Chocolate Sour Cream Fudge Cake

2 c All-purpose flour

2 ts Baking soda

1/2 ts Salt

1/2 c Unsalted butter; softened

2 1/4 c Brown sugar, packed

3 Eggs

4 oz Bitter chocolate

Melted and cooled 1 1/2 ts Pure vanilla

1 c Sour cream

1 c Coffee=prepared very strong

This rich cake is from Mendocino`s CAFE BEAUJOLAIS. Chef Margaret Fox makes it for birthdays, and those adventuresome couples who want a chocolate wedding cake. It is usually served with Creme Fraiche Chocolate Frosting (recipe on separate post). Sift together flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter, sugar and eggs for 5 minutes in the bowl of an electric mixer until very light and fluffy. Beat in chocolate and vanilla. Stir in about 1/3 of the dry ingredients, half the sour cream, another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, the rest of the sour cream, and finally the remainder of the dry ingredients. Stir JUST until mixed. Stir in hot coffee, and pour into two 9 inch square pans greased and lined with waxed paper. Strike each pan on the edge of the counter or drop several times onto the floor from a height of 6 inches to release air bubbles. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. Cool pans on a wire rack for

15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, turn out, and

cool completely. Sharron Solomon -----