Have you ever tried a new recipe and immediately KNEW it was going to be the best of that type you’d ever had/made? THIS is one of those recipes. I made this cake for Valentine’s Day. I took a picture of a piece before dinner and my husband says “Can I try a bite?” I turned around and the giant piece was almost finished off! I don’t normally like incredibly rich desserts, but this was so rich without being overly sweet. And VERY chocolatey. The recipe came from The Sweeter Side of Amy’s Bread. I made only a few minor adjustments. You should REALLY go buy this book. I love it. So, go make this for someone you love, and there will no way for them to doubt your devotion. : )
DEFINITELY DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE
5 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup plus 1 T sour cream
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 cups cake flour, sifted
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 large eggs
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray and flour 2 nine inch cake pans, line bottom of pans with a parchment liner.
Melt the chocolate (microwave is fine) and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, cocoa, and baking soda until it is a smooth paste. Very gradually add the boiling water, whisking until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, combine the cake flour and salt and whisk them together. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla.
Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until it is light and fluffy, 2 to3 minutes. Add the melted chocolate, which should be pourable but not too hot. Continue mixing until the chocolate is completely incorporated, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs gradually, mixing well after each addition.
Turn mixer down to medium-low and add the flour in 3 parts, alternating with the liquid mixture. Begin with the flour and end with the liquid. Mix until evenly incorporated. This is a very thin batter, so there isn’t much danger of over mixing it.
Divide batter into the 2 prepared pans. Bake for about 35 minutes. Cake should almost pull away from the edge of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center should have a few moist crumbs.
Cool in pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert on a rack sprayed with cooking spray. (top side up)
Cool completely before frosting.
CHOCOLATE SILK FROSTING
Because of the high percentage of solid chocolate, this cake keeps best at room temp. It will become hard in the fridge. (though still divine)
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
2 cups unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp kosher salt
Melt chocolate chips in double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside to cool. In another bowl, sift together the sugar and cocoa powder.
In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with a paddle attatchment, cream the butter at medium speed until it’s very light but not too soft, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar mixture and continue to mix on low speed until sugar and cocoa have been well incorporated.
Add the melted chocolate, vanilla, and salt and mix on medium speed until everything is incorporated and the frosting is smooth and has a good spreading consistency, 1 to 2 minutes. Be careful not to overmix or it will get too warm and runny. (If this happens, just firm up in fridge briefly.) It should be smooth, glossy, and soft enough to spread but still hold a stiff peak. Use immediately or stor in an airtight container at room temp and use within 3 days.
Ingredients
- 5 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped
- 1/2 cup plus 1 T sour cream
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 2 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups boiling water
- 2 cups cake flour, sifted
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 4 large eggs
- 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 1 3/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
CHOCOLATE SILK FROSTING
- 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 2 cups unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray and flour 2 nine inch cake pans, line bottom of pans with a parchment liner.
- Melt the chocolate (microwave is fine) and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sour cream, cocoa, and baking soda until it is a smooth paste. Very gradually add the boiling water, whisking until fully incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, combine the cake flour and salt and whisk them together. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla.
- Using an electric mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until it is light and fluffy, 2 to3 minutes. Add the melted chocolate, which should be pourable but not too hot. Continue mixing until the chocolate is completely incorporated, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the eggs gradually, mixing well after each addition.
- Turn mixer down to medium-low and add the flour in 3 parts, alternating with the liquid mixture. Begin with the flour and end with the liquid. Mix until evenly incorporated. This is a very thin batter, so there isn’t much danger of over mixing it.
- Divide batter into the 2 prepared pans. Bake for about 35 minutes. Cake should almost pull away from the edge of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center should have a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in pans on a rack for 10 minutes, then invert on a rack sprayed with cooking spray. (top side up)
- Cool completely before frosting.
CHOCOLATE SILK FROSTING
- Because of the high percentage of solid chocolate, this cake keeps best at room temp. It will become hard in the fridge. (though still divine)
- Melt chocolate chips in double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside to cool. In another bowl, sift together the sugar and cocoa powder.
- In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter at medium speed until it’s very light but not too soft, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar mixture and continue to mix on low speed until sugar and cocoa have been well incorporated.
- Add the melted chocolate, vanilla, and salt and mix on medium speed until everything is incorporated and the frosting is smooth and has a good spreading consistency, 1 to 2 minutes. Be careful not to overmix or it will get too warm and runny. (If this happens, just firm up in fridge briefly.) It should be smooth, glossy, and soft enough to spread but still hold a stiff peak. Use immediately or stor in an airtight container at room temp and use within 3 days.
This looks WONDERFUL!!! Wow!!
OH.MY.GOODNESS! Holly this looks amazing. I absolutely LOVE The Sweeter Side of Amy's Bread. I'm sad that I have to return it to the library this week…I guess this means I need to go and buy my own copy.
This chocolate cake is the best cake I have ever had in all my life! Thank you Holly!!!!!!
Could this cake be made and frozen, then thawed for use later? Just curious.
You probably could freeze it… Cakes typically freeze best unfrosted. Wrap unfrosted in a double layer of plastic wrap and put in a ziplock. If you freeze it frosted I would serve it frozen. I actually worked at an English Tea House in high school and we had a similar cake that we served frozen.