My mom got this chocolate pound cake recipe from a neighbor in Florida. Since I don’t usually use boxes for things, I came up with my own from-scratch version that’s also pretty easy. I love this cake because it doesn’t require frosting and doesn’t dry out like many cakes do.
Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a tube pan.
Mix Version
Mix all of the following ingredients together on low speed:
1 yellow cake mix
a lg. box chocolate pudding mix
1 c. oil
4 eggs
1 c. sour cream
2 t. vanilla
1/3 c. water
1 c. pecans or walnuts, chopped
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
Scratch Version
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside:
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. powdered milk
1 T. baking powder
1 t. salt
In a mixing bowl, put together and let sit until slightly cooled:
1 c. boiling water
1/2 c. cocoa
Why did I just do this step? Blooming the cocoa helps intensify the chocolate flavor.
Mix into the cocoa and water mixture:
1 c. oil
1 c. sour cream
2 t. vanilla
Add the dry ingredients and beat on low until just combined. Add and stir until combined:
1 1/2 c. chocolate chips
1 c. pecans or walnuts
Why no eggs? I used to include the 4 eggs, but I had trouble with the cake needing to cook longer, then falling in the middle and looking really ugly. I tried it without the eggs once and liked that version better. The taste is a little different, but that is due to something in the pudding mix that I can’t quite replicate: not a negative thing, though.
Baking for Both Versions
The batter may have a few lumps, but that’s okay. Pour it into the prepared tube pan and bake for 1 hour at 350. The middle might be a tiny bit gooey, but it’s really tasty like that. It’s also a really big cake. If you wanted to put it in cake pans, it would take up 2. This recipe makes 24 cupcakes, and they bake for about 15 minutes.
Serve the chocolate pound cake with ice cream or by itself. It’s great warm or even the next day because it stays moist.


Chocolate Pound Cake: Mix and Scratch Versions
Equipment
- tube pan
Ingredients
Mix Version
- 1 box yellow cake mix
- 1 box chocolate pudding mix large
- 1 cup oil
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts chopped
- 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Scratch Version
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered milk
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1 cup oil
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 and grease a tube pan.
Mix Version
- Mix all of the ingredients together on low speed.1 box yellow cake mix, 1 box chocolate pudding mix, 1 cup oil, 4 eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 1/3 cup water, 1 cup pecans or walnuts, 1 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Scratch Version
- Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl and set aside.2 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/3 cups sugar, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/2 cup powdered milk, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- In a mixing bowl, stir the cocoa and boiling water together. Let the mixture cool.1 cup boiling water, 1/2 cup cocoa
- Mix the remaining wet ingredients into the cocoa and water.1 cup oil, 1 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla
- Add the dry ingredients, chocolate chips, and walnuts and beat on low until just combined.1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, 1 cup pecans or walnuts
Baking for Both Versions
- Pour the batter into the prepared tube pan. Bake the cake at 350 for 1 hour. You can also make 24 cupcakes and bake them for about 15 minutes.