Happy Birthday Chocolate Sour Cream Cake

My family has a lot to celebrate during the month of May. There's Mother's Day, my nephew's birthday, my daughter's birthday, my birthday and Memorial Day. That was a lot of family get-togethers when we lived in Pa. ...not so much here. Boy do we miss it.

Since we are planning a carnival birthday party in 2 weeks for my daughter, we decided that we would make one birthday cake this weekend for both of us to share to celebrate our birthdays.


She asked for a chocolate cake with white icing. Since I like chocolate frosting better, we compromised and made a chocolate cake with chocolate icing.

I found a recipe for Chocolate Sour Cream Cake w/ Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting in a Pillsbury Complete Book of Baking cookbook.

The instructions are simple to follow. The recipe calls for baking the cake in 2 round cake pans. I dug out my cake pans to discover that they were rusty in spots....AAAKKK! My back up plan was to bake the cake in a 9 x13 pan, cut the cake in half and stack it, making a nice, neat small rectangle cake.

Let's just say that my idea didn't pan out. The cake seemed to do fine in the oven, taking 36 minutes to bake. I took it out of the oven and allowed it to cool completely.

In the meantime I whipped up the icing --chocolatey delicious!

Fast forward.... Now it's time to remove the cake from the pan. Not happening!! The cake was stuck in the pan. I'm not sure why. I greased and floured it like I was supposed to. The cake wasn't burnt so that's not why it stuck to the pan. I kept turning the pan over and tapping on the bottom of it, hoping that it would just decide to come loose. Well, it did....in pieces. **Update** I'm sitting here laughing at myself because I totally overlooked the directions that said to line the pans with waxed paper!

I surprised myself and didn't scream about it. Instead, I stuck the pieces back into the pan and decided to frost it in the pan and not tell anyone about it. I didn't need any more family ribbing today. I'm already getting tons of it from my fall in our front yard the day before - but that's another story that I would love to be able to forget very soon! The scrape on my leg is enough of a reminder but having a 6 year old remind you about it every time you step outside is almost too much to contend with. They don't forget anything!

Back to the cake. Sprinkles, Jimmies, candy toppings...whatever you call them...they are a magical tool in decorating to my family. Thank goodness. I managed to save face by sprinkling on some red, white and blue Jimmies.


We sang "Happy Birthday" and ate the cake. It was good. That's all that matters, right?

Pillsbury Chocolate Sour Cream Cake w/
Chocolate Sour Cream Icing

Cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup water
3/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup shortening
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
4 oz unsweetened chocolate

Heat oven to 350. Grease & flour two 8" or 9" round cake pans; line bottom with waxed paper.

Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, & baking powder. Stir well & set aside.

In large bowl, combine remaining cake ingredients; add dry ingredients. Blend at low speed until moistened; beat 3 minutes at highest speed.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until pick inserted in center comes our clean.

Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans & cool completely.

Frosting:
3 cups powdered sugar - I added about 1 1/2 C. more p. sugar for a stiffer icing
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup softened butter or margarine
3 tbs milk
1 tsp vanilla
3 oz unsweetened chocolate

In small bowl, combine all frosting ingredients at low speed until moistened; beat at highest speed until smooth & creamy.

Place 1 cake layer top side down on serving plate; spread evenly with about 1/4 of the frosting.

Top with remaining cake layer, top side up.

Spread sides & top of cake with remaining frosting.

Makes 12 servings.