Happy Wednesday, friends! I’m giving you the run down on this AMAZING chocolate cake. Sure to be a crowd pleaser (and it can feed a crowd, too, with 16 servings.)

Truth be told, this is only the second cake I’ve made from scratch EVER. I bake all kinds of things from scratch–bread, muffins, cupcakes, pie. Never cake.

I also found this recipe to be very straightforward, easy to follow. There weren’t an overabundance of ingredients, and I really REALLY enjoyed the finished product!

Moist, weighty but not too heavy, sweet but not too sweet, chocolatey but not too chocolatey. I saw the recipe on a friend’s Facebook page, the original recipe is here on the Taste of Home site. I flagged it, and made it the moment I got the chance!

XX, Megan

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

3 cups packed brown sugar

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2-2/3 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup baking cocoa

3 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1-1/3 cups sour cream

1-1/3 cup boiling water

Frosting

1/2 cup butter, cubed

3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

5 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 cup sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Yield: 16 servings

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour three 9-in. round baking pans.

In a large bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with sour cream, beating well after each addition. Stir in water until blended.

Transfer to prepared pans. Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. (Frosting directions below)

For frosting, in a metal bowl over simmering water, melt butter and chocolates; stir until smooth. Cool slightly.

In a large bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar, sour cream and vanilla. Add chocolate mixture; beat until smooth. Spread frosting between layers and over top and sides of cake. Refrigerate leftovers.