Devil’s Food Cake

Whatever the occasion, chocolate cake will always deliver joy and comfort! This Devil’s Food Cake is an all-American classic for good reason, so if you feel like baking and celebrating this weekend (we certainly do), whip up this easy recipe and treat you and yours to a party on a plate.

 

Chocolate Cake

½ cup buttermilk
4 ounces semisweet chocolate callets (Callebaut)
1 stick butter, cut into pieces
1 cup water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp sea salt
2 cups superfine (caster) or sugar (or for a richer flavor, use muscovado)
2 large organic eggs
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (Nielsen-Massey)

Chocolate Frosting

1½ cups superfine or muscovado sugar
1 cup heavy (double) cream
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate callets
1 stick butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp vanilla bean paste (Nielsen-Massey)

 


 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C/Gas mark 4. Grease two 8-inch (20.5-cm) round cake pans and dust with flour, then tap out the excess.

2.Melt the chocolate and butter with water in a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (bain-marie), whisking until smooth. Cool slightly.

3. In a mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

4. Beat the sugar into the chocolate mixture. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla.

5. Add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Add the buttermilk and beat on high speed for 2 minutes.

6. Divide the batter evenly between the 2 cake pans. Bake in the middle of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes. The sponges should be springy to your gentle touch and the edges should be just starting to pull away from the pans.

7. Leave the cakes to cool in the pans for a few minutes, then run your palette knife around the edges before turning the cakes out onto cooling racks.

8. To make the frosting, in a heavy saucepan, bring the sugar and cream to the boil, stirring constantly, and simmer for 10 minutes.

9. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Keep stirring until smooth.

10.Transfer to a bowl and cool the frosting to room temperature, stirring occasionally.

11. Chill the frosting until thickened and spreadable.

12. To assemble the cake, layer the sponges with the frosting before coating the entire cake with a generous layer of frosting. Leave rustic from your palette knife or smooth with a scraper. You can also add shards of extra dark chocolate for added decadence.

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