Devil's Food Cake: An Irresistibly Rich and Decadent Chocolate Cake

If you’re a true chocolate enthusiast, prepare to be captivated by the sinfully delicious Devils Food Cake. This isn’t just any chocolate cake; it’s a deeply decadent experience, boasting an intensely rich chocolate flavor, a melt-in-your-mouth moistness, and a delightfully fudgy texture. Crowned with a luscious chocolate buttercream frosting, this devils food cake recipe is guaranteed to elevate any occasion into a celebration of chocolate indulgence.

For those who adore chocolate cake but crave something even more intense and satisfying, devils food cake is the answer. Each bite of this masterpiece is incredibly soft and seems to dissolve in your mouth, leaving behind a trail of pure chocolate bliss. The cake strikes the perfect balance – dense enough to be substantial, yet tender enough to be utterly irresistible.

This classic devils food cake recipe is destined to become a favorite. Whether it’s a party, a holiday gathering, or simply a special treat for yourself, this cake is always a crowd-pleaser. With just a handful of readily available ingredients, you can effortlessly create this extraordinary chocolate dessert in your own kitchen. And if you’re eager to explore more chocolatey delights, be sure to check out our recipes for chocolate bundt cake, chocolate soufflé, and chocolate mousse!

What Sets Devil’s Food Cake Apart?

Devils food cake distinguishes itself from ordinary chocolate cake through a few key ingredients and techniques that contribute to its unique character:

Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder: The use of Dutch-process cocoa powder is paramount. This type of cocoa is treated with an alkali solution, which reduces its acidity. This process not only imparts a smoother, less bitter chocolate flavor but also deepens the cocoa’s color, giving devils food cake its signature dark hue.
Coffee Enhancement: The addition of hot coffee might seem unexpected, but it’s a secret weapon in enhancing the chocolate flavor. Don’t worry, the cake won’t taste like coffee! Instead, the coffee intensifies the chocolate notes, making them richer and more pronounced.
Moisture-Boosting Ingredients: Devils food cake recipes often call for both oil and butter, creating a cake that’s exceptionally moist. Brown sugar further contributes to moisture and adds a subtle molasses undertone. Sour cream is another crucial ingredient, adding tenderness and moisture while also activating the baking soda for a perfect rise.
Leavening Balance: The ratio of baking soda to baking powder in devils food cake is carefully balanced. The slightly higher amount of baking soda compared to baking powder contributes to the cake’s characteristic dark color and slightly fluffier texture, setting it apart from standard chocolate cakes.

Essential Ingredients for Your Devil’s Food Cake

Here’s what you’ll need to gather to bake this incredible devils food cake:

Unsalted Butter: Ensure your butter is at room temperature for easy creaming, leading to a light and airy cake. Unsalted butter allows you to control the salt level precisely.
Dutch-Process Cocoa Powder: Absolutely essential for the deep color and rich, smooth chocolate flavor that defines devils food cake.
Vegetable Oil: Contributes significantly to the cake’s moist texture.
Granulated & Brown Sugar: A combination for sweetness, moisture, and a hint of molasses from the brown sugar.
Eggs: Room temperature eggs emulsify better into the batter, creating a smoother texture.
Vanilla Extract: Enhances the overall flavor profile.
Sour Cream: Adds moisture, tenderness, and activates baking soda. Full-fat sour cream is recommended for the best results.
Milk: Adds moisture and helps to create the right batter consistency.
Hot Coffee: Intensifies the chocolate flavor. Brew it fresh for the best aroma.
All-Purpose Flour: The base of the cake, providing structure.
Baking Soda & Baking Powder: Leavening agents that ensure the cake rises properly. Make sure they are fresh for optimal results.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting: Whether homemade or store-bought, a rich chocolate buttercream is the classic frosting choice for devils food cake. For a truly decadent experience, try our chocolate buttercream frosting recipe.

Baking Your Devil’s Food Cake: Step-by-Step Instructions

Let’s walk through the simple steps to create your own sensational devils food cake:

Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Sifting ensures there are no lumps and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Combine Cocoa and Oil: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the Dutch-process cocoa powder and vegetable oil until smooth. This creates a paste that intensifies the chocolate flavor.
Cream Butter and Sugars: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the room temperature unsalted butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and light brown sugar to the butter. Beat on medium speed until the mixture becomes very light and fluffy. This process incorporates air, which is crucial for a tender cake.
Incorporate Eggs and Vanilla: With the mixer running, add the room temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to ensure proper emulsification. Scrape down the bowl as needed to ensure everything is evenly mixed. Beat in the vanilla extract.
Alternate Wet and Dry Ingredients: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add one-third of the sifted flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined. Then, add half of the room temperature milk and half of the room temperature sour cream, mixing until incorporated. Repeat, alternating between the remaining flour mixture and the remaining milk and sour cream, until everything is just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage.
Add Hot Coffee: Gradually pour in the hot coffee and carefully whisk until the batter is well combined and smooth. The batter will be quite liquidy – this is normal.
Bake: Pour the batter evenly into your prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it, and the cakes start to pull away slightly from the sides of the pans.

Cool and Frost: Let the cakes cool in the pans for about 15-20 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once the cakes are completely cool, you can level the tops if needed using a serrated knife. If desired, slice each cake layer horizontally to create thinner layers. Assemble the cake by placing a layer on a cake stand, spreading with chocolate buttercream frosting, and repeating with the remaining layers. Frost the entire cake with the remaining frosting.

