Sunday, November 14, 2010

Thee Best Cake Ever!

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze!!

Oh my god! This cake is by far the best cake we have ever made! It leaves me at a loss of words! Absolutely speechless! Can't even find words to describe to all of you how amazing it is!




I am seriously convinced that sour cream is the ultimate secret ingredient for baking! Every thing that I have made that includes sour cream has turned out absolutely wonderful! They always seem to turn out super moist, light, and fluffy! And this cake lived up to this theory as well!

Michele said it best when she said "it is the perfect marriage of flavors!" Neither the chocolate nor the peanut butter overpower the other. Rather the two compliment one another very well!

The recipe is from Sky High Irresistible Triple Layer Cakes. This is the first recipe that we have tried from this book, but being that this one turned out so well, I am super anxious to try some of the other ones!

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottoms oand sides of two 8-inch cake pans. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper and butter the paper.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the oil and sour cream. Gradually beat in the water. Blend in the vinegar and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs and beat until well blended. Divide batter among the two cake pans.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for about 20 minutes. Invert onto wire racks and carefully peel off the paper liners.

Peanut Butter Frosting
10 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 cup smooth peanut butter

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the powdered sugar one cup at a a time. Mix thoroughly after each addition and scrape down the sides of the bowl often. Continue to beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about three to four minutes. Add the peanut butter and beat until thoroughly blended.

To frost the cake, place one layer, flat side up, on a cake stand. Spread about a cup of frosting evenly on the top. Place the other layer on the top and frost the top and sides of the cake with remaining frosting.

I had a difficult time getting the frosting to have a nice smooth finish due to it being slightly sticky. But it worked well to dip the spatula into a bowl of hot water and smooth the frosting.

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Glaze
10 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1/2 cup half-and-half

In the top of a double broiler, combine the chocolate, peanut butter, and corn syrup. Cook, whisking often, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and whisk in the half-and-half.

To decorate the cake, simply pour the glaze over the top of the cake, and using an offset spatula, spread it evenly over the top just to the edges so that it runs down the sides of the cake in long drips. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least thirty minutes to allow the glaze and frosting to set completely


Well I think we have finally found our ultimate go-to chocolate cake recipe!! What a good feeling that is!!

This has by far been the best sweet escape ever!
-Jess

6 comments:

  1. This one doesn't sound like my cup of tea, but my husband is licking his chops just looking at it!

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  2. I am so with you!! I LOVE peanut butter and chocolate in any way I can get it. This is bookmarked and can't wait to make it :) I am a new follower and would love a follow back at The Farm Girl Recipes
    Thanks!

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  3. Oh my goodness! I am printing off your recipe right now because it looks so delicious. Thanks so much for sharing such a tasty recipe. So many yummy things are on your blog! I'm following you now. If you get a chance I'd love for you to stop by my blog for a visit.
    Katie @ http://thischickcooks.blogspot.com/

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  4. I'm going to attempt to make this today for my hubby. Does it have to be refrigerated?

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  5. I made it the night before so I did refrigerate it overnight and just took it out a few hours before serving! Hope you enjoy it! It is absolutely delicious!

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  6. I made it, and I think it's a hit. My chocolate glaze was a little too thin so it is almost totally covered in the chocolate, but it tastes great. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

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