Paula Deen's Decadent Chocolate Layer Cake

Total Time: 6 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 6 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 (18 1/4 ounce) box chocolate cake mix
• 1/2 cup almond flavored liqueur
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons almond flavored liqueur
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 12 (1 ounce) semi-sweet chocolate baking squares, melted and cooled
• 6 cups confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons almond flavored liqueur

Recipe

• 1 for cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease and flour 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.
• 2 in large bowl, combine cake mix, liqueur, water, oil and eggs.
• 3 beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
• 4 pour evenly into prepared pans, and bake 28-30 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.
• 5 let cool in pans 10 minutes.
• 6 remove from pans and let cool completely on wire racks.
• 7 for almond-flavored cheesecake, preheat oven to 300 degrees.
• 8 line a 9-inch round baking pan with aluminum foil, letting edges of foil extend over sides of pan; lightly grease foil.
• 9 in large bowl, beat cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
• 10 add sugar, beating until smooth.
• 11 add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• 12 stir in sour cream and liqueur.
• 13 pour batter into prepared pan; bake 45 minutes.
• 14 turn oven off; leave cheesecake in oven with door closed for 1 hour.
• 15 let cool completely in pan on wire rack.
• 16 cover and chill for 4 hours.
• 17 using edges of foil as handles, remove cheesecake from pan.
• 18 gently remove foil from cheesecake.
• 19 for frosting, in large bowl, beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy.
• 20 add chocolate, beating until combined.