Devils Food Chocolate Cake (Print version)

An indulgent chocolate creation boasting rich cocoa layers with smooth, fluffy buttercream frosting.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch-processed preferred)
03 - 2 cups granulated sugar
04 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
06 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
09 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
10 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup boiling water

→ Chocolate Frosting

12 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
15 - 1/2 cup whole milk, plus more as needed
16 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
17 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line two 9-inch round pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - Add eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla to dry ingredients. Mix on medium speed until just combined.
04 - Reduce mixer speed to low, slowly add boiling water, and mix until smooth; batter will be thin.
05 - Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.
06 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
07 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
08 - Beat softened butter on medium-high speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and cocoa powder, beating until smooth.
09 - Add milk, vanilla, and salt to frosting mixture. Beat until fluffy and spreadable, adding extra milk if necessary.
10 - Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread frosting evenly on top. Add second layer and frost top and sides.
11 - Slice and serve immediately or store appropriately.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The boiling water trick makes the cake so moist it practically melts on your tongue, and once you understand why, you'll use it forever.
  • The frosting is silky and spreadable without being fluffy in that artificial way, and it tastes like actual chocolate, not sugar pretending to be chocolate.
  • It's elegant enough for a dinner party but forgiving enough that small mistakes won't ruin it.
02 -
  • The boiling water isn't a mistake—it blooms the cocoa and dissolves the sugar, which is why this cake is so moist and tender, so don't skip it and don't reduce it.
  • Room-temperature eggs and milk matter more than you think; they blend into the batter smoothly instead of creating little clumps that won't incorporate properly.
  • Don't frost the cake until it's completely cool, or the frosting will melt and slide off and you'll feel defeated.
03 -
  • If your frosting breaks or looks curdled when you add the milk, it's usually because the milk was too cold; let it come to room temperature and beat it in slowly.
  • Use an offset spatula for frosting—it's angled in a way that makes the job so much easier and gives you much cleaner lines than a regular knife.
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