I like a good plain pound cake, but I also like it when I can find a way to make it a little bit different or special. Chocolate pound cake is so simple and so good. This cake is excellent served at room temperature or heated for 15 seconds in the microwave and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

　　

Ingredients

serves 12

　　3 cups all-purpose flour

　　1/2 teaspoon baking powder

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　1/2 cup cocoa

　　1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature

　　1/2 cup vegetable shortening

　　3 cups sugar

　　5 large eggs, room temperature

　　1 cup milk

　　2 teaspoons vanilla extract

　　

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.

　　

Step 2

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa together 3 times. Set aside.

　　

Step 3

With an electric mixer, cream the butter, shortening, and sugar until fluffy.

　　

Step 4

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

　　

Step 5

Add the flour mixture and the milk alternately, beginning and ending with flour. Add the vanilla.

　　

Step 6

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the cake. It should come out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 30 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

　　Reprinted with permission from Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen: Recipes from My Family to Yours by Trisha Yearwood with Gwen Yearwood and Beth Yearwood Bernard. Copyright © 2008 by Trisha Yearwood. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Trisha Yearwood is a three-time Grammy-award winning country music star and the author of the bestselling cookbook Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen. She is married to megastar Garth Brooks.