Special Dark Chocolate Cake

Have you ever seen this? I had no idea....

Why oh why did I have to glance around to  check out coffee prices and see this?  It's August for goodness sakes!  It's been hotter than hell, but of course this little container had to jump right in my face.

It as fate, that has to be it, yeah it was meant to be.

Seriously, I'm not a big chocolate freak, but dark chocolate or semi-sweet, the good stuff, oh yeah baby.  Now make a chocolate cake with this...I only managed to get one thin slice,  it was all my conscience could handle.  Actually, once my husband, the homegirlz and their friends got a hold of the cake, my conscience was lucky.  My taste buds threw a parade. 

It's simple, just make this cake.

Cake Batter:

1 stick butter

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped into small pieces

2-1/2 cups AP flour

2-1/4 cups granulated sugar

1 cup unsweetened Hershey's 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, room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour cake pans, I used a Bundt pan.

 

Melt butter and chocolate together in microwave on HIGH until melted and smooth, 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, stirring at 30 to 45 seconds or halfway through. Remove melted chocolate from the microwave and reserve. 

In another bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly blended.

Add sour cream, eggs, water, chocolate mixture and vanilla; to the flour mixture and beat 30 seconds on low speed, until dry ingredients are combined then beat for 2 more minutes. Pour into prepared pan(s).

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until  a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool cake in pan on rack  for 15 minutes. Remove cake from pan and finish cooling on a rack.

I wish I was a better photographer!

Icing:

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped up in small pieces

1/2 cup shortening

1 stick butter, room temperature

1/4 cup sour cream

1/3 cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 cups confectioner's sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened special dark cocoa

 

 

Melt chocolate in the microwave for about 1 to 1=1/2 minutes, stirring halfway through.  Stir until smooth and set aside.

 

 

Beat shortening, butter mil, vanilla, salt, 1 cup of the sugar and the cocoa powder in a medium size bowl until creamy.  Gradually add in the remaining sugar and melted chocolate alternately and beat until thick and smooth.

 

It's going to be a great week!