As you all know, I tend to shy from hyperbole when it comes to making claims about any recipe we share here being the "best" of it's kind. I figure there's always room for improvement, plus who's to say that a recipe I might consider to be the "best" would even place in your top 10. Personal taste in food (or anything else for that matter) is by definition a very subjective thing, my fave is not likely to be your fave and that's just as it should be.
That said, the folks at Bon Appetit magazine claim that this is the "ultimate" chocolate pound cake, and whether you believe it or not, I'm here to tell you it's the best I've ever had and far superior to any other I've made. There is something magical in the combination of cocoa, buttermilk and coconut oil in this cake that puts this loaf head and shoulders above any other I've tried. Not too sweet dark chocolate goodness with underlying notes of coconut and a crumb that is moist and super fine. Rich and tender under the skin but with a blast of sweet crunch on top from a sprinkling of sugar and large flaked coconut, I can't think of anything I'd change about this beauty (except to perhaps make it totally calorie free).
Aside from the coconut oil – buttermilk combo, they key to making this sweet a success lies in the long mixing time before adding the dry ingredients. You could make this with hand-held electric beaters, but it will be oh so much easier to make in a standing mixer. The tight, moist crumb is the product of a lengthy creaming time, and an additional 7-8 minutes of mixing once the eggs have been added. Don't skimp on the time-line here or you'll end up with a very different cake in the end.
Go make this and let me know what you think….is this the ultimate chocolate pound cake (in your opinion), or not?
Cheers – Steve
Chocolate- Coconut Pound Cake
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus more for the pan, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Heat oven to 325℉. Butter and 8 x 4" loaf pan; line with parchment paper, leaving a generous overhang on all sides.
- Sift flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder into a medium bowl; set aside.
- Using a stand mixer on medium-high speed and the paddle attachment, beat oil, butter, and 1 1/2 cups sugar until pale and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions, and scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat until the mixture is very light and doubled in volume, 5-8 minutes. Add vanilla.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients (do not over-mix, it will cause the cake to buckle and split). Scrape batter into the prepared pan and run a spatula through the center, creating a canal. Sprinkle top with 1 tablespoon sugar and flaked coconut.
- Bake cake, tenting with foil if coconut browns too much before the cake is done (it should be very dark and toasted. but not burnt), until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean 70-80 minutes. Transfer pan to a cooling rack; let cake cool in pan 20 minutes before turning out.