From: amo@cbnews.cb.att.com (arlene.m.osborne)
Subject: Sourdough Chocolate Cake: What went wrong?
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 16:16:17 GMT
Keywords: sourdough

I made the following cake over the weekend from a recipe
I got on the net (thanks, everyone!).  The cake smells and
looks wonderfully rich, the filling goes nicely with it.
However, the package of German Sweet Chocolate I had was
4-oz and there were MANY squares in it.  Two weren't enough
for the glaze, so I added several.  No matter what I did,
the glaze maintained the consistency of coffee -- VERY
watery (even after refrigeration when I got desperate.  It
is still watery today).  Now is it something I did, or is 
there a mistake in the following recipe?


			 SOURDOUGH CHOCOLATE CAKE

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

       Bring sourdough starter to room temperature.  Grease and
       flour two 9 x 1 1/2-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 until
       fluffy.	Add eggs, one at a time, beating 1 mintue 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 until
       well combined.  Turn the	batter into prepared pans.  Bake in
       a 350F oven about 30 minutes or until 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 confectioner's sugar   1 3-oz package cream	cheese
       1/4 tsp vanilla			   milk
       2 Tbsps unsweetened cocoa powder	   1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar

       In a small mixer bowl beat together the	1 cup powdered
       sugar and cream cheese until fluffy.  Beat in the vanilla.
       If necessary, beat in enough milk (about	2 tsps)	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 until 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 Tbsps cornstarch
       1 cup water	    2 squares (2-ozs) German sweet chocolate, cut up
       1 1/2 tsps vanilla

       In a small saucepan combine the sugar, cornstarch and dash
       salt.  Stir in water and	chocolate.  Cook; stir until
       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 until slightly	cooled and of
       spreading consistency.  Spread glaze over top and sides of
       cake.  Chill cake until set.  Makes 1 1/2 cups glaze.