Very Good Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup hot double-strength brewed coffee
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

2. 2

   Sift together the flour, sugar, salt and baking soda in a bowl. In a separate bowl, pour the hot coffee over the chopped chocolate, and allow chocolate to melt completely.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, whisk together until well blended the eggs and vegetable oil, followed by the sour cream, vanilla, and coffee-chocolate mixture. Stir the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients by thirds, stirring well after each addition until completely blended.

4. 4

   Divide the batter evenly between two buttered and floured parchment-lined 9-inch cake pans. Drop each cake pan once onto the counter from a height of 3 inches to remove any air pockets (these would cause holes or tunnels in the baked cake layers.)

5. 5

   Bake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes, until the cake springs back slightly when gently tapped in the center OR when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove immediately to cooling racks, and allow to rest for 5 minutes before turning out of the pans. Allow cakes to cool completely before peeling off the parchment bottoms and frosting.

6. 6

   Enjoy the most moist, rich, chocolate chocolate cake you'll ever eat!