me know how it turns out.
I am not a fan of peppermint, can I make the glaze with no peppermint or is there another good alternative for the glaze?
Absolutely! You can just use vanilla instead and omit the peppermint.
Why whisk attachment.
I personally prefer it because it adds more air to the batter but no need to use it if you would prefer another attachment.
How important is the coffee? We don’t drink coffee and I rather not buy a whole container of instant coffee for a 1/2 teaspoon if I don’t have to.
You can omit the coffee and it will still taste wonderful
If you wanted to make these in the mini bundt cake version, what would the bake time be?
I would start looking around 15-18 minutes to check on how they are baking.
Hi, is espresso powder the same as instant coffee powder? Must I have instant coffee powder?
You can definitely use espresso powder instead.