Chocolate Streusel Poundcake

By Melissa Clark

Updated Feb. 17, 2023

Chocolate Streusel Poundcake
Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Total Time
2 hours, plus cooling
Rating
5(975)
Comments
Read comments

In this stunning dessert, a moist and soft chocolate poundcake is topped on two sides — bottom and top — with crunchy, slightly salty streusel flecked with chocolate chips. The combination of cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate gives this cake a particularly rich flavor. You can make it up to 3 days ahead. Store it at room temperature, well wrapped in foil. Then serve it topped with ice cream or whipped cream and fresh berries, or toasted and buttered, or plain as it is. It also freezes well for up to 3 months.

More romantic recipes, from dinner for two to chocolate for all, can be found here.

Featured in: The Bittersweet Kiss of Chocolate

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

    For the Streusel

    • ½cup/60 grams all-purpose flour
    • 3tablespoons/45 grams granulated sugar
    • 1½tablespoons/11 grams cocoa powder
    • ½teaspoon/4 grams kosher salt
    • 4½tablespoons/64 grams cold unsalted butter, cubed
    • ⅓cup/60 grams semisweet chocolate chips

    For the Poundcake

    • 3ounces/85 grams extra-bittersweet chocolate (70 percent), chopped
    • 1⅓cups/185 grams all-purpose flour
    • ¾cup/89 grams Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
    • ½teaspoon/2 grams baking powder
    • ¼teaspoon/2 grams baking soda
    • ½cup/113 grams unsalted butter, melted
    • 1cup/200 grams granulated sugar
    • ½cup/100 grams dark brown sugar
    • ½teaspoon/4 grams kosher salt
    • 1large egg, at room temperature
    • 2teaspoons/10 milliliters vanilla extract
    • ½cup/120 milliliters plain Greek yogurt
    • ½cup/120 milliliters whole milk
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (10 servings)

471 calories; 22 grams fat; 13 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 69 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 44 grams sugars; 7 grams protein; 313 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan, then line with parchment paper, leaving enough to hang over the edges of the pan. Grease the parchment on the bottom of the loaf pan.

  2. Step 2

    In a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave, melt the chocolate for the cake, stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool while you prepare the streusel.

  3. Step 3

    Prepare the streusel: In a bowl, stir together flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Using fingers or a fork, cut in the butter until it is evenly distributed and forms large, moist crumbs. Stir in the chocolate chips.

  4. Step 4

    Scatter half the streusel evenly into the bottom of the loaf pan. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until baked through.

  5. Step 5

    Prepare the cake: In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda.

  6. Step 6

    In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat melted butter, both sugars and salt together until combined. Beat in egg, vanilla extract, yogurt, milk and melted chocolate. Fold in dry ingredients until just combined.

  7. Step 7

    Scrape batter into prepared pan and top with remaining streusel. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake emerges clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and cool completely before turning out and slicing.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

5 out of 5
975 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Ronnie

This is a technical question for the NYT: When a recipe shows two measurement standards, can there be an option to save it in your preferred format? Easier to work from that way.

Catherine

Made it twice, the second time substituting 1/2 of the flour in the poundcake with cake flour & found the crumb to be nicer. Next time, I'll try it with all cake flour. It was a big hit with our guests this weekend!

KathZ

Made this twice and loved it. I didn't find the streusel on the bottom added anything (other than extra work/time), so I halved the streusel ingredients the second time and eliminated the bottom portion. Comments about the cake being dry surprise me, as I found one of its best characteristics was moistness, even days after baking. Maybe my storing in a plastic bag enhances this property?

MiJo

Didn't have yogurt on hand nor whole milk, so I used sour cream and part skim milk. Turned out amazing and not dry at all. I do agree that streusel on the bottom doesn't do anything for me - I'll skip that part and only use half of the Streusel for the top next time.

Jay

I added two eggs instead of one and doubled the yogurt to add moisture, as many comments mentioned this cake is dry. Unfortunately, even with those adjustments, it still turned out quite dry and really needs a simple syrup to be palatable. The streusel is the best part—I halved the amount and only used it on top (putting it on the bottom seemed unnecessary). Overall, I don’t recommend this recipe and won't be making it again

joan

I think it would be helpful to have what the temperature of the finished cake should be.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.