3 Unsweetened chocolate;
-(1-oz)
1 c Very hot water
1 ts Red food coloring
1 1/2 ts Baking soda
2 c Granulated sugar
1/2 ts Salt
3 Eggs
1/2 c Shortening
2 1/2 c Sifted cake flour
(sifted before measuring)
1 c Sour cream
Recipe by: St. Louis Post-Dispatch 3/18/96
Grease and flour 1 (13-by-9-by-2 1/2-inch) pan or 3
(8-inch) cake pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine chocolate and hot water; stir until chocolate
melts. Let cool, then add food coloring and baking soda.
Stir and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar,
salt, eggs and shortening until fluffy. Mix in a third of
the flour, then 1/3 cup sour cream; repeat twice. Add
chocolate mixture; beat about 2 minutes on medium speed of
mixer.
Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake about 45 minutes for
13-by-9-inch pan (less for cake pans), or until toothpick
inserted near center of cake comes out clean. Remove from
pans and let cool on rack before frosting.
