Chocolate Cake Extraordinaire

Just when I thought a chocolate cake couldn't get any better, then along comes this fabulous recipe. Whoa mama, it takes my taste buds on an exceptional taste adventure. It's because the cake and frosting has a deep chocolate flavor that comes from the two different chocolates. Mmmmm ... It makes it rich and intensely flavored.

Ingredients for the Cake Batter:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken up
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2-1/4 cups sugar
1 cup unsweetened special dark cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 cups sour cream
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup water

Ingredients for Frosting:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, broken up
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1/3 cup milk teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 box (1 pound) powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened special dark cocoa

Directions for Cake:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.

2. In a microwave-safe glass bowl, melt butter and chocolate together in microwave on HIGH until melted and smooth, 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Set aside. Mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl until blended.

3. Add sour cream, eggs, 1 cup water, chocolate mixture and vanilla; beat 30 seconds on low speed, until dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium; beat 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pans.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until cake layers spring back when pressed.

5. Cool layers in pans on rack 10 minutes. Remove cakes to rack to cool.

6. In a microwave-safe small glass bowl, melt chocolate in microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Stir until smooth. Set aside. Beat shortening, butter, sour cream, milk, vanilla, salt, 1 cup of the sugar and the cocoa powder in a medium-size bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in remaining sugar and melted chocolate until thick and smooth.

7. Place a cake layer on pedestal. Spread with about 2/3 cup frosting. Top with second layer; spread with about 2/3 cup more frosting. Top with remaining layer. Frost top and sides, swirling decoratively. Makes 12 servings.

I made a few changes to this recipe. First, I only used two of the cake layers. I split them and instead of using the chocolate frosting, I used stabilized whipped cream. Then I covered the sides and top with the chocolate frosting. The remaining cake layer was crumbled and then placed on the sides of the cake.