Hot Fudge Chocolate Sour Cream Cake

I haven't made a seriously chocolate cake in a long time, and I am so excited about this one!  This cake has been a long time in the making.  This is the third or fourth time that I have made the cake, and the first time that it has been a success.  I love this chocolate cake recipe so much that I just couldn't give it up!  I originally put the cake in a bundt pan, and I had a chocolate lava flow all over my oven.  Yikes.  Then I cut the recipe by 1/4, and it didn't overflow, but then it also didn't come out of the pan.  This time, I put the reduced recipe in  2 9 inch cake pans and slathered it with hot fudge and frosting.  Total success.  Moral of the story?  Never give up when chocolate is involved.  Here's to perseverance! Original frosting recipe found here.

Hot Fudge Chocolate Sour Cream Cake

Chocolate Sour Cream Cake:
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup boiling water
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks, 16 Tablespoons) butter, room temperature
2 cups brown sugar
4 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups sour cream
1 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips

Hot Fudge Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1/4 cup shortening
1/3 cup cocoa powder (use dark cocoa powder if you have it, I would have but I ran out!)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon milk
1 cup hot fudge sauce (I used room temperature sauce from a jar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup hot fudge sauce

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Lightly grease 2 9-inch round cake pans with cooking spray, then line the bottoms with parchment paper and lightly grease the parchment.  Set aside.

For the cake, place the cocoa powder and semi sweet chocolate chips in a medium bowl.  Pour the boiling water over the chocolate and stir until melted and smooth.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary.  Beat the mixture until well blended.  On low speed, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, followed by 1/2 of the sour cream.  Repeat with another 1/3 of the flour and the remaining sour cream, finishing with the last of the flour.  Beat just until blended.  Add the chocolate mixture and beat on low until incorporated.  Stir in the chocolate chips. 

Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans and smooth the tops.  Place the cakes in the oven and bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.  Remove the cakes from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool for about 10 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of the cakes to loosen from the pans, then carefully turn the cakes out of the pans and let cool completely on a cooling rack.

For the hot fudge frosting, beat the butter and shortening together until smooth.  Add the cocoa powder and powdered sugar, and beat until combined.  Add the milk and beat until incorporated.  Add the hot fudge sauce and vanilla extract and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

To assemble the cake, place one cake layer on a cake plate.  Spread the 3/4 cup of hot fudge sauce over the top of the cake.  Spread about 3/4 to 1 cup of frosting over the hot fudge.  Place the second cake layer on top, and frost the top and sides with the remaining hot fudge frosting.  Decorate with chocolate stars, if desired.  Makes 12 to 16 servings.

Enjoy!  -Cardamommy