The Ultimate Devils Food Cake

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE I

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease and flour one 9x13 inch pan or two 9 inch round pans.
• In a small pan melt the butter or margarine with the unsweetened chocolate. Set aside to cool slightly.
• Cream together the sugar and the eggs until light in color. Add the chocolate mixture to the eggs and temper mixture by beating well (so you don't end up with scrambled eggs!) Add 1 cup boiled water (still warm) and blend well. Mixture will be very liquid.
• Mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add this mixture to the chocolate mixture and blend well.
• Mix together the vinegar and the milk and stir into the chocolate batter. Pour into prepared pan(s).
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cake divides well for filling with mousse, or ganache, or black forest fillings. The best clue to this cake being nearly done is that you will start to smell the aroma of chocolate filling your house!

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

Steps:

• To make the frosting: Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate, move the bowl gently to let the cream settle. Set the mixture aside until softened, about 4 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Cover the surface of the frosting with plastic wrap. Set aside and let set up at room temperature, about 2 hours.
• To make the cake: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with a circle of parchment or wax paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and slowly add the sugar. Continue beating until light and smooth, about 4 minutes. Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla and beat at medium speed for 1 minute more. (Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl again, if needed.) With the mixer running at medium-low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Combine the water and milk in a saucepan and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat.
• With the mixer at low speed, add the flour mixture, about a 1/4 cup at a time. Carefully pour the hot liquid into the batter. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a large rubber spatula, finish combining the batter until smooth. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Lightly drop each pan onto the counter to settle the batter.
• Set the pans on the middle rack in the oven. Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans and the center springs back when touched lightly, about 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool the cakes, in the pans, on a rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake layers out of the pans and cool on the rack. (If not assembling the cake right away, wrap the layers in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 1 day, or freeze for up to 2 months.)
• Assemble the Devil's Food Cake. Place 1 cake layer upside-down on a cake stand or flat plate. Scoop about 1/3 of the icing onto the center of the layer. Using a large, offset spatula, spread the icing evenly over the layer to the edges. Place the other cake layer, rounded-side up, on top. Evenly spread half of the remaining icing over the top, spreading any excess icing down the sides. Spread the remaining icing around the sides of the cake. Use the tip of the offset spatula to make a swirling pattern in the icing. Serve. Store under a cake dome or loosely wrapped with plastic, at room temperature, for up to 2 days.
• Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, GP. All rights reserved

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 C.
• In a mixing bowl whisk together the cocoa powder, instant coffee, and hot water. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together.
• Add the butter, oil and the vanilla extract, eggs and coffee mixture and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes or until smooth.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two greased 8-inch/20cm round pans and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Take the pans out and put them on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes, before turning the cakes out to cool.

MOIST DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Adjust oven rack to upper- and lower-middle positions; heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Grease three 8-inch pans, line bottom of each pan with parchment paper round, grease agin and flour.
• Combine chocolate and cocoa in medium bowl; pour boiling water over and whisk until smooth.
• Sift together flours, baking soda, and salt onto large bowl and set aside.
• Place butter in bowl of standing mixer and beat at medium-high speed until creamy, about 1 minute.
• Add brown sugar and beat on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
• Stop mixer and scrape down bowl.
• Increase speed to medium-high and add eggs one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each addition.
• Reduce speed to medium; add sour cream and vanilla and beat until combined, about 10 seconds.
• Stop mixer and scrape down bowl.
• With mixer on low, add about one third of flour mixture, followed by about one half of chocolate mixture.
• Repeat, ending with flour mixture; beat until just combined, about 15 seconds.
• Do not overbeat.
• Remove bowl from mixer; scrape bottom and sides of bowl and mix gently to be certain all ingredients are combined.
• Divide batter evenly among cake pans, smooth batter to edges of pan with angled spatula.
• If baking three 8-inch cakes, place two pans on lower-middle rack and one on upper-middle rack.
• Bake until skewer inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 23 minutes for 8-inch cakes.
• Cool on wire rack 15 to 20 minutes.
• Run knife around pan perimeter to loosen.
• Invert cakes onto large plate; peel off parchment, and reinvert onto lightly greased rack.
• Cool completely before frosting.

HOMEMADE DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• In the top of a double boiler, combine cocoa and 1 cup sugar. Beat 1 egg; add to double boiler. Add 1 cup milk; cook until thick and smooth. Set aside to cool. , Meanwhile, cream shortening and remaining sugar in a large bowl. Add remaining eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. , Sift together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternately with remaining milk to creamed mixture. Add vanilla and cooled cocoa mixture; beat thoroughly. Pour into two greased 8- or 9-in. round baking pans. , Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool. Frost with your favorite seven-minute or fudge icing.

