Devils Food Cake With Chocolate Spiders Web

THE BEST DEVILS FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and lightly flour (2) 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
• Stir in coffee, oil, and buttermilk and mix just until combined.
• Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
• Pour batter into prepared baking pans.
• Bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes. (may need more or less time)
• Let cakes cool in pans until pans are cool enough to touch, and then remove cakes and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
• While cakes are cooling, prepare frosting by creaming the butter with a mixer in a medium bowl.
• Slowly add powdered sugar until the mixture is thick and combined.
• Mix in heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract.
• Mix on medium speed, for 2-3 minutes or until frosting is light and fluffy.
• Frost cooled cakes using an offset spatula.
• Store cakes in an airtight cake container.

OLD-FASHIONED DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Spray two 9-inch round baking pans with non-stick baking pray. Line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment paper. Then spray the parchment paper with non-stick baking spray. Set aside.
• In a large bowl sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Gradually add in both sugars, one at a time, and beat until the sugar has been incorporated into the butter. Then increase the speed to high and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. You may need to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl once in a while to ensure no butter is getting stuck.
• Add in the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add in the vanilla extract and beat until combined.
• In a spouted measuring cup, combine the oil and sour cream.
• On the lowest speed setting available, add the flour in three additions, alternating with the sour cream mixture, in two addition, beating until just combined! You should still see the lightest trail of dry ingredients when you stop the mixer.
• Pour in the hot coffee and let the mixture sit, undisturbed, for 30 seconds. Then, using a rubber spatula, gently stir until the batter is just evenly combined.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans (around 850 grams per pan) and smooth the tops with a rubber spatula.
• Bake in preheated oven for 38 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs attached.
• Place the cakes, in the pans, on a wire rack and cool for 20 minutes. Then invert the cakes onto the rack and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
• Finely chop the chocolate using a large chef's knife. Place the chopped chocolate into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
• In a small saucepan heat the cream and corn syrup over medium-high heat until the mixture comes just short of a rolling boil. Remove the pan from heat and pour over the chopped chocolate.
• Allow the mixture to sit, undisturbed, for 2 minutes. Then, using a rubber spatula or metal spoon, gently stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth and glossy. Stir in the vanilla.
• With the mixer on medium-speed, add in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, and not adding more until the first addition has been completely incorporated into the frosting. Beat in the salt.
• Refrigerate the frosting, loosely covered, for about 1 hour, or until it's firm enough to spread. Frosting may be made up to 24 hours in advance and stored, covered, in the fridge. You'll need to let it come to room temperature before using.
• Using a long, serrated knife, slice off the domed top of each cake layer so it is smooth and even. Then slice each cake in half horizontally, so that you have 4 even layers. Set all of the cake scraps aside, we'll use those later to decorate!
• Place one cake layer on a large plate or cake stand. Spread 1/2 cup of the frosting on top of the cake, covering it completely. Then top with another cake layer, and repeat the layering process, ending with the last cake layer on top. Spread all remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
• Using your hands, crumble up the remaining cake scraps until they're in fine crumbs. Pat the crumbs gently around the sides of the cake. You might have leftovers, which you may discard or enjoy as a snack!
• Allow the cake to set for 20 minutes before slicing. Then serve, or store, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving!

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE SPIDERWEB

Steps:

