Peppermint-Chocolate Cake

You know how you find a picture of a recipe and then you make it, and it looks NOTHING like the picture? Kinda like how Big Mac's look so appetizing on the trucks and billboards but you get one and it's, well, disappointing?

This did not happen to us with this cake! We were all very impressed. My mom made it and Jessi added the dark chocolate to the top. It was chocolatey and minty and what can you say about cream cheese icing other than YUM!
Peppermint-Chocolate Cake
Cooking Pleasures magazine, Dec 2006/Jan 2007

Cake:
3/4 cup unsalted butter
5 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 1/2 t. peppermint extract
1 t. vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups cake flour
1 t. baking soda
3/4 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream

Icing:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
8 oz. cream cheese, softened

Glaze:
1 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cake: Heat oven to 325F. Grease bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Line bottom with parchment paper; grease and flour paper.

Microwave 3/4 cup butter and 5 oz. chocolate in medium microwave-safe bowl on medium 3 to 4 minutes or until melted; stir until smooth. Pour into large bowl; cool 10 to 15 minutes.

Beat sugar into chocolate mixture at low speed. Beat in eggs, peppermint extract and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in medium bowl. Alternately beat sour cream and flour mixture into chocolate mixture, beginning with sour cream. Pour into pan.

Bake 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.

For the icing: beat 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese in large bowl at medium speed 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Slowly beat in powdered sugar at low speed until well blended.

Remove sides from springform pan; invert cake onto cardboard round or platter. Remove parchment paper. Frost cake with icing.

For the glaze: Microwave 1 oz. chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter in small microwave-safe bowl on medium 1 minute or until melted; whisk until smooth. Whisk in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla; cool until slightly thickened. With small fork or whisk, drizzle glaze over cake. Cover and store in refrigerator.