DEVIL'S-FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• To make the cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and lightly flour 2 8-inch-round cake pans. Place the cocoa, 3 tablespoons of sugar and the water in a small pan and cook over low heat until smooth and blended. Remove from the heat and stir in the milk; set aside.
• Cream the butter, add the vanilla and 1/2 cup of sugar and beat until light. Beat in the yolks and then gradually add the cocoa mixture. Mix well. Mix the flour, cream of tartar, salt and baking soda, add to the first mixture and blend just until smooth.
• Beat the egg whites until foamy. Slowly add the remaining sugar and beat until the whites are stiff but not dry. Fold the whites into the batter. Spread in the pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes before turning out onto racks.
• To make the frosting, stir together all the ingredients except the vanilla in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil and cook, stirring vigorously, for 1 minute. Let cool completely. Add the vanilla and beat until thick. Frost the cake.

DECADENT DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Cake:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottoms of two 9-inch cake pans with circles of was paper and then grease the pans with cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, pour the boiling water over the 6 oz. of semisweet chocolate. Set aside for a few minutes. Once the chocolate is thoroughly melted, add the cocoa and stir until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and half of the chocolate mixture. Beat on low speed to combine, and then on high for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the remaining chocolate mixture and beat till combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pans for 20 minutes before removing (or they will fall apart). Invert the cakes onto wire racks to cool completely before assembling and frosting.
• Frosting:
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar and cocoa. Beat 1/3 of the sugar-cocoa mixture into the butter. Mix in the vanilla. Add the rest of the sugar-cocoa mixture alternately with the milk and beat until frosting is smooth. Assemble the cake.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment.
• Combine the chocolate, cocoa and instant coffee. Pour the hot water over to melt; let sit 2 to 3 minutes and then whisk until smooth.
• Add the sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt into mixer bowl and mix on low with the paddle attachment to combine.
• Add the buttermilk to the chocolate mixture to cool it slightly more.
• Whisk together the oil, eggs and vanilla.
• Add the chocolate and wet ingredients to the dry. Turn the mixer on low and combine until the dry is moistened. Raise the mixer speed to medium and beat for 2 minutes, scraping halfway through.
• Scrape into pans and bake until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, 25 to 30 minutes. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 15 minutes, and then turn onto a rack to cool. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.

DEVILS FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, soda, cocoa, and salt into a large mixing bowl.
• Stir in the sugar.
• Lightly beat the eggs, milk and vanilla.
• Add to the mixing bowl, then add the oil and coffee.
• Beat until a smooth batter is formed.
• Pour batter into a greased and lined 23cm square tin.
• The batter will be thin.
• Bake at 180°C degrees for about 1 hour or until the cake springs back when lightly touched.
• Leave in tin 5 minutes before turning on to a cooling rack.
• When cold dust with icing sugar or ice with your favourite frosting.

MOIST DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange two racks in center of oven. Butter three 8-by-2-inch round cake pans; line bottoms with parchment. Dust bottoms and sides of pans with cocoa powder; tap out any excess. Sift cocoa into a medium bowl, and whisk in boiling water. Set aside to cool.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter on low speed until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar until light and fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, scraping down sides twice. Beat in vanilla. Drizzle in eggs, a little at a time, beating between each addition until the batter is no longer slick, scraping down the sides twice.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk milk into reserved cocoa mixture. With mixer on low speed, alternately add flour and cocoa mixtures to the batter, a little of each at a time, starting and ending with flour mixture.
• Divide batter evenly among the three prepared pans. Bake until a cake tester inserted into center of each layer comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes, rotating the pans for even baking. Transfer layers to wire racks; let cool, 15 minutes. Turn out cakes, and return to racks, tops up, until completely cool.
• Remove parchment from bottoms of cakes. Reserve the prettiest layer for the top. Place one cake layer on a serving platter; spread 1 1/2 cups chocolate frosting over the top. Add the second cake layer, and spread with another 1 1/2 cups frosting. Top with third cake layer. Cover outside of cake with the remaining 3 cups frosting. Serve.

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.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Grease three 8-inch round cake pans with butter or nonstick cooking spray and set aside. (Alternatively, you can use two 9-inch round pans, or prepare cupcake pans or other cake pans as directed.)
• Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a mixing bowl and set aside.
• Whip the sugar, buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until all the ingredients have blended together, about 30 seconds. (If a standing mixer is not available, the batter can be whisked by hand in a large mixing bowl for about 1 minute.)
• Add approximately half the flour mixture and mix on low speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Repeat with the remaining flour mixture. Remove the bowl from the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure that the flour is fully incorporated.
• Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans. The batter should come one-third or one-half the way up the sides of the pans.
• Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, rotating the pans once halfway through.
• When the centers of the cakes spring back to the touch, remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 to 10 minutes in their pans. (You can also test for doneness by inserting a toothpick or fork into the center of the cake and checking that it comes out clean.) Run an offset spatula or dull knife between the sides of the cakes and the pans and transfer the cakes right side up to a wire rack to bring them to room temperature.
• Once the cakes are at room temperature, ice as desired (see Icing a Cake, page 14). Uniced cakes can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 2 days before icing and serving, or frozen for up to 2 weeks. (Trim the layers flat before freezing them. Once frozen, the layers need to sit at room temperature for only 15 minutes before you start icing them, but allow 2 hours at room temperature for the cake to thaw fully before serving it.)