• Make cake:
• Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds. Butter cake pans, then line bottoms with rounds of parchment paper. Dust pans with flour, knocking out excess.
• Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl.
• Whisk together boiling-hot water and cocoa in another bowl until smooth, then whisk in milk and vanilla.
• Beat butter and sugars with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.
• Divide batter among pans, smoothing tops. Bake, switching position of pans halfway through, until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean and cakes begin to pull away from sides of pans, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool cakes in pans on racks 20 minutes, then turn out onto racks to cool completely.
• Make decorations while cake layers cool:
• Trace a 9-inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper, then draw a spiderweb inside circle. Next to web, draw a 2-to 3-inch spider. Turn drawings over onto a baking sheet.
• Melt chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring. Cool slightly, then transfer to pastry bag. Pipe chocolate onto web, beginning with spokes, and onto spider on parchment, then freeze until firm, about 1 hour.
• Make frosting:
• Put frosting ingredients in a heatproof large bowl set over a pot of simmering water. Beat with handheld mixer at low speed until mixture is warm and sugar has dissolved. Continue to beat at high speed until thick and fluffy, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and beat frosting until cooled slightly, 5 to 10 minutes more.
• Assemble cake:
• Place a cake layer on a serving plate. Spread top with some of frosting. Top with another cake layer and spread with some of frosting, then top with final cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.
• Cut off portion of parchment with spider and reserve. Invert web on parchment onto cake and carefully peel off paper. Peel off parchment from spider and put spider on web. Let cake stand at room temperature until chocolate decorations have softened.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE SPIDER'S WEB

Steps:

• Make cake layers:
• Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease three 9-inch round cake pans and line each bottom with a round of wax paper. Grease paper and dust pans with flour, knocking out excess flour.
• In a bowl whisk boiling water into cocoa until smooth and whisk in milk and vanilla.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy and beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Into another bowl sift together flour, baking soda, and salt and add to egg mixture in batches alternately with cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating well after each addition.
• Divide batter among pans, smoothing tops, and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through baking, 20 to 25 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean and layers begin to pull away from sides of pans.
• Cool layers in pans on racks 10 minutes and turn out onto racks to cool completely. Cake layers may be made ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room teperature 2 days or frozen 1 week.
• Make chocolate web and spider:
• On a sheet of parchment paper draw an 11-inch circle with a pen or pencil and draw a spider web on it, extending some of ends beyond circle (see drawing). Tear off a large corner of the paper and on it draw a spider (see drawing). Turn drawings over onto a large baking sheet.
• In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water melt chocolate chips, stirring until smooth. Transfer chocolate to a pastry bag fitted with a #3 plain tip (slightly smaller than 3/4 inch). (Alternatively, form a makeshift pastry bag: Transfer chocolate to a small sealable plastic bag and seal bag, pressing out excess air. Squeeze chocolate to one corner of bag and snip off about 1/8 inch from corner, making a small hole.)
• Pipe chocolate on web, beginning with spokes, and on spider. Freeze web and spider on baking sheet until very firm, at least 1 hour and up to 1 day.
• Make coffee meringue frosting:
• In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water beat frosting ingredients with a hand-held electric mixer on low speed until mixture is warm and sugar is dissolved. Beat frosting on high speed 7 minutes, or until thick and fluffy. Remove bowl from heat and beat frosting until slightly cooled.
• Assemble cake:
• Put a cake layer on a serving plate and spread top with some frosting. Top with another cake layer and spread top with more frosting. Top with remaining cake layer and frost cake with remaining frosting.
• Working quickly, invert paper with frozen web onto another sheet of parchment or wax paper and peel off paper quickly but carefully. invert spider web carefully onto cake and let soften at room temperature until overhanging edges begin to droop. press overhang gently against side of cake. Cake may be assembled and decorated 4 hours ahead and kept in a cake keeper, chilled. Let cake stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving.
• Just before serving, peel chocolate spider from paper and put on cake.

THE ONLY CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE YOU'LL EVER NEED! (DEVIL'S FOOD)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add oil, coffee and milk and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat 2 more minutes. Expect batter to be thin.
• Pour into a 9" x 13" greased and floured pan or 2- 9" round pans. Bake 9 x 13 pan for about 45 minutes or 9" pans for about 30 minutes. Cool in pans for about 15 minutes and then cool completely on racks.
• While cake is cooling make the icing: Combine the milk and flour in a saucepan and cook over low heat until thick, whisking constantly. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
• In a medium bowl, beat butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add chilled milk and flour mixture and beat for 10 minutes. Frost cooled cake and enjoy! The frosting sounds intimidating, but it is worth it! By the way, for some reason, we prefer this cake chilled, right out of the refrigerator. The rich chocolate and cool frosting just seem to taste best this way.