The Perfect Chocolate Cake

This is a recipe posted by my best friend. She is a gormet when it comes to desserts, so I had to pass it on. The frosting is really fudgey, if you like that.

Cake:
1 pkg. devil’s food cake mix w/pudding
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract.

Filling: (Sweetened Cream)
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract, or any other flavor you think would taste good

Frosting:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 cup butter cut into tablespoons
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

Instructions: (Cake)
1) Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans.
2) Place the cake mix, sour cream, water, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and then beat for 2 minutes more, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed. Divide the batter evenly into the three cake pans and place in the oven.
3) Bake the cakes for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the cakes from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Run a knife along the edges and turn the cakes out onto the racks. Cool for another 30 minutes.
4) Prepare the sweetened cream. Place one cake layer right side up an put 1/2 of the prepared cream in the middle. Smooth out the cream evenly, leaving 1/2 inch around the edge. Place another layer of cake on top of that, right side up. Smooth the rest of the cream evenly over that layer, leaving 1/2 inch around the edge. Place the 3rd layer on top. Cover the cake lightly with wax paper and place in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the frosting.
5) Prepare the frosting.
6) Spread the top and sides of the cake with the frosting.

Instructions: (Sweetened Cream)
1) Chill a large, clean mixing bowl and electric mixer beaters in the freezer for a few minutes while you assemble the ingredients.
2) Pour the cream into the chilled bowl, and beat with the electric mixer on high speed until it thickens, 1 1/2 minutes. Stop the machine and add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract. 3) Beat the cream on high speed until stiff peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes more.

Instructions: (Frosting)
1)Place a large mixing bowl full of ice in the kitchen sink.
2) Place the chocolate chips, half and half, and butter in a medium sized microwave safe bowl. Microwave on medium power for 5-6 minutes or until the mixture thickens, stopping every 1 minute to stir.
3) Whisk the confectioners’ sugar into the mixture until it becomes smooth. Then, place the bowl with the chocolate mixture into the bowl of ice, taking special care not to let any ice water spill into the saucepan. Beat the mixture with an electric mixer set on low speed until the frosting thickens and is satiny and fudge-like in appearance, about 5 minutes.
4) Spread on cake. Frosting will stiffen up as it sets.