Old Fashioned Sour cream fudge cake

I had this a couple of times at my son’s friend’s b-day parties. His Mom was happy to share the recipe with me and all of you CC’ers. It is really moist and tasty (must be the brown sugar). Wouldn’t use it for major carving jobs and do freeze it for 30 mins before you trim or carve something flat. Do not squish down to flatten with a cake board (as you can do for WASC or other cakes). This will compress the cake and make it very gooey. You need to trim the hump. Frosting is optional, but it’s also good if you choose to use it.

Ingredients:

Amount Ingredient 2 ¼ cups cake and pastry flour 2 tsp. Baking soda ½ cup butter, softened 2 ¼ cups firmly packed brown sugar 1/2 tsp salt 3 eggs 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 cup boiling water 3 ounces bakers unsweetened chocolate (melted0 1 cup sour cream (cooled)

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Cream butter. If you use salted butter (skip the salt). Gradually add brown sugar and continue beating for 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and chocolate. Alternately blend in flour mixture and sour cream, one third at a time, on low speed of electric mixer. Add boiling water; blend well. (Batter will be thin.) Pour into one greased and floured, waxed paper lined 9 ½ inches layer pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove and finish cooling on racks.

Frosting:
5 squares Unsweetened Chocolate ½ cup butter, softened
1/3 cup water
3 cups icing sugar
1 egg
Melt chocolate with butter and water over low heat; cool. (Mixture may appear curdled.) Add icing sugar and egg. Blend; then beat on low speed of electric mixer for 2 minutes. Chill until of spreading consistency.

Alternative Frosting (Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting):
Amount is for a wedding cake therefore cut in half.

1 lb. Bittersweet chocolate, chopped ¾ cup heavy cream
3 tbsp. Unsalted butter

In medium saucepan, boil water. In medium steel bowl combine approximately 2/3 of the chocolate and cream. Place bowl over saucepan and sir frequently until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in remaining chocolate until smooth. Gradually beat in butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Let stand until cooled to room temperature.

Optional Filling: Kirsh Cream with Strawberries
250 ml. Heavy cream 250 g. chopped strawberries (about 1 ½ cups)
1 to 1 ½ tbsp. Kirsh cream or any other
fruit liquer.
Beat cream until whipped. Fold in strawberries and liquer. Slice cake horizontally into 3. Spread bottom layer with half of strawberry-cream mixture. Top with middle cake layer. Spread middle layer with remaining cream. Top with third layer.