Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

Yuuuummmmmm....  yessiree...

Livi's sixth birthday was last weekend and due to the fact that everyone was ill during the time... we didn't go see her and they didn't come here. LOL  Soooo... today they came over for cake and ice cream and, of course, the presents!!! She is wearing one of her gifts now and coloring with another gift. She said the cake was good, too. :)

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake  Taste of Home Winning Recipes, pg 394

• 4 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 C water
• 3/4 C sour cream
• 1/4 C shortening
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 C flour
• 2 C sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

In a mixing bowl combine the first six ingredients; mix well. Combine the dry ingredients; gradually add to chocolate mixture. Beat on low speed just until moistened. Beat on high for 3 minutes.

Pour into two greased and floured 9 inch round baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Frost when cool.

Of course, I don't have squares of baking chocolate so I use cocoa. 3 T cocoa + 1 T oil = 1 sq choc. I also didn't have sour cream so I used plain yogurt. It works. :) mmm... I don't have two round cake pans the same size, either, so I put it into a 9 x 13 inch cake pan.

There is also a sour cream frosting to make to put on it, but I didn't have any powdered sugar so I made a boiled chocolate fudge frosting. Do NOT put it into the refrigerator to make it cool faster. It just makes the sugar re-crystalize, even more so if you leave it in longer than you anticipated because you forgot it was in there to begin with.  Sooooo... much stirring later it was ready to put onto the cake. It did taste good, even if it was a bit crystalized.

Sour Cream Frosting

• 1/2 C butter, softened
• 6 squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 6 C confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 C sour cream
• 6 T milk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp salt

In a mixing bowl combine frosting ingredients. Beat until smooth and creamy. Spread over cake. Soter in the refrigerator.

All Yield: 12 - 16 servings