It took me quite a few tests to get this sour cream chocolate chip pound cake right, but I'm not complaining. Even a failed pound cake still means I get to eat cake!

This gluten free pound cake recipe is made with the perfect ratio of butter, sugar, flour, and dairy free sour cream for that tender crumb you expect from a pound cake . Add in a ton of mini chocolate chips and you have a dessert that's delightful in it's simplicity. It's a classic for a reason!

A sliced chocolate chip pound cake sitting on a wooden cutting board.

If you're a fan of pound cakes, you should also try my perfect gluten free vanilla pound cake or this delicious strawberry pound cake that uses a full pound of fresh strawberries for flavor!

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Ingredient Notes
Substitutions & Variations
How to Make a Chocolate Chip Pound Cake with Sour Cream
Expert Tips
Storage
More pound cake recipes to try:
Recipe

Ingredient Notes

Pound cakes are a breeze to make because they use just a handful of simple ingredients which you may already have in your pantry. This cake recipe is both gluten free and dairy free as written.

Ingredients for a sour cream chocolate chip pound cake sitting on a marble counter.

Gluten-Free Flour Blend - I tested this recipe with Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 gluten free flour blend, which is what I use for most of my cakes. You can use the flour blend of your choice, but ensure it contains a binder like xanthan gum for the best results. I haven't tried this recipe with any other blends, so if you're making a swap I recommend using the weight measurements rather than volume for best accuracy.
Vegan Butter - I used Country Crock plant butter in this recipe, but any plant based stick butter should work fine. If you're not dairy free, use regular unsalted butter in the same measure.
Dairy Free Sour Cream - I typically use either Forager brand or Follow Your Heart brand vegan sour cream. Any plant based sour cream will work fine and if you're not dairy free, use your favorite brand of dairy full-fat sour cream.
Mini Chocolate Chips - I love using mini chocolate chips in this pound cake recipe because full size chips make it harder to get a nice slice of cake. For allergen friendly mini chips, I always use Enjoy Life brand.

See recipe card for full ingredient list and quantities.

Substitutions & Variations

Not Dairy Free - Use regular unsalted butter and dairy sour cream in the same measure.
Double the Recipe - If you want to make a double cake, you can use a tube pan or Bundt pan. You'll need a pan that fits at least 10 cups.
Make a Double Chocolate Cake - Replace ⅓ cup of the flour with cocoa powder.
Top it Off - I use a handful of chocolate chips on top of the cake, but you could also add a chocolate glaze or a sprinkle of confectioners' sugar.

How to Make a Chocolate Chip Pound Cake with Sour Cream

Pound cakes aren't overly complicated to make, but they do rely on the batter being mixed correctly for the cake to rise. It's important to follow the directions and timing exactly AND to always use room temperature ingredients.

I do recommend using a stand mixer or an electric mixer to make things easy. You will need a 9x5 inch loaf pan lined with parchment paper for this recipe.

Flour, salt, and baking powder combined in a small glass bowl sitting on a marble counter.

STEP 1: Combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a small bowl. Whisk to mix well and set aside.

Butter and sugar combined in a large metal mixing bowl.

STEP 2: Add the sugar and room temperature butter to the large bowl
of a stand mixer. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 5 full minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally.

Eggs being added in the creamed butter and sugar.

STEP 3: Add the vanilla to the creamed mixture, followed by the eggs one at a time. Mix for 30-60 seconds between each addition.

Dry ingredients being added to the wet cake ingredients.

STEP 4: Turn the mixer to low speed
. Add half of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the sour cream. Repeat with the remaining ingredients mixing only until the flour is just incorporated.

Mini chocolate chips being folded into the sour cream pound cake batter.

STEP 5: Add all but 3 tablespoons of the mini chocolate chips to the pound cake batter. Use a rubber spatula to fold them in by hand.

An unbaked chocolate chip pound cake in a metal baking tin.

STEP 6: Spread the pound cake batter into your prepared baking pan. It will be fluffy and thick. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top of the batter.

Let the cake rest for 10 minutes at room temperature before baking.

Expert Tips

Trust your eyes and touch when it comes to checking if the cake is done - listed bake time is not always correct since oven temperatures and pans vary.

You can gently poke the top center of the loaf and it should spring back. If you remove the cake from the oven too soon, the center of the cake will sink in as it cools.

Let cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes before moving it to a wire rack to cool completely.

A freshly baked chocolate chip pound cake sitting on a cutting board next to a cup of coffee.

Storage

Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature. The addition of sour cream helps to keep this cake moist for 3-4 days.

A slice of chocolate chip pound cake on a small serving plate.

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If you try this recipe, please leave a 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the comments below.

Recipe

Tiffany

Tiffany is the recipe developer, stylist and food photographer behind Well Fed Baker. As a lifelong baker who had to go gluten free and dairy free in 2016, Tiffany strives to share allergen friendly recipes that never feel like they are free from anything.