French Chocolate Cake For Historic Recipe Buffs

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 3/4 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 cups sifted pastry flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 ounces bitter chocolate (baking chocolate)
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/8 teaspoon a pinch salt

Recipe

• 1 for cake: dissolve cocoa in boiling water and cool.
• 2 cream butter and sugar.
• 3 add cocoa mixture, vanilla, and soda mixed with sour cream.
• 4 fold in the flour and salt, which have been sifted 4 times, alternately with the stiffly beaten egg whites.
• 5 bake in 3 greased and floured 8" layer pans in preheated 350f degree oven for 20 minutes or until done.
• 6 cool before removing from tins.
• 7 spread chocolate icing between layers and over cake.
• 8 for icing: boil brown sugar, water, and butter for 10 minutes.
• 9 add chocolate.
• 10 when melted, remove from heat.
• 11 add confectioners' sugar, salt, and vanilla.
• 12 beat until smooth.