Best Chocolate Pound Cake

Recipe View Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan. Ensure every nook and cranny is coated to prevent sticking. (Prep time: 5 minutes)

Recipe View In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and softened butter using an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add the granulated sugar, beating well at medium speed until the mixture is pale and the sugar is fully incorporated. (Creaming: 8-10 minutes)

Recipe View Add the egg yolks, one at a time, to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition until fully emulsified. This ensures a smooth and rich batter. (Egg yolk incorporation: 3-5 minutes)

Recipe View In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder, and ground cinnamon. This ensures even distribution of the dry ingredients and prevents lumps. (Sifting: 2 minutes)

Recipe View Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix on low speed just until blended after each addition. Be careful not to overmix. Overmixing develops gluten and results in a tough cake. (Combining wet and dry: 5-7 minutes)

Recipe View Stir in the vanilla extract and almond extract until just combined. (Extract incorporation: 1 minute)

Recipe View In a clean, grease-free bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. The peaks should hold their shape but not be dry. (Egg white whipping: 5-7 minutes)

Recipe View Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the cake batter in two additions, mixing only until no streaks of egg white remain. Be careful not to deflate the batter. (Folding: 3-5 minutes)

Recipe View Pour the batter into the prepared 10-inch tube pan, spreading it evenly. (Pouring: 1 minute)

Recipe View Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. If the cake starts to brown too quickly, tent it loosely with foil. (Baking: 75 minutes)

Recipe View Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely. (Cooling in pan: 10 minutes)

Recipe View Once completely cool, slice and serve. This cake is delicious on its own or with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of ice cream. (Final cooling: 1-2 hours)