THE BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE EVER


This cake takes 24 hours to prepare, as its best when allowed to sit overnight. So plan on making it the night before.

4 oz unsweetened chocolate (you can substitue baking cocoa, mix 3T cocoa to one T melted butter or oil for every ounce needed)
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup hot strong brewed coffee
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup oil
2 lg eggs room temp, lightly beaten with fork

1. Preheat oven to 345 degrees.

2. Lightly grease two 8-inch layer pans with oil or butter and flour them.

3. Melt chocolate in top of double boiler, or mix cocoa and oil.

4. Sift sugar, flour, baking soda and salt together in large mixing bowl.

5. In a seperate bowl, (this is fun) blend hot coffee, sour cream, and oil with a whisk.

6. With the mixer on low speed, add the mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until blended, about 35 seconds. Stop mixer to scrape the bowl several times with the spatula.

7. Add the eggs one at a time and mix on medium speed after each addition until smooth, about 15 seconds. Scrape the bowl each time.

8. Add the chocolate and mix until the batter is uniform in color, about ten seconds more

9. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans and place them on the center rack in the oven.

10. Bake until the cake springs back to the touch and a tester inserted in the middle comes out dry (do not wait for a crust to form) 35 to 38 minutes.

11. Let sit until cool, cover with aluminum foil or whatever is handy and refrigerate overnight.

This cake is really good with orange or mint buttercream. I've also spread it with heated raspberry jam.

Found in Rosie's Bakery All-Butter, Fresh Cream, Sugar-Packed, No-Hold's Barred baking book