Judith Olney's Chocolate Buttermilk Cake

3 c Flour

1 1/4 c Cocoa

1 1/2 ts Baking soda

1 1/2 ts Baking powder

1 1/2 ts Ground cinnamon

2 1/4 c Buttermilk

1 1/2 c Thick sour cream

1 1/2 tb Instant coffee crystals

2 c Sweet butter

2 1/4 c Sugar

2 1/4 c 10x powdered sugar

3 Eggs

2 1/4 c Heavy cream

I. THE CAKE: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 3 round, 9" cake pans. Line

bottoms with greased wax paper. 2. Sift together flour, 3/4 c cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and

cinnamon. Mix in buttermilk and coffee (dissolve coffee in an equal amount of hot water first.) 3. Cream 1 1/2 c butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the

eggs one at a time until thick. Beating on low speed, slowly mix in buttermilk mixture. Beat 'til well blended. Bake about 35 minutes, or until a straw comes out clean. 4. Remove to racks to cool. After they are cooled, put in 'fridge'.

After 1 hour in 'fridge', split each in half (see note at bottom.) Wrap each layer in wax paper or plastic wrap, and freeze immediately. II. SOUR CREAM FILLING: 1. Beat 3/4 c heavy cream, gradually adding 3/4 c 10x sugar until

stiff. 2. Gently fold in 3/4 c sour cream. Set aside in 'fridge' (covered.)

III. CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM FROSTING: 1. Melt remaining (1/2 c) butter. Add 1/2 c 10x sugar and remaining

(1/2 c) cocoa. Stir with a wire whisk over low heat until smooth; cool. 2. Beat remaining (1 1/2 c) heavy cream; add remaining (1 1/2 c) 10x

sugar until soft peaks form. Add cooled chocolate mixture; beat until stiff. Fold in remaining (3/4 c) sour cream. IV. CONSTRUCTION: 1. Build layers from the bottom up as follows:

2. Cake, 1/3 the filling, cake, 2/3 c frosting.

3. Repeat above twice, for total of six layers.

4. Put remaining frosting on sides.

5. Chill two hours before serving.

Note: The cakes must be well-chilled before assembly, or they will disintegrate under their own weight during assembly. If the cake tops rose during baking, the layers will not stack well. You will need to slice the excess off *after* chilling, but *before* splitting into layers.