Sour Cream Chocolate Cake With Glossy Chocolate Frosting Recipes

Steps:

• Dissolve cocoa in boiling water; cool. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Add cocoa mixture and mix well. , Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Beat in sour cream and vanilla. Add confectioners' sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Spread between layers and over top and sides of cake. If desired, decorate with sprinkles. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Position a rack in the center of the oven. Grease the cake pans with 1 tablespoon butter, then dust with 1 tablespoon cocoa powder, tapping out any extra. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and remaining 1 1/2 cups cocoa powder. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar and remaining 3 sticks butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the vanilla, then beat in the eggs one at a time. On low speed, add the salt directly to the wet ingredients, then add half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Add the sour cream and mix until just combined. Remove the bowl from the mixer and gently incorporate the remaining flour mixture with a rubber spatula. Do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips.
• Spread half of the batter in each of the prepared pans. Tap the pans lightly on the counter so that the batter settles. Place the pans on the center rack of the oven and bake until a tester or small knife inserted in the center emerges clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes. Unmold onto a rack. Cool to room temperature, 1 1/2 to 2 hours more.
• Mix together the bourbon and the simple syrup in a bowl. Set aside.
• For the frosting: In a medium pot, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. In a medium oven-safe bowl, combine the chocolate and sugar. Place the bowl on top of the pot with the heavy cream to melt. Once the cream is simmering, pour it over the chocolate mixture and stir until all of the chocolate has melted and you have a glossy ganache. Gently stir in the vanilla, followed by the butter pieces. Set aside to let cool to room temperature.
• Transfer the chocolate mixture to the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Whip the frosting for 1 to 2 minutes to lighten the texture.
• Put the cake layers on a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Using a pastry brush, brush about half the bourbon mixture on each cake layer. Frost the top of the bottom layer, then stack the other layer on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake.

Steps:

• Melt chocolate and the butter together. Let cool and blend in the sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Gradually add the confectioner's sugar until the frosting is of spreading consistency, beat well.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 with rack in the center.
• Spray two 8" round cake pans with nonstick spray.
• Whisk dry cake ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.
• Combine water, oil, vinegar, instant coffee granules, and vanilla in a large measuring cup.
• Add to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined- a few lumps are ok.
• Divide batter between the two pans (about 3 cups each), then bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (35- 40 min).
• Cool cakes for 15 minutes on a rack, then invert them onto the rack.
• Leave upside down until completely cooled before frosting them.
• To make icing, melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat.
• Stir in sugar, cocoa, and salt- the mixture will be thick/grainy.
• Combine cream, sour cream and coffee granules in a large measuring cup, mixing until smooth.
• Gradually add cream mixture to chocolate until blended and smooth.
• Cook until sugar has dissolved, and mixture is smooth and hot to the touch.
• DO NOT BOIL.
• Take mixture off the heat, and add vanilla.
• Cool at room temperature until spreadable (up to three hours).
• If it isn't getting thick enough to be spreadable, put in the refrigerator until thick enough to spread.
• If it gets too thick to spread easily, warm gently in the microwave until it's just right (20 seconds or so, repeat if necessary).
• Stir well, and ice cake, frosting first layer, then placing second layer on top, and icing the top and then the sides.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the chocolate, water sour cream, shortening, vanilla and eggs; mix well. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt and baking powder; gradually add to chocolate mixture. Beat on low speed just until moistened. Beat on high for 3 minutes. , Pour into two greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. , In a large bowl, combine frosting ingredients. Beat until smooth and creamy. Spread between layers and over top and side of cake. Store in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• For cake:
• Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 350°F. Coat cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment-paper rounds; coat paper. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until no lumps remain. Combine buttermilk, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl.
• Combine sugar, butter, and brown sugar in another large bowl. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean. Using an electric mixer, beat butter mixture until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add yolks and eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of bowl.
• Continue to beat mixture, occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of bowl, until almost doubled in volume and very light, airy, and pale yellow, 5-6 minutes. It's very important that no lumps remain at this stage. (Occasional scraping of the bowl, especially the bottom, helps prevent lumps.)
• With mixer on low, add dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with buttermilk mixture in 2 additions, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.
• Divide batter evenly among prepared pans, about 3 1/2 cups per pan. Smooth tops.
• Bake, rotating cakes from left to right and top to bottom halfway through, until cakes are light golden brown, the centers spring back when gently pressed, and a tester inserted into the centers comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, 35-40 minutes.
• Transfer cakes to wire racks; let cool in pans for at least 30 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks, peel off parchment, and let cool completely.
• Using a long serrated knife, remove top dome and any bumps from each cake to create a flat surface. Slice each cake in half horizontally to make 6 layers total. DO AHEAD: Cakes can be baked 1 day ahead. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature.
• For frosting and assembly:
• Stir chocolate and corn syrup in a large metal bowl set over a large saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth; remove from heat. Stir sour cream, salt, and vanilla in a medium metal bowl; set over same saucepan of simmering water. Stir until mixture is warm but not hot, about 2 minutes. Add sour cream mixture to chocolate mixture; stir until smooth and glossy. Set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat powdered sugar and butter in a medium bowl until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Slowly beat in chocolate mixture. Continue beating until no lumps remain, about 2 minutes. Frosting should be smooth and shiny. Cover and chill until slightly firmed up, about 30 minutes.
• Place 1 cake layer on a cake stand or large plate. Spoon 1/3 cup frosting over; using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, smooth frosting to edge of cake, creating an even layer. Place another cake layer on top. Repeat with frosting and remaining cake layers. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. DO AHEAD: Cake can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with a cake dome and store at room temperature.