Old-fashioned deep chocolate layer cake

 
                  OLD-FASHIONED DEEP CHOCOLATE LAYER CAKE
 
 Recipe By     : 
 Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Cakes                            Chocolate
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
    1 3/4   c            Sifted all purpose flour
      3/4   c            Unsweetened cocoa powder
    1       t            Baking soda
      1/4   ts           Salt
    2       lg           Eggs
    2       c            Sugar
      1/2   c            ( 1 stick) unsalted butter,
                         -cut into 4 pieces, room
                         -temperature
    2       ts           Vanilla extract
    1       c            Buttermilk
    5 1/2   oz           Semisweet chocolate,
                         -coarsely chopped
      1/2   c            Plus 3 tablespoons unsalted
                         -butter, cut into small
                         -pieces
    4       c            Powdered sugar (about 1
                         -pound)
    1       tb           Unsweetened cocoa powder
                         -Pinch of salt
    1       tb           Plus
    1       t            Vanilla extract
    7                    To 8 tablespoons sour
                         -cream
 
   Have a piece of this cake with a cold glass of milk,
   and you 're a kid all over again. Cake
   
   Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350''F.
   Butter three 9-inch diameter cake pans with 1
   1/2-inch-high sides. Line pan bottoms with parchment
   or waxed paper. Butter paper. Dust pans with flour;
   tap out excess.
   
   For cake: Insert Steel Knife. Place flour, cocoa,
   baking soda and salt in work bowl. Process to "sift,"
   about 5 seconds. Transfer contents of work bowl to
   large sheet of waxed paper.
   
   Place eggs, then sugar into work bowl. Process until
   mixture is thick, about 1 minute. Add butter and
   vanilla. Process until mixture is fluffy, stopping to
   scrape down sides of work bowl, about 1 minute. Mix
   dry ingredients into egg mixture alternately with
   buttermilk in about 3 additions each, pulsing just to
   combine each addition.
   
   Divide batter evenly among prepared pans (about 1%
   cups in each). Bake until tester inserted in center of
   cakes comes out clean, about 24 minutes. Cool cakes in
   pans on racks 10 minutes. Run small sharp knife around
   pan sides to loosen cakes. Turn out onto rack. Peel
   off paper. Cool.
   
   For frosting: Melt chocolate and butter in heavy small
   saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. (Or to
   microwave: Place chocolate and butter in 4-cup
   microwave-safe bowl. Cook uncovered on High 1 minute.
   Stir well. Cook on High until almost melted, about 30
   seconds longer. Stir until chocolate mixture is
   smooth.)
   
   Steel Knife: Place powdered sugar, cocoa and salt in
   work bowl. Process to "sift," about 5 seconds. Add
   chocolate mixture and vanilla. Process until just
   combined, about 5 seconds. Add 4 tablespoons sour
   cream. Process to blend, about 8 seconds. Scrape down
   sides of work bowl. Thin to spreadable consistency by
   adding enough remaining sour cream by tablespoons,
   processing to blend after each addition.
   
   Place 1 cake layer on serving platter. Spread with 3/4
   Cup frosting. Top with second cake layer. Spread with
   3/4 Cup frosting. Top with third cake layer. Spread
   remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. (Can be
   prepared I day ahead. Refrigerate until frosting is
   firm, then cover and keep refrigerated. Bring to room
   temperature before serving.)
   
   12 servings
   
   From the files of Al Rice, North Pole Alaska.    Feb
   1994
  
 
 
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