Expert Tips for Baking the Perfect Devil’s Food Cake

To ensure your devils food cake turns out flawlessly, keep these pro tips in mind:

Level Cake Layers: If your cake layers dome during baking, use a serrated knife to gently trim the tops flat after they’ve cooled. This will make stacking and frosting much easier and more stable. Alternatively, use cake strips wrapped around your cake pans to promote even baking and prevent doming.
Avoid Over-Mixing: Over-mixing the batter can develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in a tough and dense cake. Mix until just combined at each stage.
Measure Flour Accurately: For the best results, use a kitchen scale to measure your flour. If you’re using cups, spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off with a knife, instead of scooping directly from the bag, which can pack the flour and lead to using too much.
Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Room temperature butter and eggs emulsify into the batter more smoothly, creating a more homogenous and tender cake. If you forgot to take your eggs out of the fridge, you can quickly warm them by placing them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for a few minutes.
Don’t Skip Sifting Cocoa Powder: Sifting the Dutch-process cocoa powder is important to remove any lumps and ensure it mixes smoothly with the oil, preventing any clumps in your batter.
Watch for Doneness: Be careful not to overbake the cake. Start checking for doneness around 40 minutes with a toothpick. It should come out with a few moist crumbs attached, not completely clean, which indicates overbaking.

Frequently Asked Questions About Devil’s Food Cake

What’s the difference between Devil’s Food Cake and regular Chocolate Cake? While both are chocolate flavored, devils food cake is generally richer, darker, and has a more pronounced chocolate flavor compared to a standard chocolate cake recipe. The use of Dutch-process cocoa and coffee, along with a slightly different ratio of leavening agents, contributes to these distinctions.
How does Devil’s Food Cake differ from Red Velvet Cake? Although both have a reddish hue and are often mistaken for each other, they are distinct. Devils food cake uses Dutch-process cocoa for its deep chocolate flavor, while red velvet cake traditionally uses natural cocoa and buttermilk and vinegar for a tangy flavor and reddish color.
Why is it called “Devil’s Food Cake”? The name “Devil’s Food Cake” emerged in the late 19th or early 20th century, likely as a counterpoint to the light and airy “angel food cake.” The “devil” moniker refers to its rich, dark, and decadent nature – considered “sinful” due to its intense deliciousness!
How should I store Devil’s Food Cake? Frosted devils food cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week. If refrigerating, allow it to come to room temperature before serving for the best texture.
Can I freeze Devil’s Food Cake? Yes, devils food cake freezes well. For unfrosted cake layers, wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and then in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting. For frosted slices, flash freeze them individually before wrapping to prevent the frosting from sticking to the wrap.
Can I use regular cocoa powder instead of Dutch-process? While Dutch-process cocoa is recommended for the authentic devils food cake flavor and color, you can use regular unsweetened cocoa powder in a pinch. The flavor and color will be slightly different, and the cake might rise a bit more, but it will still be delicious.

Indulge in More Irresistible Chocolate Desserts!

If you’ve fallen in love with this devils food cake, you’re in for a treat! Explore more of our decadent chocolate dessert recipes for your next baking adventure.

[Link to Chocolate Bundt Cake]
[Link to Chocolate Souffle]
[Link to Chocolate Mousse]

This devils food cake recipe is more than just a cake; it’s an experience. Its intense chocolate flavor, incredibly moist crumb, and decadent frosting make it the perfect dessert for any chocolate lover. Bake up a devils food cake and prepare to be utterly enchanted!

If you’ve tried this Devil’s Food Cake recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!

Devil’s Food Cake Recipe

Rich, soft, and moist, this Devil’s Food Cake is a decadent dessert. Perfect for any occasion, this fudgy chocolate cake will melt in your mouth.

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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 611kcal
Author: John Kanell

Equipment

Electric or stand mixer
Mixing Bowls
9-inch round cake pans
Parchment paper

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (240g)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
1 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, sifted (100g)
½ cup vegetable oil (120ml)
1½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
½ cup packed light brown sugar (110g)
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream, room temperature (120g)
1 cup milk, room temperature (120ml)
1 cup hot coffee (240ml)
Chocolate buttercream frosting

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, or lightly spray with baking spray, and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add the butter. Beat on medium speed until creamy. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder and oil. Add to the butter along with the sugars. Beat on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping to scrape down the bowl a few times during mixing.
With the mixer running, add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stop to scrape down the bowl as needed throughout mixing. Beat in vanilla.
With the mixer on low speed, add a third of the flour mixture followed by half of the milk and half of the sour cream. Continue alternating between the flour, milk, and sour cream until combined. Scrape down the bowl. Add the hot coffee and carefully whisk together until well combined. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans.
Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the cakes are starting to pull away from the sides of the pans and the center springs back when gently pressed. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans. Carefully invert the cakes and remove the parchment paper. (The cakes are very tender and delicate so be gentle.)

For the Assembly:

If desired, cut each cake layer in half horizontally, creating 4 thin rounds. Place a cake layer on a cake stand, spread about ¾ cup of frosting over the top. Repeat with the remaining cake layers. Spread the remaining frosting all over the outside of the cake. The assembled cake can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Recipe Notes

If the tops of your cakes are domed, use a sharp serrated knife to cut off the domes so you can stack them. Alternatively, you can use cake strips to help your layers come out evenly.
Avoid over-mixing as you risk over-developing the gluten in the batter leading to a tough, dry, and dense cake.
I highly recommend using a scale to measure your flour as it’s the most accurate method.
Bring the eggs to room temperature, so they mix into the batter more effortlessly.
Don’t skip sifting the cocoa powder.
Be careful not to overbake the cake layers. You can use a toothpick and poke it into the middle of the cake to test for doneness.

Nutrition

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Devil’s Food Cake: An Irresistibly Rich and Decadent Chocolate Cake