Sour Cream Chocolate Layer Cake

Sour Cream Chocolate Layer Cake
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Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts

3 squares (3 ounces) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup boiling water
2 cups sifted flour
1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream

Adjust rack to center of oven and preheat oven to 375°F. Butter two 9 inch round layer cake pans and dust both lightly with fine,dry bread crumbs.

In a small heavy saucepan over low heat melt the chocolate with the boiling water. Stir occasionally with a small wire whisk until smooth. Set aside.

NOTE: I just poured boiling water over the chocolate and zapped it for 30 seconds in the Microwave.

Meanwhile, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In large bowl of electric mixer, cream the butter. Add vanilla, granulated sugar and brown sugar and beat well, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary to keep mixture smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time beating well after each.

Stir sour cream and cooled chocolate together until smooth and add to batter, beating only until mixed.

On lowest speed, add the sifted ingredients continuing to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat only until smooth.

Turn into prepared pans. With rubber spatula spread tops smooth and then run the batter up on the sides a bit, leaving the batter slightly lower in the centers.

Bake 35 minutes or until tops spring back when lightly touched and layers come away from sides of pans.

Cool in pans for about 5 minutes. Place racks over the cakes and invert. Remove pans. Cover with racks and invert again to cool right side up.

Icing/frosting

3 squares (3 ounces) unsweetened chocolate)
2 Tablespoons butter
3/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound unsifted confectioners sugar.

In top of small double boiler over hot water on low heat, melt butter and chocolate together. Stir until smooth and let cool completely.

NOTE: I place the butter and chocolate in a small bowl and microwave on medium for one minute.

In small bowl of electric mixer at low speed, beat sour cream, vanilla and salt just to mix. Gradually beat in the sugar, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula. When smooth, add cooled melted chocolate and beat at high speed for 1/2 a minute or until very smooth.

Place four strips of wax paper around the edges of a cake plate to protect it while icing cake. Place one layer upside down. Spread with filling. Cover with second layer, right side up so that both bottom sides meet in the middle. Cover the sides and then the top with remaining filling and icing, smoothing it with a long, narrow, metal spatula; then if you wish use the pack of a teaspoon to form swirls and peaks all over the sides and the top.

Remove wax paper by pulling each strip by a narrow end.