Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup(s) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup(s) boiling water
• 2 cup(s) sugar
• 1/2 cup(s) butter softened
• 1 cup(s) sour cream or plain greek yogurt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon(s) baking soda
• 2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 5 egg whites
• 2 16 oz cans chocolate frosting**
• 3x chocolate buttercream frosting

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350*, grease and flour 2 9 inch round cake pans.


2. Combine cocoa powder and boiling water in bowl and stir until cocoa is dissolved, about 30 seconds.


3. Combine the sugar and butter in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, 1-2 minutes. Add the cocoa mixture and mix for 1 minute longer. Beat in the sour cream, vanilla, and baking soda. Add the flour and salt. Mix for 1 minute more. ( if using organic turbinado sugar, it will take longer to cream the sugar and butter)


4. Beat the egg whites in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form, 2-3 minutes. Fold into the batter.


5. Spoon the batter into the cake pans and bake till a toothpick comes clean, 25-28 minutes. Cut each cake layer into 2 even layers for 4 layers total. Spread the frosting between the layers and over the top and side of cooled cake.


6. ** substitue chocolate buttercream frosting for the canned frosting


7. For Black Forest Cake
8. eliminate frosting.


9. Whip 2 cups heavy cream until stiff. Spread 1 cup of whipped cream between each layer. Top each layer of whipped cream with 1/2 cup canned cherry pie filing. Frost top of cake with remaining whipped cream.


10. For less fat and sugar:
11. reduce sugar to 1 3/4 cups


12. replace butter with 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce and 1/4 cup veg. oil


13. use lowfat sour cream ( I use plain greek yogurt)


14. replace 1/3 cup flour with whole wheat flour.


15. instead of frosting, layer and top the cake with 4 cups fresh berries or other sliced fruit.