Chocolate Pound Cake with Mocha Glaze

  • Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

Cake
1/2cup vegetable shortening
3cups granulated sugar
1/2pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
5large eggs
3cups all-purpose flour
1/2teaspoon baking powder
1/2teaspoon salt
6tablespoons cocoa powder
1cup whole milk
1teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze
1/3cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1tablespoon cocoa powder
1teaspoon vanilla extract
3tablespoons hot coffee

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 325F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube or bundt cake pan. In a large bowl beat the shortening, granulated sugar, and butter until light and fluffy. Fold in the eggs one at a time. In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Alternately fold in the dry ingredients and the milk with the butter mixture until smooth. Stir in the vanilla and mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  2. While the cake is baking, make the glaze. In a medium bowl combine the butter, confectioners’ sugar, and cocoa powder. Add the vanilla and mix. Gradually add the coffee and combine. For a thicker icing, use 1 to 2 tablespoons of coffee.
  3. Allow the cake to cool for about 30 minutes. Run a sharp knife around the edges of the pan to loosen the cake, and invert the cake onto a plate. Drizzle the glaze over the cake while both are still warm

Recipe reprinted with permission from Chris Chamberlain’s The Southern Foodie: 100 Places to Eat in the South  (Thomas Nelson, 2012)