Here’s my favorite chocolate chip pound cake! Halfway between a pound cake and a cookie dough, it has a rich and buttery texture, and is deliciously loaded with mini chocolate chips that spread evenly in the cake. Your perfect coffee cake is just at reach, grab the recipe now!

Halfway between a pound cake and a cookie dough, this chocolate chip pound cake is rich, buttery and tasty.

I’ve long searched for a perfect chocolate chip pound cake recipe. I have these vivid memories of an amazing cookie dough like pound cake recipe I used to make for my friends as a kid. Many years later, I baked one for Easter that remained engraved to my mind ever since. This was long before I started Del’s cooking twist, and I’ve always wanted to recreate and share this perfect chocolate chip loaf with you. After many trials and adjustments, I’m happy to announce the perfect chocolate chip pound cake recipe is here. Bonus: the recipe is super simple!

Halfway between a pound cake and a cookie dough, this chocolate chip pound cake is rich, buttery and tasty.

Let me describe this chocolate chip pound cake in a few words. Halfway between a pound cake and a baked cookie dough, with a rich and buttery texture, it has subtle nutty flavors brought by the turbinado sugar, and some irresistible mini chocolate chips that spread evenly in the cake. The pound cake holds its shape beautifully, with a crusty outer texture and a moist center packed with chocolate flavors. Both kids and adult approve this easy coffee cake recipe that works for any occasion!

Why do we love this chocolate chip pound cake?

  • It tastes like a giant cookie dough cake ✓
  • It features very basic ingredients
  • It’s an easy, straightforward recipe
  • Basic equipment needed (an electric mixer or a whisk will do the trick) ✓
  • Easy to bring to a picnic or a potluck party ✓
  • Kids and adults approved ✓

Halfway between a pound cake and a cookie dough, this chocolate chip pound cake is rich, buttery and tasty.

The secret(s) to a perfect chocolate chip loaf

This chocolate chip pound cake is prepared with basic ingredients (flour, sugar, butter, eggs), measured in equal weight or almost. It is what creates the base of a pound cake. In order to achieve a rich, heavy, buttery texture, I used softened butter at room temperature (rather than melted butter). Note that I also replaced white sugar with turbinado sugar. This natural brown sugar is a little less compact than dark or light brown sugar, and makes the batter taste like cookie dough. The secret is to beat the softened butter with turbinado sugar for about one full minute to cream the mixture. Last but not least, I recommend using mini chocolate chips over large ones. Mini chocolate chips spread evenly in the batter so you are sure to have some in every single bite.

Halfway between a pound cake and a cookie dough, this chocolate chip pound cake is rich, buttery and tasty.

A few step’s recipe!

You are just a few steps away from this chocolate chip pound cake. Grab your most beautiful apron, a whisk, and get ready!

  1. You first need to mix all the dry ingredients together. A little tip: always check your baking powder expiration date if you are not a regular baker.
  2. In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter (NOT melted) and turbinado sugar until fluffy and creamy. You can do this step by hand with a whisk, or using a hand mixer.
  3. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and mix until combined.
  4. Fold in the dry ingredients to the wet ones, and do not forget the mini chocolate chips. DO NOT overmix the batter. And voilà, your chocolate chip pound cake is now ready to go in the oven.

Pro tips

  • Baking time is key! The baking time will vary from one oven to another, so I recommend you keep an eye to your oven closely. Overbaking the cake will result in a dense and dry crumb, while under-baking it will make your cake collapse and runny in the inside. Tent with a piece of foil halfway through baking if your cake starts to brown a little, then bake until cooked through but still a little soft to the touch (not too hard). Also, let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before you flip it out.
  • Use mini chocolate chips. There is nothing worse than having the chocolate chips sink to the bottom of the pan while baking. To prevent this from happening, I recommend mini chocolate chips that will spread evenly in the cake. Alternatively, you can use regular size chocolate chips and coat them in all purpose flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
  • Add-ons and toppings. Want to make a few variations around the recipe? Add a pinch of cinnamon or some orange zest to the batter. You can then dust with confectioners’ sugar (my favorite) or top with an easy chocolate glaze.
  • Storage. This cake will keep for about 3 days at room temperature, wrapped in foil to keep it crusty or in plastic film to ensure it remains moist. After that, the cake is still good to eat but tend to be a little dry (just damp it in your coffee!). You can also freeze slices placed side by side in a large freezer-friendly ziploc bag, or whole, wrapped with plastic film and foil. Defrost the whole loaf at room temperature, or simply pop the slices a few seconds in the microwave to reheat.

Halfway between a pound cake and a cookie dough, this chocolate chip pound cake is rich, buttery and tasty.

A quick recipe variation (ultra delicious)

Instead of chocolate chips, you can use high quality baking chocolate and chop them into roughly same size bites (not too big). Add them with the chocolate scraps altogether to the pound cake batter to add more intense chocolate flavors. The result is outrageously delicious!

More chocolate chip recipes:

My favorite recipes in a loaf pan:

Halfway between a pound cake and a cookie dough, this chocolate chip pound cake is rich, buttery and tasty.

Print

Chocolate Chip Pound Cake

Halfway between a pound cake and a cookie dough, this chocolate chip pound cake is rich, buttery and tasty.
  • Author: Delphine Fortin
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 50 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Yield: 8 servings 1x
  • Category: Cakes and pies

Here’s my favorite chocolate chip pound cake! Halfway between a pound cake and a cookie dough, it has a rich and buttery texture, and is deliciously loaded with mini chocolate chips that spread evenly in the cake.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ⅔ cups (200g) all-purpose flour
  • A pinch of salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 cup (200g) turbinado sugar (natural brown sugar)*
  • ¾ cup + 1 Tablespoon (200g) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup (175g) mini chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease the bottom and the sides of a 9×5-inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan. Set aside.
  2. Sift flour into a bowl and stir in the salt and baking powder.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk turbinado sugar with softened butter for about 1 minute, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition, then add the vanilla extract and stir until combined.
  4. Fold in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two batches, stirring thoroughly after each addition.
  5. Stir in the mini chocolate chips, making sure they are spread all over the batter.
  6. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for approx. 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

* Using white sugar would work too, but would impact the final flavor of the loaf, that would taste less like cookie dough.

Did you make this recipe?

Lastly, if you make this Chocolate Chip Pound Cake, be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. And of course, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Thank you and enjoy!

Halfway between a pound cake and a cookie dough, this chocolate chip pound cake is rich, buttery and tasty.