BRUSH
Keeping It Clean

The Cookie Lady loves to bake and loves to patzka (Yiddish for: fool around with crazy details, like very fussy cookies).

The following recipe is so good, easier than a box cake (almost). It took longer to preheat the oven than it took to mix up the cake batter. Good stuff can be easy, you just have to patzka long enough to find it!

Please read the whole recipe before you start and make sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature before you begin.

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Prepare two 8" layer cake pans with butter and flour or use prepared oil-flour spray.

Combine all of the following cake ingredients in your food processor:

• 1½ c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. white sugar
• 1¼ tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/3 c. really, really excellent unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1½ sticks (12 Tbsp.) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 c. sour cream
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1. c. chocolate chips optional

Process all of the ingredients to combine thoroughly, a minute. Scrape sides and mix one more time. Pour batter evenly into the two prepared pans, bang once on the counter to be sure you will not have air bubbles.

Bake in 350° oven for 30 minutes or until a cake tester comes out of the center clean.

Cool cakes on rack 10 minutes in the pan then cool completely on rack before frosting.

Prepare the frosting

Over hot, not boiling water melt:

• 7 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, chopped or chips
• 7 Tbsp. unsalted butter

Set aside to cool slightly, 5 minutes.

Stir in

• 1 Tbsp. white corn syrup
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Run mixture in the food processor to get rid of the lumps. Then add

• 2½ c. confectioners' sugar

Pour in the chocolate mixture and add

• ½ c. sour cream

Frost the cake

Place cake on cake plate with strips of waxed paper under the edges of the cake to keep the plate clean.

Place about 1/3 of the frosting in the center of the cake layer; spread to within about ½" from edge. Place second layer and spread 1/3 of the frosting over the top, then use last of the frosting for the sides.

Try not to eat it before the family comes home!

Serves: 12 or more, depending on the size of the appetites being served.

Notes:

1. I made cupcakes out of this recipe and I got 15 standard-sized cupcakes. Be sure you use cupcake papers to line the pans. Bake 20 minutes until the cake tester comes out clean. Cool and frost.
2. If you do not have a processor, you can use your regular mixer or even hand mixer.
3. If you do not use a food processor, do not put in the chocolate chips if any of your "cake testers" are orthodontic patients.

A Cookie Lady Recipe