DEATH BY CHOCOLATE

Death By Chocolate  - a dark, extremely rich chocolate layer cake with dark chocolate icing. The strong chocolate flavor of this cake is amazing! This is one of our best chocolate cake recipes!   The name of this cake, also known as American fudge cake, indicates just how  rich it is, and even more so if served as a dessert  lashings of whipped cream.

This cake is my Children’s all time favorite and is also a hit with my friends !

Ingredients

225 g dark semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)

2/3 cup (140 g) butter

1 cup (210 g) sugar

4 eggs

4 heaped tablespoons all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1½ teaspoon baking powder or 1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 tablespoons sour cream

Ingredients for Chocolate Ganache

2/3 cup (1.6 dl) heavy cream or whipping cream

9 oz (260 g) semisweet chocolate (40-50% cocoa)

Method

Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).

Line a circular 10 inch (25 cm) cake tin (3 inches tall) with grease proof or other non-stick paper and grease the tin. (Please note that the cake will rise to 3 inches and collapse somewhat when cooled. If your cake tin is less than 10 inches wide and 3 inches tall  it is recommended that you use two cake tins.)

Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it with butter over hot water.

Beat the eggs with sugar, mix with flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and vanilla extract.

Slowly fold in the melted butter and chocolate and the sour cream.

Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 40 to 50 minutes (if using 2 cake tins 20-30 minutes may be sufficient).

Cool the cake completely. When it has obtained room temperature place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before removing the cake from the tin (the cake is sticky and difficult to cut when it is warm!) Remove the crusted surface on the top of the cake, and cut in half, horizontally.

Frosting

Heat 2/3 cup (1.6 dl) of heavy cream or whipping cream in a sauce pan.

Remove from heat, add 9 oz (260 g) of finely chopped dark semisweet chocolate, stir until smooth, and let it cool until in thickens.

Use one 1/3 of the frosting between the two layers, 1/3 on top, and the rest around the cake. Put the cake into the fridge for one hour or more to harden the frosting.

This cake should have room temperature when served.

You may add 3 tablespoons of rum to the chocolate and butter mixture.

http://verygoodrecipes.com/thanksgiving-challenge