CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE POUND CAKE by Sarah Phillips © 2010 Sarah Phillips baking911.com
Makes one, 12-cup Tube or Bundt Cake or two 9 x 2-inch pans. Makes about 32 to 36 cupcakes; about 9 cups batter
Chocolate cupcake and photo by Kelly CA © Sarah Phillips baking911.com
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CYNDI65 SAYS: Yes, it is Sarah's Chocolate Cream Cheese Pound Cake and the texture is great! I love that pound cake recipe! It tastes awesome too. I use Hershey's Dark Chocolate cocoa, I think the flavor is so much more wonderful.
KELLY CA SAYS: ...the chocolate pound cake is phenomenal. Really moist and chocolaty.
CAKE RECIPE HELP
INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups unbleached or bleached all-purpose flour; spoon into measuring cup and level to rim
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch-process (Or Hershey's Special Dark) or Natural cocoa powder; See COCOA POWDER NOTE*
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking powder; See COCOA POWDER NOTE*
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1/2 pound) unsalted butter; can be cold from the refrigerator
One 8-ounce package cream cheese; I prefer Philadelphia Brand
1 cup white sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed or 1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large eggs, divided (not separated); can be cold from the refrigerator
KELLY CA SAYS: I divided the eggs into separate bowls ahead of time; putting four eggs in one bowl and two in another, just to keep things organized.
*COCOA POWDER NOTE
SARAH SAYS: If you use 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons Natural cocoa powder instead of Dutch-process, use 1/4 teaspoon baking soda instead of 1 teaspoon baking powder.
If you use Hershey's Special Dark, combine it with 1 teaspoon baking powder and NO baking soda.
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Grease and flour a 12-cup tube or Bundt pan. or two 9 x 2-inch cake pans.
2. In a medium size bowl, after measuring, sift together the flour, Dutch-process cocoa powder, baking powder, instant espresso powder, if using, and salt .Set aside.
Just push the lumps through the strainer with your fingers. This is why we sift! You don't want flour blobs to end up in your cake!
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until softened and add the 2 cups sugar (1 cup sugar and 1 cup dark brown sugar or 2 cups sugar) at the side of the bowl. 
It's always a good idea to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl so the butter and sugars will cream correctly.
Beat until light and fluffy on medium speed for about 2 minutes. 
4. Add in the cream cheese and beat until light and fluffy about 3 minutes more. 
Make sure you stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl often with a large rubber spatula.
SARAH SAYS: Doesn't this look delish so far?!
5. With the mixer on low, beat in the vanilla. 
And then, beat in four eggs, one at a time, beating for 20 seconds after each addition or until well incorporated and the batter is smooth.
Make sure you stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl often with a large rubber spatula.
6. With the mixer on low, beat in one-third of the flour mixture.
When absorbed, add in the fifth egg, and beat until smooth. 
Repeat with mixing in one-third of the flour and the sixth egg, with the mixer on low speed. 
Beat in the last one-third of the flour and mix until absorbed.
7. Stop the mixer and give the batter one or two turns with a large rubber spatula. 
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
8. If using a Bundt pan, bake for 65 to 75 minutes or until the cake is browned, cracked on top, and a long thin wooden skewer inserted in the middle emerges with a few moist crumbs attached but not batter.
When using two 9 x 2-inch pans, bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Cupcakes take about 20 - 30 minutes.
Cool the cake in the pan for about 10 minutes on a wire cake rack, and then unmold. Turn upright to cool completely.
STORAGE
Pound cakes keep well for a few days, well-wrapped at room temperature. They also freeze well for a month or more.
Cake and photo by Kelly CA © Sarah Phillips, baking911.com
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VARIATIONS
Vanilla, Lemon, Cherry, etc.
Petits fours!
Cake and photo by Kelly CA © Sarah Phillips baking911.com KellyCA: I used Sarah's chocolate cream cheese pound cake, for the (petits fours) cake and covered them in Simple Chocolate Ganache....they sure tasted delish.
I cut them in three layers and put raspberry jam in between the layers. I used a Flower mold for the decorations.
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