Deep Chocolate Cake

Total Time: 45 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate pieces (2 cups)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 8 ounces sour cream
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (about 1 pound)

Recipe

• 1 grease three 9-inch round baking pans, three 8x8x2-inch square baking pans; lightly dust each pan with 1 teaspoon of the cocoa powder. in a medium bowl, stir together the remaining cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, and baking soda. set aside.
• 2 preheat oven to 350 degrees f. in a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. add sugar; beat until combined. add eggs, one at a time, beating for 30 seconds after each addition.
• 3 beat in chocolate and vanilla. alternately add flour mixture and milk to chocolate mixture, beating on low speed until well mixed. (batter will be thick.).
• 4 divide batter among prepared pans; spread evenly. bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centers comes out clean. cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. remove from pans. cool completely on wire racks.
• 5 make chocolate curls, if using. arrange curls in an even layer on a waxed paper-lined tray and set aside in a cool, dry place. to assemble cake, spread chocolate-sour cream frosting on tops of two of the layers; stack. add top layer; frost the top and sides of the cake. if desired, while frosting is still moist, use a 4- to 6-inch wooden skewer or tweezers to lightly press chocolate curls into frosting around the bottom two-thirds of the cake. if desired, garnish top with raspberries and mint. store, covered, in the refrigerator. makes 12 to 16 servings.
• 6 in a large saucepan melt chocolate chips and butter over low heat, stirring frequently. cool for 5 minutes. stir in sour cream. gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. this frosts tops and sides of two 8- or 9-inch cake layers.
• 7 **chocolate-mint sour cream frosting: prepare as above except stir in 1/2 teaspoon mint extract with the sour cream. makes about 4-1/2 cups.