Iced Chocolate Pound Cake

Pound cake is perfection. Chocolate pound cake is even more of a delight. A recipe from my father has evolved over the years to this final look. He would use a fork to drizzle the icing, using multiple darkness levels of cocoa powder to create a layered icing effect. I prefer a single thick glaze topped with chocolate sprinkles.

This cake should rise a couple of inches above the pan when finished. Another tip, do not wait until the cake is completely cooled before turning it out. When you can touch the pan without pot holders then flip it out onto a cooling rack.

Ingredients

• 1 cup Crisco (1 pre-packaged stick)

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 cup cocoa

• 3 cups sugar

• 3 cups flour

• 1 cup milk

• 5 eggs

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees 

2. Spray bundt pan and coat with thin layer of flour, shaking out excess

3. Sift baking powder, flour and salt in a separate bowl, set aside

4. Sift sugar and cocoa together, add to mixer

5. Add Crisco and butter, cream together

6. Add eggs one at a time to mixer

7. Add vanilla

8. Add milk and flour alternately until gone

9. Cook for 1 hour 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean or with very few crumbs

10. Let cool for 10 minutes before turning out

11. Cool on rack thoroughly before adding icing

Icing

• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted

• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder

• 2 tablespoons hot water

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1 splash vanilla 

  Mix all ingredients thoroughly, add to piping bag, drizzle over cake