Cocoa Cake

By ivybliss

Ingredients

• 1 cup Cake Flour, unsifted
• 2/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) Baking Powder
• 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) Salt
• 1 1/3 cup Sugar, (see direction step 5)
• 2 tablespoons Sugar
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) Butter, softened
• 4 large Eggs
• 1 cup Sour Cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Vanilla Extract
• 1 1/2 cups Heavy Cream

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans and set aside. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

Beat 1 1/3 cups sugar and the butter together, using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in sour cream and vanilla. Sift the flour mixture over the batter, reduce mixer speed to low, and beat just until combined.

Divide batter between the prepared pans and bake until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean -- about 35 minutes. Cool cakes in the pans for 15 to 20 minutes. Unmold and cool completely on a wire rack.

Whip the cream and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to stiff peaks. Reserve a third of the whipped cream and spread the rest on one of the baked cake layers. Place the remaining cake layer on top of the cream and top with the remaining whipped cream.

If desired, garnish the cake with a sprinkle of cocoa powder. Serve immediately.