Decadent Chocolate Pound Cake

What I love about this Decadent Chocolate Pound Cake…

The intense chocolate flavor

pillowy (I’m sure this is a word) cake

The sugar crust around the edge. What can I say, It’s like saving the muffin top for last. So good!

Just the right amount of denseness.

Makes two full loaves.

 Ingredients:

• Unsalted butter, at room temperature (but still firm), to brush pan
• 1/4 cup sugar, to line pan
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup, plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened  Dutch process cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 3/4 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons espresso extract (or substitute 2 teaspoons instant coffee dissolved in 1 tablespoon buttermilk)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

1. Brush two loaf pans with the room-temperature (but still firm) unsalted butter.
2. Pour 1/4 cup sugar into each pan, swirling the sugar in the pan so that bottom and sides are covered well. Turn the pans upside down to remove any excess sugar and set aside.
3. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. Into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle, cream the butter on medium speed. Add the sugar and vanilla, beat until the mixture is light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula.
5. Beating at medium speed, add the eggs, one by one, beating only until they are well blended.
6. Add the espresso powder to the buttermilk; stir to combine and add the rest of the buttermilk.
7. Beating on low speed, add a third of the flour mixture and a third of the buttermilk. Do this twice more with the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula in between.
8. Finally, beat the batter on medium speed for 30 seconds, until it is smooth.
   Pour the batter into the prepared pans. Bake  for 55 to 65 minutes, until the tops feel springy and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
9. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. Slide a thin knife along sides to loosen, gently tilting knife at corners to loosen edges. Then turn it out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.