Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

This cake is very rich and delicious! I frost with either butter cream or chocolate cream cheese frosting (which makes it even more decadent!)

1 cup baking cocoa
1 cup boiling water
1 cup butter, softened
2 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 t vanilla extract
3 cups cake flour
2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 cup sour cream

Dissolve cocoa in water; let stand until cool. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream (start and end with the dry ingredients) Beat until incorporated after each addition. Add cocoa mixture; beat well.

Pour into 3 greased and floured 9-in round cake pans. Bake 350 for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans and allow to cool completely before frosting.

**For my nieces birthday cake, I stirred in 1 pkg of Ghiradelli semi-sweet chocolate chips before pouring it into the pans for baking. I then frosted it with chocolate cream cheese frosting and garnished it with more chocolate chips.