Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake is effortless, decadent and perfect for celebrations and special occasions.

Southern chocolate cream cheese pound cake brings chocolate and cream cheese together in a winning combination that is satisfying without a lot of effort.

chocolate cream cheese pound cake on a white plate, with a bite cut out with a fork

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There is a lot to be excited about when it comes to cake. But when cake brings chocolate and cream cheese together, I just might be over the moon.

Like my chocolate sour cream bundt cake, this chocolate pound cake recipe has an old-fashioned look and feel. It’s the type of cake you can imagine your grandmother serving on a Sunday afternoon.

Serve it plain, sprinkle it with powdered sugar, or top it with a melty scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s perfect no matter how you slice it.

While the taste of this cake says it all, I can’t glaze over just how easy it is to make this chocolate cream cheese pound cake.

Yes, it’s made from scratch, but the batter comes together in just a few minutes, and it won’t be long until you sink your teeth into a tender bite of chocolate and cream cheese goodness.

More Incredibly Decadent Chocolate Cake Recipes:

slice of chocolate pound cake made with cream cheese on a white plate next to a fork, with the remainder of the whole cake in the background

Can You Add Cream Cheese to Cake Batter? (And other baking tips.)

I love to use sour cream in baking. It adds incredible moisture and richness to cakes that is hard to beat.

But if you don’t have sour cream on hand, cream cheese can also lend a soft and velvety texture, like in this cream cheese pound cake loaf, cream cheese pound cake using a cake mix, and cranberry cream cheese bread.

Working with cream cheese takes a little bit of advanced planning. The key to success when baking chocolate pound cake made with cream cheese is to bring the ingredients to room temperature.

Set your butter, cream cheese and eggs on the counter 30-60 minutes before you plan to prepare the cake batter. The butter and cream cheese will mix up silky smooth for a lump-free cake that is moist and decadent.

Also, be sure to watch your baking time. This cake spends a long time in the oven, and overbaking can lead to a drier crumb. Pull it out of the oven as soon as the toothpick comes out clean.

a slice of chocolate pound cake on its side, with a bite cut out by a fork

How to Make Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake

It’s really easy to make this chocolate pound cake recipe.

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Unsalted butter
Cream cheese
Granulated sugar
Eggs
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Cocoa powder
Salt
Hot water
Optional: Powdered sugar

moist chocolate cream cheese pound cake with a slice removed from the cake

How to Make It:

(Full printable recipe is available below)

Cream the butter and sugar. First, you’ll mix the butter and cream cheese until well combined, then add the sugar and mix until creamy.

butter, cream cheese, and sugar mixed together in the bowl of a stand mixer

Add the eggs. Next, you’ll add the eggs one at a time until you have a smooth batter.

wet ingredients mixed in the bowl of a stand mixer

Whisk the dry ingredients. Next, you’ll whisk together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt in a separate bowl.

dry ingredients for chocolate pound cake whisked in a mixing bowl

Make the batter. Next, you’ll mix the dry ingredients into the wet.

Gradually add the hot water to the batter, continuing to mix at low speed until the batter no longer appears “gloopy.”

Then increase the speed to medium-high for two minutes.

thick batter for chocolate cream cheese pound cake in a mixing bowl

Pour and bake. Last, you’ll pour the batter into a prepared pan and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

cream cheese chocolate pound cake cake batter in a tube pan

Notes and Adaptations:

Cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes, then gently slide a knife along the edge to loosen from the pan. Carefully invert onto a serving plate and cool completely.
If desired, dust cooled cake with powdered sugar before serving, or add a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream to individual slices.
If you’d like a ganache to drizzle over this cake, you can use this recipe for a decadent topping!

cream cheese chocolate pound cake dusted with powdered sugar

Recommended Equipment:

Yield: 16 Servings

Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Tender, satisfying chocolate cream cheese pound cake is a delicious dessert--without a lot of effort!

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
8-oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
3 cups granulated sugar
5 eggs
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup hot water
Optional: Powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

Prepare a 10-inch tube pan by greasing and dusting with flour or cocoa powder (you can also use a baking spray, such as Baker's Joy). Preheat oven to 325F.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add butter and cream cheese. Mix on medium speed until combined.
Add sugar, mixing until creamy.
With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and salt.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the stand mixer. The batter will be stiff at this point.
Gradually add the hot water to the batter, continuing to mix on low speed, until batter no longer appears "gloopy." Then increase the speed to medium-high for two minutes.
Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes, then gently slide a knife along the edge to loosen from the pan. Carefully invert onto a serving plate and cool completely.
If desired, dust cooled cake with powdered sugar before serving, or add a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream to individual slices.

Notes

If you'd like a ganache to drizzle over this cake, you can use this recipe for a decadent topping!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 570Total Fat: 25gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 137mgSodium: 230mgCarbohydrates: 82gFiber: 2gSugar: 61gProtein: 7g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.