Famous Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

This recipe is one of my all time favorites, it's the cake I chose above all others for each of my birthdays and any other celebration I could talk my mom into baking it for. I even went as far as convincing my younger brother and sister that it was their favorite cake too... 

 

It's the first cake I made for each of my boys birthdays.  I made cupcakes every year for their Valentines, Halloween, and Birthday Party's at school. I remember walking into their school with a huge platter filled with decorated cupcakes and being molested by a mob of hungry teenagers barley making it out of there a live. 

 

I always had to make extra's for the office and support staff, friends of my kids, and half of the school, thank God it was a small school. Teachers loved my cupcakes because they were easy to distribute, and clean up after wards. 

 

Decorating them has always been fun and I never had to ask my kids twice to help, they were always eager for every holiday, it meant moms cupcakes and popularity at school. 

 

On occasions I would bring something else like cookies or brownies, but I always got asked the same thing... ""  These are great, but where's the cupcakes....?""    I never had to worry about embarrassing my kids, on their Birthdays, they welcomed my baking. Be sure to double your recipe, if your house is like mine they will go fast.

 

My kids always preferred the butter cream frosting with candies on top but you can use just about any frosting you like.  The key to this recipe is to not over bake. 

 

My mom has been making this cake since I can remember. She learned the recipe from her older sister, my Auntie Phyllis.  As a kid I was a pretty picky eater, when my mom taught me how to make this cake, she sat me down and said... I need to tell you something before we start... her secret.... Sour Cream... I hated sour cream and would never eat anything that had it in it... or so i thought, it was a hidden treasure, Like onions, celery, mustard, real mayonnaise and mushrooms are often hidden treasures in the best of foods.

When I think of this cake, my heart is filled with happy memories. I hope if fills your hearts with love, brings smiles to your kids faces as it did to mine and creates happy memories of your own.

With Love,

Chel Marie

 

 

Famous Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

Cake

2 1/2 Cups of Sifted Flour (All Purpose)
2 Cups Sugar (C&H)
2 Packs of pre-melted Nestles Choco Bake
2 tea. Baking Soda
1 tea. Salt
2 Cups of Sour Cream (16 oz.)
4 Eggs
1 tea. Vanilla (Mexican or Nielsen-Massey Tahitian Vanilla)

Sift together dry ingredients. Add sour cream, mix. Add eggs, mix. Vanilla, Mix... very important to follow order. Beat for 3 minutes on high speed. Pour batter into a 13" x 9" double layered air baking pan. Drop pan on counter 3 times to get air bubbles out. (note, I did not say drop on floor.)

Bake 350' Convection for 35 minutes. Test with tooth pick in center to make sure it comes out clean.
let rest, usually will fall slightly. Do not open over during baking until last few minutes or it will cause heavy cake to fall.
For cup cakes, cut the baking time down to 20 minutes.
Butter Frosting

I always double this recipe (sometimes I triple it and use extras for gram cracker cookies)
5 Tab. soft butter (Land-O-Lakes Regular)
3 Cups of C&H Powered Sugar
3 Tab. Cream (Half and Half)
1 1/2 tea. Vanilla (Mexican or Nielsen-Massey Tahitian Vanilla)
Cream together. You may have to add a couple drops of cream to get to the consistency that you like.
I also use this recipe when making Ginger Bread Houses, but use exact cream so not to creamy.

 Decorated by Chel Marie

This is a 13"x9" cut in half, stacked and decorated with a triple batch of 

butter cream frosting divided in thirds and colored with Wilton Past coloring.

This cake is so moist thick and dense, you'll think your eating a pound cake. 

You almost need a scoop of vanilla ice cream to give it a little contrast...

Remember to not over bake!