Sour Cream Fudge Layer Cake with Chocolate Rum Frosting

This is a delightful, rich, moist cake.  Serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or on its own.  From Food and Drink Winter 2001.  I made mine with rum but the Kahlua or even an amaretto would be nice.

2/3 cup strong coffee
4 squares, 4 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup dark rum or Kahlua
1 cup regular sour cream
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

CHOCOLATE RUM FROSTING
2 1/2 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 tbsp dark rum or Kahlua
1 to 2 tbsp sour cream or milk

1. Preheat oven to 350F.  Line two 9 inch round cake pans with parchment paper.  Butter pans well and dust with cocoa power, shaking out excess.
2. Combine coffee and chopped chocolate in a large glass bowl and microwave at High for 1 to 2 minutes or until piping hot and chocolate is melted.  Whisk in rum until smooth.  Let cool to room temperature.
3. Place sour cream in a bowl and stir in baking soda and salt.
4. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer until fluffy.  Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.  Beat in chocolate mixture until smooth.  Beat in half the flour alternately with half the sour cream mixture, beat in remaining flour and sour cream mixture to make a smooth batter.  Spread evenly in prepared pans.
5. Bake on rack in middle of oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake feels firm in the centre and edges begin to pull away from sides.  Leave in pans for 5 minutes then turn out onto wire racks to cool.  Cake layers can be wrapped well in plastic wrap, then foil and frozen for up to 1 month.
6. For frosting, sift icing sugar and cocoa powder together through a fine sieve into a large bowl.  Beat in butter and rum using an electric mixer, starting at a slow speed, until smooth.  Beat in enough sour cream to make a smooth spreadable frosting.
7. Arrange one cake layer on a large plate and spread with some of the frosting.  Top with second cake and spread tops and sides with remaining frosting.

Serves 8