Cake:

1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
2 cups sifted cake flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 cup boiling water

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened
4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
3 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate
1 egg*
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons light cream

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans; dust pans with flour.

Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add eggs; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla and chocolate.

Sift flour, baking soda, and salt together into separate bowl. Alternately add flour mixture and sour cream to butter mixture; beat well after each addition. Stir in boiling water; batter will be thin.

Pour batter into prepared pans; bake for 35 minutes. Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack; cool completely before frosting.

To make frosting Cream butter in bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add half the confectioners' sugar and melted cooled chocolate; beat well after each addition. Blend in egg, salt, and vanilla.

Alternately add remaining confectioners' sugar and cream to egg mixture; beat until smooth after each addition.

*You may substitute a comparable amount of egg substitute for the egg such as milk or pasteurized egg.

Submitted by: Guthrie Sharkey