This recipe is ideal for many reasons. First it’s a chocolate cake with a chocolate glaze. Not much beats that (particularly in my family). Second the recipe makes two cakes which is perfect for me as I can serve one fresh and put the second in the freezer for a future occasion.
If it’s possible I think I improved upon Giada’s original recipe. One of the few things I baked as a child was a chocolate layer cake with chocolate frosting (from a box) with raspberry preserves between the layers. It was my mom’s favorite birthday cake. I decided to try some preserves with one of these cakes. I cut one cake into two layers and topped the bottom layer with raspberry preserves and some of the chocolate sauce. Then I put the top layer on and poured the sauce all over the cake. Considering we all went back for seconds and there wasn’t even a crumb left, I’d say it was a success.
| Chocolate Pound Cake | Print |
- 5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1 cup water
- ⅓ cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
- 2-1/4 cups sugar
- 1 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ⅔ cup heavy whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Optional: 2 to 3 tablespoons raspberry preserves
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 325°F. Grease and flour two 9x5-inch loaf pans.
- Fill a small sauce pan with two inches of water and bring water to a simmer. In a small heat-proof bowl set over the saucepan, combine unsweetened chocolate and water. Place over medium-low heat and stir constantly until the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool for 2 minutes, then whisk in the mascarpone until mixture is smooth.
- Using a mixer, beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl for 30 seconds.
- Stir in the chocolate-mascarpone mixture.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder and chocolate chips in a medium bowl, then add to chocolate-mascarpone mixture. Stir until just blended.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared pans and bake 60 to 70 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center of each loaf comes out with no crumbs attached.
- Cool in pans 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- For sauce, place chocolate chips in a small heat-proof bowl.
- In a small saucepan, combine heavy cream and vanilla and heat on medium-low until small bubbles appear at the edges of the pan.
- Pour the hot cream mixture over the chocolate chips.
- Stir with a fork until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth.
- Drizzle chocolate sauce over the top of the cake and down the sides.
- Cool in refrigerator for 30 minutes or until chocolate sets.
- Serve at room temperature.
* You can also cut cake into bite-sized pieces and dip into chocolate sauce.
* To dress it up a bit, cut the cake into two layers using a serrated knife. Spread the first layer with raspberry preserves followed by a layer of chocolate sauce. Top with second layer and pour chocolate glaze all over the cake.
* To freeze the cakes (with glaze or without), wrap them well in plastic wrap and in aluminum foil.
Source: Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis’ Giada’s Kitchen: New Italian Favorites (2008)
What in earth could possibly be wrong with that much chocolate combined with butter? I love your addition of the jam. My mother used to make a tort using a vanilla pound cake and then alternating raspberry jam and chocolate between the layers, then icing the entire thing. This goes one step further with all that chocolate! ~ David