Ingredients
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 3 eggs
- 2 cups flour
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 recipe Chocolate-Sour Cream Frosting
- 2 cups (12 oz pkg) semisweet chocolate pieces
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 (8 oz carton) sour cream
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- White and dark chocolate shavings (optional)
Preparation
Step 1
Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, lightly grease bottoms of three 8 x 1 1/2 round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with waxed paper. Grease and lightly flour bottoms and sides of pans. Or grease on 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Set pan(s) aside.
Preheat oven to 350°. In a mixing bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
In a mixing bowl beat on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined (3 to 4 minutes). Scrape sides of bowl, continue beating on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition (about 1 minute total). Beat in vanilla.
Add flour mixture and milk alternately to beaten mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. Beat on medium to high speed for 20 seconds more. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pans.
Bake for 5-40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Peel off waxed paper. Cool thoroughly on wire rack. Or, place 13x9x2-inch cake in pan on a wire rack; cool thoroughly.
Frost with Chocolate-Sour Cream Frosting. Top with chocolate shavings. Cover and store frosted cake in the refrigerator.
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting:
In a large saucepan melt one 12-ounce package (2 cups) semisweet chocolate pieces and 1/2 cup butler over low heat, stirring frequently. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir in one 8-ounce carton dairy sour cream. Gradually add 4 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar, beating until smooth. This frosts tops and sides of two to three 8- or 9-inch cake layers. (Halve the recipe to frost a 13x9x2 -inch cake.)