Chocolate Velvet Pound Cake

I have never really baked cakes from scratch. Opening a box of cake mix was and is a sure fire way to go at times.

My son's 10th birthday is coming up, and we will be out of town on his special day. He will be leaving the single digits and leaping into double digits and I wanted to attempt a special cake just for him.

Recently a friend (thanks Judy!) gave me lots of new cookbooks.My son and I looked together through several cookbooks and he picked out a Chocolate Velvet Pound cake. It should be called a Sinful, blissful,soul satisfying Chocolate Velvet pound cake!

I sliced up a few strawberries to keep it healthy...HaHaHa. They went very well with the rich chocolate explosion!

Chocolate Velvet Pound Cake (Southern Living)
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (16-ounce) package light brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (8-ounce) container sour cream
1 cup hot water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Powdered Sugar

Preparation
Melt semisweet chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH for 30-second intervals until melted (about 1 1/2 minutes total time). Stir until smooth.
Beat butter and brown sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer, beating about 5 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.

Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add to chocolate mixture alternately with sour cream, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Gradually add 1 cup hot water in a slow, steady stream, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla. Use immediately, following directions for desired cake.

Note: The addition of hot water at the end of this recipe makes for an exceptionally moist cake.

Spoon batter evenly into a greased and floured 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 350° for 55 to 65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack.

Sift powdered sugar over top of cake.

Chocolate Ganache: (Southern Living)
Ingredients

1 (12-oz.) package semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup whipping cream
3 tablespoons butter

Preparation

1. Microwave semisweet chocolate morsels and whipping cream in a 2-qt. microwave-safe bowl at MEDIUM (50% power) 2 1/2 to 3 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Whisk until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Whisk in butter, and let stand 20 minutes.
2. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 3 to 4 minutes or until soft peaks form.