Sour Cream Devils Food 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.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE-SOUR CREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter 2 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside. Bring 1 1/4 cups water and the milk to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and keep warm.
• Beat the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add the sugar, increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add the cocoa and vanilla, and beat at medium speed for 1 minute. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the eggs, one at a time, and beat for 1 minute between each addition. Reduce the mixer to low and beat in the flour in four additions. Carefully pour the hot milk mixture into the batter. Use a rubber spatula to stir until smooth. Evenly divide batter between the prepared pans and lightly tap the pans on the counter.
• Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from sides of the pan and the centers spring back to the touch, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert onto the rack and cool completely.
• For the frosting: Bring about 1-inch of water to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Put the milk and semisweet chocolates in a heatproof bowl that sits comfortably in the saucepan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate completely melts and is smooth. Let cool slightly and then stir in the sour cream, coffee and vanilla until smooth. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the frosting is silky and fluffy. (Use the frosting right away as it will become firm as it sits.)
• Put one cake layer on a serving plate or platter spread about one-third of the frosting all the way to the edge of the cake. Put the second cake layer on top. Frost the top and sides with the remaining frosting.

"TOP TIER" DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH SOUR CREAM-FUDGE FROSTING

Steps:

• Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter two 5-inch cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; butter parchment. Combine cocoa powder and milk chocolate in medium bowl. Pour 1/4 cup boiling water over; whisk until mixture is smooth. Whisk in buttermilk.
• Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in another medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat both sugars, oil, egg, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add flour and cocoa mixtures; beat until blended (batter will be thin). Divide batter between pans.
• Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached, 28 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks; peel off parchment. Turn over; cool on racks.
• Place chocolate in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Add butter and stir until melted, then add sour cream and corn syrup and whisk until smooth. Let frosting stand at room temperature until thick enough to spread, about 20 minutes.
• Using serrated knife, trim top of cakes to make level. Cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on platter. Spread 1/4 cup frosting over, leaving 1/2-inch border. Top with second cake layer, cut side down. Spread 1/4 cup frosting over, leaving 1/2-inch border. Top with third cake layer, cut side up. Spread 1/4 cup frosting over, leaving 1/2-inch border. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread 1/3 cup frosting over top and sides. Chill until frosting is set, about 30 minutes. Keep remaining frosting at room temperature.
• Spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.
• Arrange roses atop cake and serve.