Turning 9

 My Thanksgiving baby.  Is he a cutie pie or what? He was born the day after Thanksgiving, 2001.  For their birthdays my boys get to choose what kind of cake they like,  what type of frosting, and frosting color.  Chocolate cake with red frosting and sprinkles was my 9 year olds request and he loves to help.  The chocolate cake on the back of the Hershey's cocoa can is a pretty good one, but I decided to search a little.  This cake is wonderfully moist and rich, almost fudgey.  It's very decadent and special enough for company or something as special as your baby turning 9!!


I was in a hurry in preparing it and didn't read it used three cake pans.  I only used two.  Yes, the cake took an extra 30 minutes but the moistness was not effected in the least.

CHOCOLATE CAKE

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
• 3 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups sifted cake flour (I used all-purpose and sifted it)
• 1 1/3 cups sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups hot coffee

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans. Cut 3 circles of waxed paper or parchment paper to fit the bottoms of the pans, then press them in.

In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and eggs and mix until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the vanilla, cocoa, baking soda and salt and mix. Add 1/2 of the flour, then 1/2 of the sour creamand mix. Repeat with the remaining flour and sour cream. Drizzle in the hot coffee and mix until smooth. The batter will be thin. Pour into the prepared pans and bake until the tops are firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few crumbs are okay), about 35 minutes. Halfway through the baking, quickly rotate the pans in the oven to ensure even baking, but otherwise try not to open the oven. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks and let cool completely before frosting.

The recipe suggests cream cheese frosting. Per my son's request I used buttercream.  Here is the recipe I use:

3 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. butter

1 t. pure vanilla extract

2-3 T. heavy cream

Cream butter and add sugar, vanilla and cream.  Beat until smooth and use more cream if needed to get the right consistency.