Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

This cake is awesome. It is very moist. I love to serve this frosted with sour cream chocolate frosting.

This cake is so simple to put together. Just put everything in a bowl and beat it up.

You will need 2( 8" or 9") round cake pans or 1 (13"x9") cake pan, greased and floured.
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup water
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 eggs
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Put everything into a mixing bowl and beat, with a mixer, on low speed for one minute.
Scrape down the sides.
Beat on high speed for three minutes.
Pour the batter into the pan or pans.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until cake tests done when checked with a toothpick.
Cool and frost.

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate-chocolate chip cookies are for the serious chocolate lover. When you want some chocolate, this cookie always satisfies.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
You will need a couple of ungreased cookie sheets.

Ingredients:

2-1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup(2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips

Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a bowl and set aside.
Beat the butter, brown sugar, sugar, and vanilla extract in another bowl until the mixture is creamy.
Add the eggs one at a time.
Blend in flour mixture.
Add the chocolate chips.
Drop by Tablespoon or medium size cookie scoop onto cookie sheets.
Bake for 9-11 minutes. They may be a bit soft in the middle and that is OK. They will finish cooking after they come out of the oven.
Remove to wire rack to cool.
You will get 4-5 dozen cookies.

Do You Have to Buy Baking Chocolate?

Back when I first started baking, I always followed the recipe to a T.

If it called for baking chocolate, either semi-sweet or unsweetened, I bought the baking chocolate.

I have since learned ways of making my recipes without having to rely on buying squares of baking chocolate.

Many people believe that using cocoa powder instead of unsweetened baking chocolate will actually make the food taste more chocolaty.

It certainly makes it easier and it always turns out yummy.

To change the recipe from chocolate squares or ounces. use 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder plus 1 Tablespoon cooking oil, shortening, or butter for every ounce or square of unsweetened chocolate.

If you want semi-sweet chocolate, add 1 Tablespoon sugar to unsweetened chocolate. To get a cup of semi-sweet use 9 Tablespoons cocoa plus 7 Tablespoons sugar plus 3 Tablespoons oil, shortening, or butter.

Another great way to get semi-sweet chocolate is to use chocolate chips. 3 Tablespoons of chocolate chips is equal to one ounce or square of chocolate. When a recipe calls for 6 ounces, you will need a cup.

I have not bought any semi-sweet or unsweetened baking chocolate in many years.

I have never had any problems cooking or baking by substituting cocoa powder and cooking oil or by using chocolate chips.

I love using oil over shortening or even butter. Since it is in liquid form, you don't have to melt it.