Sourdough Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup sourdough starter
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3 squares (3 ounces) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1 cup milk
Cocoa Cream Cheese Filling
Sweet Chocolate Glaze

Instructions:

Bring sourdough starter to room temperature. Grease and flour two 9 x 11/2-inch round cake pans; set aside. Stir together the flour, baking
soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a large bowl beat the butter with an
electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar and vanilla; beat till fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the melted chocolate.

Combine the sourdough starter and milk. Add dry ingredients and milk mixture alternately to beaten mixture beating till well combined. Turn the batter into prepared pans. Bake in a 350F oven about 30 minutes or till done. Cool 10 minutes on wire racks. Remove from pans; cool thoroughly on wire racks. Fill with Cocoa Cream Cheese Filling and glaze cake with Sweet Chocolate Glaze. Drizzle a design atop with reserved cream cheese icing and top with white chocolate leaves. Makes 12 servings.

Cocoa Cream Cheese Filling:

1 cup sifted powdered (confectioner's, icing) sugar
1 3-ounce package cream cheese
1/4 tsp vanilla
Milk
2 tblsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar

Instructions:

In a small mixer bowl beat together the 1 cup powdered sugar and cream cheese till fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. If necessary, beat in enough milk (about 2 teaspoons) to make of pouring consistency. Reserve 1/4 cup of the mixture and set aside to decorate the top of the cake. Stir the cocoa powder into the remaining mixture in the bowl. Add the 1/3 cup powdered sugar and beat till smooth. Use the cocoa mixture to spread between cake layers. Makes 2/3 cup filling; 1/4 cup icing.

Sweet Chocolate Glaze:

3/4 cup sugar
2 tblsp cornstarch
1 cup water
2 squares (2 ounces) German sweet chocolate, cut up
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Instructions:

In a small saucepan combine the sugar, cornstarch and dash salt. Stir in water and chocolate. Cook; stir till chocolate is melted and mixture is thickened. Cook; stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.

Cover surface with clear plastic wrap or waxed paper. Let stand 10 to
15 minutes or till slightly cooled and of spreading consistency. Spread glaze over top and sides of cake. Chill cake till set. Makes 1 1/2 cups glaze.