Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

Unlike the recipes in the previous post, this cake comes from the same book and is delicious. I don't know that a cantaloupe seafoam pie isn't delicious, but I'll go out on a limb and assume it is vile.

The frosting is a Betty Crocker Picture Cookbook standby, which I will include at the end.

For the cake:

1/2 cup butter
2 cups cake flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup water, divided
4 ounces melted and cooled unsweetened chocolate
2 large eggs

Grease and lightly flour 2 9 inch baking pans. Set aside. preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place butter in a large mixing bowl. Sift in the flour, sugar, soda and salt. Add sour cream, vanilla, and 2/3 cup of the water. Mix until flour is wet, then beat on high for two minutes. Add chocolate, eggs, and remaining water. beat again for two minutes. Pour into prepared pans and bake 25-30 minutes or until cakes test done. Cool ten minutes in pans on rack, then remove to rack and cool completely.

I split into 4 layers and spread with strawberry jam.

For The Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
2 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup whole milk
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted
3 cups sifted confectioner's/icing sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from heat and whisk in the flour and salt. Return to heat and slowly whisk in the milk. bring to a boil and boil 1 minute longer. Remove from heat. Stir in the chocolate and vanilla. With an electric mixer, add the sifted sugar and beat until cooled and of a spreading consistency.

Decorate as desired.