Devil’s Food Cake Recipe – Immaculate Bites

Sinfully decadent, gloriously rich, and melt-in-your-mouth devil’s food cake will totally satisfy any sweet tooth. Chocolate overload is a good thing, right? So celebrate anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and I-passed-by-the-gym-today in style.

The first time I tried a slice of this pure decadence, I wondered why they named it devil’s food. Duh!!! The joke is that it’s the exact opposite of angel food cake. That made so much sense that I thought I’d fall out of my chair laughing. Snow white, light, and fat-free against almost black, rich, and delightfully dense.

Baking brings back memories of being in the kitchen with my beloved Auntie. She taught me new tricks every time she visited. That definitely fueled my passion for cooking international comfort food. And this recipe has been a winner since the early 1900s, so I decided it was perfect to honor Women’s History Month.

Devil’s Food vs. Chocolate Cake

Much like the original red velvet cake, devil’s food cake has a deeper, reddish color, is moister, and is lighter. I’m no scientist, but neither can I deny the cool chemical reaction between the baking soda and Dutch-processed cocoa powder.

Blooming the cocoa powder in hot coffee gives you part of the liquid instead of the usual milk. The results are incredibly moist and fluffy with intense flavor (no coffee flavor). A traditional chocolate cake is amazing, but devil’s food cake is chocolate cake on steroids.

How to Make Devil’s Food Cake

1. Mix the dry ingredients, mix the hot coffee and melted butter, add the eggs and the rest of the ingredients, and mix well.

1. As soon as the batter is smooth (please avoid overmixing), pour it into the waiting cake pans, and bake.

1. Make the buttercream frosting by heating the cream to melt the chocolate, mixing well, then whipping in the butter.

1. As soon as the cakes cool and the frosting is smooth, frost and enjoy.

Recipe Notes

• Bloom cocoa powder in hot coffee first, then mix it with the butter for more intensity.
• Feel free to replace the coffee with hot water if you don’t have coffee. You could also use decaf for a lower-caffeine version.
• If you have baking chocolate instead of chocolate chips, break it up into small pieces and proceed with the recipe.

Making It Ahead

If not serving immediately, cover with a cake dome. It will last for 2 days at room temperature, up to a week in the fridge, or 4-5 months in the freezer.

If frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge, then bring it to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.

What to Enjoy With a Slice of Devil’s Food Cake

The most obvious is a steaming hot cup of coffee or a latte. But whipped cream and ice cream are also good. Fresh berries balance the rich chocolate flavor, and surprisingly, a very small sprinkle of smoked salt gives salted caramel vibes.

More Addictive Chocolate Desserts to Enjoy

By Imma

This blog post was originally published in March 2021 and has been updated with additional tips and gorgeous photos.

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Prep: 20 minutes mins

Cook: 40 minutes mins

Cooling Time: 15 minutes mins

Total: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

American

The Cake

• Preheat the oven to 325℉ (165℃). Line the bottom of two 9-inch or three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper, spritz with baking spray, and dust with cocoa powder. Set aside.

• Sift the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and set it aside.

• Mix the melted butter, coffee, and buttermilk at medium speed for 2 minutes, or until combined. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat for 2 more minutes.

• Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

• Cool them in the pans for about 15 minutes, carefully remove them, and cool completely on a wire rack.

Chocolate Buttercream

• While the cake is baking, place the dark and semi-sweet chocolate chips in a glass or stainless steel mixing bowl and set aside.

• In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream and corn syrup to a simmer. Remove from the heat and pour it over the chocolate.

• Let it stand for 2-3 minutes, then, starting in the center, whisk towards the edges of the bowl until the chocolate completely melts and becomes smooth. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.

• Whip the mixture at medium speed in a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, and gradually add the butter until the frosting is thick, smooth, and silky. A hand mixer will also work fine.

• Using a serrated bread knife, trim the tops of the cooled cake layers to level them. Place the first layer on a serving platter and spread ¾ cup of the chocolate buttercream on top. Place the second cake layer on top.

• Frost the entire cake with the remaining icing, swirling decoratively with your spatula. Slice and enjoy.

• The heat from the coffee will bloom the cocoa powder and create a smoother batter.
• To save time and an extra bowl, mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl, add the butter and hot coffee, and mix well. Then stir in the buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla extract.
• The butter for the frosting should be slightly cooler than room temperature, unless room temperature is 65℉° (20℃).
• If the chocolate in the frosting doesn’t melt thoroughly, microwave it for about 10 seconds, stir well, and repeat until smooth.
• Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the ingredients used in the recipe.

Serving: 1slice| Calories: 692kcal (35%)| Carbohydrates: 73g (24%)| Protein: 9g (18%)| Fat: 44g (68%)| Saturated Fat: 28g (175%)| Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g| Monounsaturated Fat: 11g| Trans Fat: 1g| Cholesterol: 118mg (39%)| Sodium: 311mg (14%)| Potassium: 391mg (11%)| Fiber: 6g (25%)| Sugar: 40g (44%)| Vitamin A: 1168IU (23%)| Vitamin C: 0.2mg| Calcium: 117mg (12%)| Iron: 4mg (22%)

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American