Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

2 squares (2 oz) unsweetened chocolate
1 cup boiling water (250 ml)
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted (500 ml)
1/4 teaspoon salt (1 ml)
1 teaspoon baking soda (5 ml)
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel (15 ml)
1/2 cup butter (125 ml)
1 teaspoon vanilla (5 ml)
1-3/4 cups brown sugar, packed (437 ml)
2 eggs
1/2 cup dairy sour cream

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Grease a 9 x 5 x 3 inch baking pan.

2. Place chocolate in a small bowl. Add boiling water. Let cool.

3. Sift together flour, salt, and soda. Add grated lemon peel.

4. Cream together butter and vanilla, by hand or using an electric mixer until mixture is light and fluffy. Add brown sugar, continue beating until batter is creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add dry ingredients and sour cream alternately to beaten mixture, beat after each addition. Beat in chocolate water mixture.

5. Turn batter into prepared baking pan. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until cake is cooked.

6. Cool on a cake rack for 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Cool thoroughly.

Adapted from a recipe found in L'Encyclopédie de la Cuisine Canadienne (1963) by Mme. Jehane Benoit.