Sour Cream Chocolate Cake 

1. Preheat oven to 350F(175C). Grease (3) 6” baking pans and line the base of each pan with 6” parchment paper circle cutouts.
2. Using a fine mesh sieve, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large mixing bowl. Alternatively, the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt can be added to a large mixing bowl and whisked to combine.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or with a hand-held electric mixer and large mixing bowl, add the oil and sugar. Mix ingredients at medium speed to combine, about 30-60 seconds. Next, mix in the sour cream into oil-sugar mixture.
4. Beat the eggs into wet batter one at a time allowing the initial egg to be fully incorporated into batter before mixing in the next egg. Next, mix in the vanilla extract into wet batter.
5. Reduce mixer speed to low. In an alternating fashion, starting and ending with the flour mixture, mix half of the flour mixture into wet batter, followed by all of the coffee and ending with the remaining flour mixture.
6. With a flexible spatula, scrape the sides and base of the mixing bowl.
7. Increase mixer speed to medium and mix chocolate cake batter for an additional minute. 
8. Equally divide batter into prepared baking pans and bake for 28-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the cakes comes out clean.
9. Cool chocolate cakes in pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature.

Whipped Chocolate Ganache Frosting

1. In a large bowl mixing, add the finely chopped chocolate.
2. Pour cream into a small saucepan and heat up under medium high heat until it starts to simmer. The goal here is to heat the cream to the point that it is hot but has not come to a full boil. Alternatively, cream may be heated in the microwave on high until hot but not boiled.
3. Pour heated cream over chocolate and allow mixture to sit untouched for 1 minute.
4. Whisk cream into melted chocolate in a circular motion starting in the center and moving outward until all of the cream has been mixed into the chocolate.
5. Rest chocolate ganache at room temperature whisking every 15-20 minutes until it has taken on a firm and thicken consistency. This can take anywhere from 1-3 hours. To fasten this process, chocolate ganache may be refrigerated until firm, about 1 hour. 
6. Using a hand-held mixer, whip chocolate ganache on medium high speed until it has doubled in size and looks light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Ganache will also have a lighter chocolate color. (Ganache may be transferred into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with whisk attached and whipped until it appears light and fluffy.) 

Assembly

1. Using a serrated knife or cake leveler, cut off the domed tops of cooled chocolate cakes.
2. With an offset spatula, spread a small amount (about 1 teaspoon) of the frosting in the center of a serving platter of choice.
3. Place the first layer of chocolate cake, top side up, in the center of the serving platter. 
4. Spoon a 1/3 of the frosting into the center of the cake and spread into an even layer with an offset spatula.  
5. Repeat this process with the second layer of chocolate cake. 
6. Place the final layer of chocolate cake, top side down, over frosting. 
7. Spoon remaining frosting over the top of the cake and spread out into an even layer. For a more rustic finish, use the back of a spoon to create a swoop effect in frosting.
8. Serve cake as is or top with fresh berries of choice.