When you use cocoa powder in lieu of just flour, is it necessary to add baking powder for some reason?

Comparing a pound cake to a chocolate pound cake recipe. Regular cake has 3 cups flour, chocolate recipe replaces 3/4 cup cocoa and adds baking powder - is this a necessity? Meaning is the cocoa too heavy (or heavier than flour?)?When you use cocoa powder in lieu of just flour, is it necessary to add baking powder for some reason?
jetta---- I suggest you use the baking powder the recipe calls for. It sounds like there is a tad more cocoa than normal but I wouldn't argue with the writer on it. Having written comercal recipes for a living I know


there is a lot of thought and chemistry goes into it. I hope this helps you. jim bWhen you use cocoa powder in lieu of just flour, is it necessary to add baking powder for some reason?
Yes, the baking powder is needed it helps the cake rise through a chemical reaction.
Yes, the chocolate will be more dense than the plain flour, that is why you need the baking powder, to give it a bit of lift while baking.





There are some chocolate cakes that are called flourless and have little or no flour but a lot of eggs or whipped egg whites that are folded in, but they tend to be more dense.





Hope this helps.
I think that's weird. Cocoa powder shouldn't be heavier than flour, and adding baking powder is just odd in my book. Classic pound cake doesn't call for any chemical leavening agents at all.





This is what I would do-Classic Old-fashioned Pound Cake:


1 pound flour


1 pound sugar


1 pound butter (Do not substitute anything like margarine or shortening for the butter)


1 pound whole eggs


1 teaspoon salt


splash of vanilla (optional





Cream sugar and butter together until light and fluffy (this is the only place you create leavening), and add eggs/salt/flavoring VERY slowly to create an emulsion. We're talking 1/2 at a time, and even then it may not hold together unless all ingredients were room temp when you started mixing. Then add flour all at once and mix until cohesive and looks like a very thick batter. Bake at about 350 or so until dark honey brown and when a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Take out of the pan immediately and allow to cool on a rack.





Now for the chocolate pound cake, I would substitute about 4 ounces of flour with cocoa powder, and if I were going to be experimental I would melt down some chocolate and switch that out for a little bit of the butter, because chocolate is mostly fat.





So I say, try the recipe without the baking powder first. And see what happens.