Cheerwine Devils Food Cake

CHERRY DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• Combine cake mix, cherry pie filling, eggs, and oil in a large bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Beat at medium speed until a light and fluffy batter forms, about 2 minutes. Pour batter into prepared baking dish.
• Bake in preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 26 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Heat sugar, butter, and milk together in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add chocolate chips, and stir until dissolved. Set aside to cool and thicken to icing consistency, about 20 minutes.
• Poke holes in top of cake. Pour chocolate icing over cake, allowing it to run down edges of cake.

THE ULTIMATE DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment rounds; butter parchment. Stir together boiling water, cocoa, and chocolate in a bowl. Let cool 10 minutes. Whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, and salt in another bowl.
• In a mixing bowl, beat butter with sugar on medium-high until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in vanilla, then chocolate mixture. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture in two additions, alternating with sour cream, until just combined.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing tops with an offset spatula. Bake until a tester inserted in centers comes out with moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Let cakes cool in pans on a wire rack 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack, top-sides up; let cool completely. With a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes so they're level.
• Line the edges of a cake stand or plate with strips of parchment. Place one cake layer on stand, trimmed-side up, and spread 1 1/2 cups buttercream evenly over top. Top with remaining cake layer, trimmed-side down.
• Spread a thin layer of buttercream over top and sides. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes (this ensures a crumb-free finish). Spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides. Cake can be stored in refrigerator up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before serving.