Easy Sour Cream Cake

I have the family coming over for dinner today and so I wanted to make them a delicious dessert to go along with the Mississippi Pot Roast I will be serving. I haven't made that pot roast for them yet, so I am really excited to be able to introduce a new taste to them all.
I really hope that they enjoy it. I love it, but you never know how some people's tastes are going to be. I predict my sister and Dan will love it, but I have my doubts about Dad. He tends to like the same thing over and over again, with little or no variation.
Easy Sour Cream Cake

I will serve the roast with fluffy mashed potatoes and some vegetables on the side. If I have time, I will make some rolls. Probably just the refrigerator type as they are quick and easy, and I do have church in the morning.
This cake makes the perfect dessert for a family meal such as that. It is light and fluffy. The icing is lush and creamy. The cake is quick and easy to make. You can't go wrong!
Easy Sour Cream Cake

The recipe is a magazine print out. I can't say which one, but it does call for a cake mix. I won't name brands. Yes, it is a bit of a cheat because it uses a cake mix.
But sometimes a cake mix can be a very good thing. I don't mind using one every now and then, especially for the sake of expediency. And when the cake turns out delicious and moist like this one always does, nobody will complain!
Easy Sour Cream Cake

Sour cream in the batter makes for an especially tender and moist crumb. I expect you could use any cake mix and end up with a similar result.
Light, fluffy, tender and moist.
The real star is the frosting, however. It is light and creamy and oh so chocolatey, goes together quickly with the help of an electric mixer and is the perfect topper for this beautifully delicious cake!
Easy Sour Cream Cake

This is a cake I made often when my children were growing up. The page is splattered with lots of stains. That, to me, speaks of an excellent recipe because it means that it has gotten a lot of use.
My children loved this cake. It was one that I used to bake at the weekends for them. It wasn't a great lunchbox cake because of the frosting, too messy, but come the weekend, it was the star of the show!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE EASY SOUR CREAM CAKE
Just a cake mix and a few other standard kitchen ingredients.

For the cake:

1 (2 layer sized) yellow cake mix
4 large free range eggs
1 cup (120g) dairy sour cream
1/4 cup (60ml) water
1/3 cup (80ml) canola oil
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla

For the Creamy Chocolate Frosting:

6 TBS (86g) butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup (34g) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted (not drink mix)
3 cups (390g) icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup (80ml) evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed)

Make sure the cake mix you use is a two-layer cake mix. In the UK, I would use Betty Crocker. Here in North America, we are spoilt for choice. Just use your favorite brand. Don't use one with pudding in the mix.
I have used plain natural thick yogurt in the place of the sour cream in the past with great success. I like Greek yogurt.
For the frosting do make sure you use cocoa powder. The one that is specifically for baking, not the cocoa that is used to make hot chocolate or chocolate milk. It should be unsweetened.

HOW TO MAKE EASY SOUR CREAM CAKE
This really is a doddle, both the cake and the icing. You will need an electric mixer. I used my electric hand mixer but a stand mixer also works well.

Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 9 by 13-inch baking tin really well, or spray with baking spray. Set aside.Mix all of the cake ingredients together in a large bowl, using an electric mixer. Mix on low for about 30 seconds, and then on medium for 2 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl occasionally.Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. When done the top should spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. Leave to cool completely in the pan.
Cream the butter for the frosting in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and creamy. Add the remaining ingredients. Beat on low to combine for 30 seconds and then beat on high until the mixture is fluffy, creamy and smooth.

Spread evenly over the cooled cake. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.This really is a lovely cake, one that I am sure the whole family will fall in love with. I suspect my father will want to squirt whipped cream all over his. Totally unnecessary, but at his age we do like to humor him.

Some other really delicious cakes that your family might enjoy are:

QUEEN ELIZABETH CAKE - We are especially fond of this old, old recipe for Queen Elizabeth Cake. I don't expect there is a Canadian community cookbook without a version of this in it. It goes way back.

It is a simple and delicious cake! The dates make it incredibly moist. It is also studded with plenty of toasted walnuts. Topped with a sweet caramel icing and sprinkle of coconut, this is a real treat! BUTTERMILK CHOCOLATE CAKE - What cake recipe collection would be complete without at least one chocolate cake recipe and this buttermilk chocolate cake is the best of the best! This recipe is four generations old. It is fabulously old fashioned one-bowl chocolate cake, and perfect for family celebrations! Moist and delicious as one would expect. It also boasts a lush chocolate frosting!

Yield: 12Author: Marie Rayner