Recipe Social
▶ Watch this video on YouTube ↗

Original video by @PreppyKitchen — all credit to the creator. Full write-up on their site ↗

Preppy Kitchen

Devil's Food Cake

A deeply chocolatey layer cake that's rich, moist, and fudgy, with a tender crumb that melts in your mouth. Dutch-processed cocoa and hot coffee push the chocolate flavor over the top, and a generous coat of chocolate buttercream seals the deal.

⏱ 60 min12Americanchocolatecakedessertbakinglayer cake

Ingredients

  • 2 cupsall-purpose flour · 240g
  • 2 teaspoonsbaking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoonbaking powder
  • 1 teaspoonsalt
  • 1/2 cupunsalted butter · room temperature (113g)
  • 1 cupDutch-processed cocoa powder · sifted (100g)
  • 1/2 cupvegetable oil · 120ml
  • 1 1/2 cupsgranulated sugar · 300g
  • 1/2 cuplight brown sugar · packed (110g)
  • 3large eggs · room temperature
  • 1 tablespoonvanilla extract
  • 1 cupwhole milk · room temperature (240ml)
  • 1/2 cupsour cream · room temperature (120g)
  • 1 cuphot coffee · 240ml
  • —Chocolate buttercream · for frosting the cake

Steps

  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, or lightly spray with baking spray, and line the bottoms with parchment paper. (Bake these layers without baking strips wrapped around the pans.)

  2. 2

    In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

  3. 3

    Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a large bowl with a handheld mixer. Beat on medium speed until creamy.

  4. 4

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and oil. Add it to the butter along with the granulated and brown sugars. Beat on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl a few times.

  5. 5

    With the mixer running, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla.

  6. 6

    With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the flour mixture, then half of the milk and half of the sour cream. Continue alternating with another third of the flour, the rest of the milk and sour cream, and the remaining flour. Scrape down the bowl and mix once more if needed to incorporate all of the flour.

  7. 7

    Add the hot coffee and carefully whisk until well combined. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.

  8. 8

    Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the cakes start to pull away from the sides of the pans and the centers spring back when gently pressed.

  9. 9

    Let the cakes cool completely in the pans, then carefully invert them and remove the parchment paper. The cakes are very tender and delicate, so be gentle.

  10. 10

    Place one cake layer on a cake stand and spread about 3/4 cup of frosting over the top. Set the remaining layer on top and spread the rest of the frosting all over the outside of the cake.

Creator's notes

The assembled cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.

More from Preppy Kitchen

All recipes →