Yesterday was my son’s birthday and we were having some friends over for dinner. He was very specific about the menu – pulled pork sandwiches, coleslaw, and chips – not regular old chips, wavy chips! And chocolate cake with chocolate frosting for dessert. I went through my files and pulled out this old standby recipe for sour cream chocolate cake and decided to add chocolate chips because birthday cakes should always be a little bit over the top!
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened
- 1 1/3 cups light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 375º. Grease and flour two 9″ round cake pans.
2. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a small bowl, combine sour cream, water, and vanilla
4. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Add one third of the flour mixture to the butter and sugar, mix well to combine. Then add half of the sour cream. Repeat with another third of the flour, sour cream, then the rest of the flour, beat until the batter is smooth. Fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Divide batter among the two cake pans, smooth out the tops with a rubber spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, test for doneness with a toothpick. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn cakes out of pans to cool completely on rack before frosting.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
1. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy.
2. In a separate bowl, sift confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder together. Add it one cup at a time to the cream cheese/butter mixture, beat until smooth. Add vanilla.
Note: If the frosting seems a bit too stiff, add a tablespoon or two of milk until you have reached desired consistency.
