Ann Byrn is on to something. Her first book, The Cake Mix Doctor, showed readers how to tweak store-bought cake mixes to produce "like-homemade" treats. The sequel, Chocolate from the Cake Mix Doctor repeats Byrn's foolproof approach, focusing solely on chocolate. The strategy? Begin with commercial mixes like chocolate cake, devil's food, and chocolate brownie
1 package (18.25 ounces) devil's food cake mix with pudding
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting (see below)
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease two 9-inch round cake pans with solid vegetable shortening, then dust with flour. Shake out the excess flour. Set the pans aside.
Place the cake mix, sour cream, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. The batter should look well combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing it out with the rubber spatula. Place the pans in the oven side by side.
Bake the cakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 28 to 32 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 10 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edge of each layer and invert each onto a rack, then invert again onto another rack so that the cakes are right side up. Allow to cool completely, 30 minutes more.
Meanwhile, prepare the Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting.
Place one cake layer, right side up, on a serving platter. Spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer, right side up, on top of the first layer and frost the top and sides of the cake with clean, smooth strokes.
** The Cake Mix Doctor says: If you are trying to cut calories and fat, substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream in the cake batter. But be forewarned that the sour cream produces a far moister cake than one with yogurt.
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
Makes 3 cups, enough to frost a 2- or 3-layer cake or 30 cupcakes
Preparation Time: 10 Minutes
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, cut into 8 pieces
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat or melt it in a large glass bowl in the microwave oven on high power for 45 seconds.
Place the melted butter in a large mixing bowl and add the cocoa powder. Whisk until smooth. Add the confectioners' sugar alternately with the sour cream, blending with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 to 11/2 minutes, or until incorporated. Stop the machine and add the vanilla. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 minute more.
Use the frosting to frost the top and sides of the cake or cupcakes of your choice.
Store this cake in a cake saver or under a glass dome, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze it, in a cake saver, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
