Step 1

Preheat oven to 325°F. Coat a *10-inch tube pan or *bundt pan with solid vegetable shortening and sugar or cake release spray. (Sugar doesn't leave white areas like flour does.) You can use Wilton cake release as well.*Please note, this cake is larger than most pound cakes. You need a large tube or bundt pan like the one's I linked to above.

Step 2

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa (or chocolate pudding)

Step 3

In the bowl of your electric mixer, cream butter until smooth. Gradually add the sugar to the butter, mixing until it's light yellow and fluffy. Stop the mixer, scrap down the sides and bottom and mix again.

Step 4

Add the eggs one at a time, allowing the egg to 'disappear' into the batter before adding the next egg. Add the sour cream and vanilla. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom. Mix again to incorporate that into the batter.

Step 5

With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides and bottom. Mix again. You want everything mixed in, but don't overbeat the batter after you add the flour.

Step 6

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spoon the top with the back of your spatula.

Step 7

Bake for 1 hour and 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick comes out clean or with dry crumbs. Cool the cake in the pan for 30 minutes before inverting it on a cake plate to cool completely.

Step 8

This cake can be stored in an airtight container on the countertop for 3 to 4 days or in the refrigerator 5 to 6 days. It can also be frozen for 60 days. I recommend freezing individual slices or 1/4 of the cake so you don't have to thaw the entire cake to get a couple of slices.