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Best Chocolate Cake




Source of Recipe


Family Circle


List of Ingredients




1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 oz unsweetened chocolate broken up
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting:
4 oz unsweetened chocolate broken up
1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 box (1 lb) confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder

Garnish: chocolate curls; berries

Recipe



Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.

In a glass bowl, melt butter and chocolate together in microwave on High until melted and smooth, 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Set aside. Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add sour cream, eggs, 1 cup water, chocolate mixture and vanilla; beat 30 seconds on low, until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium; beat 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake for 40 minutes or until cake layers spring bake when pressed. Cool layers in pans on rack 10 minutes. Remove cakes to racks to cool. Cool 1 hour.

For frosting in a small glass bowl, melt chocolate in microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Set aside. Mix shortening, butter, sour cream, milk, vanilla, salt, 1 cup of the sugar and the cocoa powder in a medium size bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in remaining sugar and melted chocolate until thick and smooth.

Place a cake layer on pedestal. Spread with about 2/3 cup frosting. Top with second layer; spead with 2/3 cup more frosting. Top with remaining layer. Frost top and sides, swirling decoratively. Garnish.