Devils Food White Out Layer Cake

DEVIL'S FOOD WHITE-OUT LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• For the Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Grease 2 8-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper (or see recipe #452719), and butter the top of the parchment paper (if using wax paper, do NOT butter the top of the paper or it will stick.).
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light. Beat in eggs one at a time, waiting until each is incorporated (1 minute per egg) to add the next, then beat in the vanilla and the melted chocolate.
• Combine buttermilk and water in a measuring cup. Working in two or three additions, alternate adding buttermilk mixture and flour mixture to the sugar mixture. Scrape sides to ensure batter is even. Stir in chocolate chips and divide batter into prepared pans.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Let cakes cool in their pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks and peel off parchment paper. Cool completely.
• Once cakes are cool, slice each in half. Three slices will be used for cake layers. One should be set aside and crumbled to make the topping.
• For the Frosting: Put the egg whites in to bowl of an electric mixer or a large bowl with a hand mixer nearby.
• Combine sugar, cream of tartar and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cool until syrup reaches 242 degrees F (using a candy thermometer).
• As syrup nears correct temperature, begin to beat egg whites to soft peaks. Slowly stream in the hot sugar syrup, followed by the vanilla extract. Beat for about 5 minutes after everything has been incorporated, or until frosting reaches room temperature.
• To Assemble: Place one layer of the chocolate cake on a cake stand or serving platter.
• Top with a generous amount of white frosting and spread into an even layer. Repeat with remaining two layers.
• Spread frosting down the sides of the cake and use a large, offset spatula to keep everything even. When the cake has been completely frosted, take the extra, crumbled cake layer and pat the crumbs into the sides of the cake (one option is up the sides and over the top, but left the center of the top white).
• Refrigerate for at least one hour and up to overnight before serving.

DEVIL'S FOOD WHITE-OUT CAKE

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Butter two 8-by-2-inch round cake pans, dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with parchment or wax paper. Put the pans on a baking sheet.
• To make the cake: Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugars and continue to beat for another 3 minutes. Add the eggs one by one, beating for 1 minute after each addition. Beat in the vanilla; don't be concerned if the mixture looks curdled. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the melted chocolate. When it is fully incorporated, add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, adding the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the milk in 2 (begin and end with the dry ingredients); scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and mix only until the ingredients disappear into the batter. At this point, the batter will be thick, like frosting. Still working on low speed, mix in the boiling water, which will thin the batter considerably. Switch to a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl and stir in the chopped chocolate. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops with the rubber spatula.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pans at the midway point. When fully baked, the cakes will be springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the centers will come out clean. Don't worry if the tops have a few small cracks. Transfer the cake pans to a rack and cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes, unmold them and peel off the paper liners. Invert and cool to room temperature right side up. (The cooled cake layers can be wrapped airtight and stored at room temperature overnight or frozen for up to 2 months.)
• When you are ready to fill and frost the cake, inspect the layers. If the cakes have crowned, use a long serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to even them. With the same knife, slice each layer horizontally in half. Set 3 layers aside and crumble the fourth layer; set the crumbs aside.
• To make the filling and frosting: Put the egg whites in a clean, dry mixer bowl or in another large bowl. Have a candy thermometer at hand.
• Put the sugar, cream of tartar and water in a small saucepan and stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, cover the pan and boil for 3 minutes. Uncover and allow the syrup to boil until it reaches 242 degrees on the candy thermometer. While the syrup is cooking, start beating the egg whites.
• When the syrup is at about 235 degrees, begin beating the egg whites on medium speed with the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer. If the whites form firm, shiny peaks before the syrup reaches temperature, reduce the mixer speed to low and keep mixing the whites until the syrup catches up. With the mixer at medium speed, and standing back slightly, carefully pour in the hot syrup, pouring it between the beater(s) and the side of the bowl. Splatters are inevitable - don't try to scrape them into the whites, just carry on. Add the vanilla extract and keep beating the whites at medium speed until they reach room temperature, about 5 minutes. You should have a smooth, shiny, marshmallowy frosting. Although you could keep it in the fridge in a pinch, it's really better to use it right now.
• To assemble the cake: Put a bottom layer cut side up on a cardboard cake round or on a cake plate protected by strips of wax or parchment paper. Using a long metal icing spatula, cover the layer generously with frosting. Top with a second layer, cut side up, and frost it. Finish with the third layer, cut side down, and frost the sides and top of the cake. Don't worry about smoothing the frosting - it should be swirly. Now, cover the entire cake with the chocolate cake crumbs, gently pressing the crumbs into the filling with your fingers.
• Refrigerate the cake for about 1 hour before serving. (If it's more convenient, you can chill the cake for 8 hours or more; cover it loosely and keep it away from foods with strong odors.)