Classic Chocolate Cake

By Cheryl SlocumUpdated: Oct 1, 2008

Charles Schiller

Yields:

8 - 12 serving(s)

Prep Time:

20 mins

Total Time:

50 mins

This moist, rich chocolate cake has no equal in the classic desserts department.

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Ingredients

1. Step 1Heat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour three 6-cup muffin pans (for filled cakes), two 8-inch-round cake pans (for layer cake; pictured), or 2 mini Bundt pans (for Mini Pumpkin Cakes). Set aside. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.
2. Step 2Beat the butter and sugars together in a bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high speed. Beat in the eggs. Reduce speed to medium-low. Stir the sour cream, vanilla, and milk together and add it in thirds, alternating with the flour mixture. Beat until batter is smooth, about 3 more minutes.
3. Step 3Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans and bake until a wooden skewer inserted into the center tests clean. For layer cake, it should take about 25 minutes; filled cakes, 20 minutes; and Mini Pumpkin Cakes, 25 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
4. Step 4Trim cooled cake layers, if necessary, to make level and frost and decorate as desired.
5. Step 5To create a wickedly good web (as pictured): Pour Chocolate Glaze over the top of an un-iced layer cake. Spread the glaze over the cake's edges and smooth the sides. Fill a small piping bag with three to four tablespoons of melted white chocolate, then starting at the center of the top of the cake, pipe the white chocolate in a spiral. Drag a toothpick from the center of the spiral to the cake's edge. Repeat every 1 1/2 inches to create a web effect.