"Top Tier" Devil's Food Cake with Sour Cream Fudge Frosting

By annekeeney

Ingredients

• Frosting:
• 1/4 c. natural unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 oz. high-quality milk chocolate (such as Lindt, Perugina, or Valrhona), chopped
• 1/4 c. boiling water
• 1/4 c. buttermilk
• 2/3 c. cake flour
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/2 c. (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1/4 c. canola oil
• 1 lg. egg
• 1/2 t. vanilla extract
• 8 oz. high-quality milk chocolate
• 1/4 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 c. sour cream
• 4 t. light corn syrup
• organic roses (for garnish)
• SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
• 2 (5" diameter cake pans with 2" sides)

Preparation

Step 1

CAKE:
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350. Butter 2 (5") cake pans with 2" high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; butter parchment. Combine cocoa powder and milk chocolate in medium bowl. Pour 1/4 c. boiling water over; whisk until mixture is smooth. Whisk in buttermilk.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in another medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat both sugars, oil, egg, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add flour and cocoa mixtures; beat until blended (batter will be thin). Divide batter between pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached, 28-30 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks, peel off parchment. Turn over; cool on racks.

FROSTING: Place chocolate in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Add butter and stir until melted, then add sour cream and corn syrup and whisk until smooth. Let frosting stand at room temperature until thick enough to spread, about 20 minutes.

Using serrated knife, trim top of cakes to make level. Cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on platter. Spread 1/4 c. frosting over, leaving 1/2" border. Top with second cake layer, leaving 1/2" border Top with third cake layer, cut side up. Spread 1/4 cup frosting over, leaving 1/2" border. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread 1/3 c. frosting over top and sides. Chill until frosting is set, about 30 minutes. Keep remaining frosting at room temperature.

Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake.
DO AHEAD: Can be make 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.