CHOCOLATE AMARETTO CAKE

Chocolate Amaretto Cake image

Whomever you serve this to will think you SLAVED but this is so easy and delicious!! This is an incredibly moist, intensely chocolate cake, perfect for chocoholics. Does not taste like a 'box' cake at all! The original recipe is from Bon Apetit magazine but I had read the reviews on epicuirious and made some of the suggested adjustments. Turns out perfect with very little effort!

Provided by CHRISSYG

Categories Dessert

Time 40m

Yield 12 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 14

Ingredients

vegetable oil cooking spray
1 (18 1/4 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1 1/3 cups water
3 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
12 tablespoons amaretto liqueur (divided)
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 18 ounces)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/3 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups slivered almonds, toasted

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°F Spray three 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides with nonstick spray. Then line the bottoms with parchment paper.
Combine cake mix, 1 1/3 cups water, eggs, oil, 3 tablespoons amaretto, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract in large bowl; whisk until well blended.
Toss 1 cup of chocolate chips in with 1 tablespoon flour, then gently fold into batter.
Divide batter among prepared pans. (the layers will be thin).
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool cakes in pans 10 minutes.
Run knife around pan sides. Turn cakes out onto racks; cool completely. Brush each cake layer with 2 tablespoons amaretto.
Combine butter and cream in medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until butter melts and mixture comes to simmer.
Remove from heat. Add remaining 2 cups chocolate chips and whisk until melted.
Mix in remaining 3 tablespoons amaretto. Cool until barely lukewarm, about 5 minutes.
Whisk in sour cream and remaining 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, then powdered sugar.
Refrigerate frosting just until thick enough to spread, whisking occasionally, about 10 minutes.
Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1/3 cup frosting over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 1/3 cup frosting over. Top with third cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake. (concentrate most of the frosting on the top of the cake)
Press nuts around the sides of the cake. Chill at leat 2 hours.
(Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome; keep chilled.).