Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake with Glossy Chocolate Icing

Ingredients: 

Cake

3 cups all-purpose flour 

2 cups sugar 

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 

2 teaspoons baking soda 

1 teaspoon table salt 

2 cups hot water 

3/4 cup vegetable oil 

2 tablespoons white vinegar 

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules 

1 tablespoon vanilla extract 

Glossy Chocolate Icing

1 stick unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups sugar 

1 1/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder 

1 pinch salt 

1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream 

1/4 cup sour cream 

1 teaspoon instant coffee granules 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 with rack in the center. Spray two 8" round cake pans with nonstick spray.

Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt together in a large mixing bowl.

Combine water, oil, vinegar, instant coffee granules, and vanilla in a large measuring cup. 

Add to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined- a few lumps are ok.

Divide batter between the two pans, then bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 35- 40 min. 

My cooking time was 25-30 minutes.

Cool cakes for 15 minutes on a rack, then invert them onto the rack. 

Leave upside down (this flattens domed cakes) until completely cooled before frosting them.

To make icing:

Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar, cocoa, and salt. 

Mixture will be thick and grainy.

Combine heavy cream, sour cream and instant coffee granules in a large measuring cup, mixing until smooth. 

Gradually add cream mixture to chocolate until blended and smooth. 

Cook until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth and hot to the touch. DO NOT BOIL. 

Take mixture off the heat, and add vanilla. 

Cool at room temperature until spreadable, 2-3 hours. 

(Icing may be chilled until completely cold, then warmed gently in microwave until spreadable. 

Heat at high power in 20 second intervals, stirring well after each interval.