Chocolate Velvet Cake w/Almond and White Chocolate Buttercream Icing

By hchampoux

This beautiful cake was a HUGE hit in Blanco at Grandma Browne's birthday celebration!

Ingredients

• Icing:
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 (16-ounce) packages powdered sugar
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 (12-ounce) package white chocolate morsels
• 1 cup coarsely chopped slivered almonds, toasted
• Cake:
• 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 (16-ounce) package light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
• 1 cup hot water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Details

Servings 10

Preparation

Step 1

Icing:

Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.

Melt white chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH for 30-second intervals until melted (about 1 1/2 minutes total). Stir until smooth, and spread in a 1/4-inch-thick layer on an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle evenly with almonds. Chill 30 minutes or until firm. Remove from baking sheet, and chop.

Cake:

Melt semisweet chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH for 30-second intervals until melted (about 1 1/2 minutes total time). Stir until smooth.

Beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer, beating about 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Gradually add 1 cup hot water in a slow, steady stream, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla.

Spoon batter evenly into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans (pans must be 2 inches deep). Bake at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire rack.

Spread Vanilla Buttercream Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake. Press in white chocolate crumbles.