2 1/4 c Flour
1 1/4 c Baking soda
1 ts Salt
2 1/4 c Firmly packed dark brown
Sugar
1 c Butter — melted
1/2 c Unsweetened cocoa
1 c Water
2 Eggs
1 tb Vanilla extract
2/3 c Sour cream
Chocolate Frosting—–
14 oz Semisweet chocolate
1 1/3 c Sour cream — at room temp.
1/2 ts Vanilla extract
1/2 c Unsalted butter
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line bottom of two 8-inch-diameter cake
pans with parchment paper, or butter and flour bottoms and sides. 2. Sift
together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a small saucepan over
low heat, melt brown sugar, butter, and cocoa in the water; cool slightly.
In a large bowl, stir together eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Add cocoa
mixture to egg mixture, then stir in sifted flour mixture. Divide evenly
between prepared cake pans. 3. Bake until cake is dry on top and a wooden
skewer inserted 2 inches from edge comes out clean (30 to 35 minutes). Cool
10 minutes. Slip a knife around edge of each cake pan, invert cakes onto a
cooling rack, and cool completely. 4. Place one cake layer on an 8-inch
cardboard cake round or serving dish. Spread layer with 3/4 cup frosting.
Top with second layer and frost top and sides of cake. Chocolate Frosting:
Fill a large skillet with water to a depth of 1-1/2 inches and bring to a
boil. Chop semisweet chocolate into pea-sized pieces and place in a metal
mixing bowl. Turn off heat under skillet, place mixing bowl of chocolate in
hot water, and stir until chocolate is melted. Stir in sour cream, vanilla,
and butter until smooth. Let rest at room temperature until spreading
consistency (15 to 30 minutes), stirring occasionally. Makes about 2-1/2
cups.
Yields
10 Servings