Devil's Food Recipe
Make Devil's Food Recipe in just 1h 50m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Cake Batter
Chocolate Glaze (Optional) / Assembly
Method
Cake Batter
- 1
Prepare and preheat
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans (or line with parchment) and set aside. Bring the buttermilk and whole milk to room temperature if they were chilled.
- 2
Dry ingredients
In a large bowl, sift (or whisk) together the all-purpose flour (1.75 cups), unsweetened cocoa powder (0.75 cup), baking soda (1.5 tsp), baking powder (0.5 tsp), and fine salt (1 tsp). Stir in the granulated sugar (2 cups) until evenly combined.
- 3
Wet ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk (1 cup) with the whole milk (1/2 cup), eggs (2), vegetable oil (1/2 cup), and vanilla extract (2 tsp) until smooth.
- 4
Combine with hot coffee
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until mostly combined and no large streaks of flour remain. Gradually add the hot brewed coffee (3/4 cup) while stirring slowly; the batter will be thin — this is normal for Devil's Food. Scrape the bowl and ensure an even, smooth batter.
- 5
Bake
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake in the preheated oven for 28–35 minutes, rotating once halfway through, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
- 6
Cool
Allow the cakes to cool in their pans for 10–12 minutes. Run a knife around the edges, invert onto cooling racks, remove parchment if used, and let cool completely (about 1 hour) before glazing or stacking. If desired, brush the cake layers lightly with 2 Tbs espresso or strong coffee to enhance chocolate flavor.
Chocolate Glaze (Optional) / Assembly
- 7
Make the glaze
Place the chopped semisweet chocolate (6 oz) in a heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the unsalted butter (6 tbs) and heavy cream (1/4 cup) just until the butter melts and the mixture begins to steam; do not boil. Pour the hot butter/cream over the chopped chocolate and let sit for 1 minute, then stir until smooth. Whisk in powdered sugar (1 cup), cocoa powder (1 tbs), and fine sea salt (1/4 tsp) until glossy. If the glaze is too thick, add 1–2 teaspoons of warm milk or cream to reach a pourable consistency.
- 8
Assemble
If the cake layers have domed, level them with a serrated knife. Place one layer on a serving plate or cake board. If you brushed coffee, allow that to absorb first. Spread a thin layer of glaze over the first layer (or use a frosting of your choice) and place the second layer on top. Pour the remaining glaze over the top, using a spatula to smooth and let it drip down the sides for a classic finished look.
- 9
Set and serve
Let the glaze set at room temperature for 20–30 minutes (or chill briefly 10–15 minutes) before slicing. Serve at room temperature. Store any leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.