Let Them Eat Cake!

This past Sunday I decided that I would bake a cake for my cousin, Khat's, birthday. She just turned 21, and I'm so proud of the beautiful young woman she has become. It's not easy making it on your own, but she's doing a pretty darn good job. Now back to the baking...Khat wanted chocolate cake with chocolate icing....Yum! Yes, I could have ordered her a cake from Kroger's, but I wanted her cake to be special, so I decided I would forge into baking territory.

The ingredients.

He's a whiz with the mixer!

Making the home made icing!

Yes, it's three layers!!!

The finished product!

Happy 21st Birthday, Khat!

Considering that this was my very first chocolate cake, I think I did a fantastic job. I haven't quite mastered how to get the layers even, so the cake was a little lopsided, but it tasted delicious all the same! Next time, I will also add more frosting between the cake layers. I ended up with a lot of extra frosting, but it was oh so good! I dipped my finger into the bowl one too many times!

I got the recipe from Allrecipes.com. I have listed it below if you ever think you might want to bake a super rich chocolate cake!

Sandy's Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 3 cups packed brown sugar
• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup baking cocoa
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups sour cream
• 1 1/3 cups boiling water
• FROSTING:
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 3 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
• 3 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
• 5 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream brown sugar and butter. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Blend in vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add alternately with sour cream to creamed mixture. Mix on low just until combined. Stir in water until blended. Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. For frosting, in a medium saucepan, melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Cool several minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, sour cream and vanilla. Add chocolate mixture and beat until smooth. Frost cooled cake

The recipe was very simple. Tucker had to help me not to stress about the huge mess we were making. I don't think my kitchen had ever been that messy. I'm the person who likes to cook but to clean as she goes. That's nearly impossible to do when you are baking.Flour and sugar seem to get everywhere! It was all worth it though! On another note, it's officially Thanksgiving break!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!