1 3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
2/3 c. boiling water
3/4 c. butter, softened
2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 c. unsifted cake flour OR
1 3/4 c. unsifted all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 c. buttermilk or sour milk (to sour milk: use 2 tsp. vinegar plus milk to equal; l 3/4 c.)
Glossy Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting (recipe follows)
Creamy Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)

Stir together cocoa and boiling water in a small bowl until smooth; set aside. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl until light and fluffy; beat in eggs and cocoa mixture. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with buttermilk or sour milk to creamed mixture.

Pour batter into two greased and floured heart-shaped pans. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tester comes our clean. Cool 10 minutes, remove from pans. Cool completely. Frost with Glossy Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting and decorate as desired with Creamy Buttercream Frosting. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Note: If you don't have heart-shaped pans, bake cake as directed in 1 greased and floured 9-inch square pan and 1 greased and floured 9-inch round pan. To form heart, position square layer on plate as if forming a diamond. Cut round cake layer in half. Arrange round cake halves on the sides of the top of cake diamond to form a heart shape.

GLOSSY CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM:

Melt 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips in top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Stir constantly until completely melted. Remove from heat; beat in 3/4 cups sour cream, 2 cups confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

CREAMY BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:

Combine 2 cups confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup softened butter, 2 1/2 tablespoons milk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and a few drops of red food color in small bowl until smooth and creamy.