Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Creamy Buttercream Frosting (recipe follows)
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups cake flour or 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Glossy Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
Two eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk or sour milk*
2/3 cup boiling water

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 2 heart-shaped pans or two 9-inch round baking pans.

Stir together cocoa and boiling water in small bowl until smooth; set aside. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in large bowl until fluffy; beat in eggs and cocoa mixture. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with buttermilk to butter mixture. Pour batter into prepared pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool ten minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with Glossy Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting. Pipe border around top edge and base of cake with Creamy Buttercream Frosting. Garnish as desired.

Glossy Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting

1-1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate mini-chips
2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup dairy sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Milk

Place small chocolate chips in medium microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at high (100%) one minute; stir. If necessary, microwave at high an additional 15 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating, just until chips are melted when stirred. Add powdered sugar, sour cream and vanilla; beat until smooth. Add milk, 1/2-teaspoon at a time, for a thinner consistency. Yield: About 2-1/2 cups frosting.

Creamy Buttercream Frosting

Combine 2-cups powdered sugar, 1/4-cup softened butter or margarine, 2 to 3-tablespoons milk and 1/2-teaspoon vanilla extract in small bowl; beat until smooth and creamy. Yield: About 1-cup frosting. *Note
* To sour milk: Use 2 teaspoons white vinegar plus milk to equal 3/4-cup.

Recipe makes 10 to 12 servings.