Sinfully decadent, gloriously rich, and melt-in-your-mouth devil’s food cake will totally satisfy any sweet tooth. Chocolate overload is a good thing, right? So celebrate anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and I-passed-by-the-gym-today in style.
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The first time I tried a slice of this pure decadence, I wondered why they named it devil’s food. Duh!!! The joke is that it’s the exact opposite of angel food cake. That made so much sense that I thought I’d fall out of my chair laughing. Snow white, light, and fat-free against almost black, rich, and delightfully dense.
Baking brings back memories of being in the kitchen with my beloved Auntie. She taught me new tricks every time she visited. That definitely fueled my passion for cooking international comfort food. And this recipe has been a winner since the early 1900s, so I decided it was perfect to honor Women’s History Month.
Devil’s Food vs. Chocolate Cake
Much like the original red velvet cake, devil’s food cake has a deeper, reddish color, is moister, and is lighter. I’m no scientist, but neither can I deny the cool chemical reaction between the baking soda and Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
Blooming the cocoa powder in hot coffee gives you part of the liquid instead of the usual milk. The results are incredibly moist and fluffy with intense flavor (no coffee flavor). A traditional chocolate cake is amazing, but devil’s food cake is chocolate cake on steroids.
How to Make Devil’s Food Cake
- Mix the dry ingredients, mix the hot coffee and melted butter, add the eggs and the rest of the ingredients, and mix well.
- As soon as the batter is smooth (please avoid overmixing), pour it into the waiting cake pans, and bake.
- Make the buttercream frosting by heating the cream to melt the chocolate, mixing well, then whipping in the butter.
- As soon as the cakes cool and the frosting is smooth, frost and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
- Bloom cocoa powder in hot coffee first, then mix it with the butter for more intensity.
- Feel free to replace the coffee with hot water if you don’t have coffee. You could also use decaf for a lower-caffeine version.
- If you have baking chocolate instead of chocolate chips, break it up into small pieces and proceed with the recipe.
Making It Ahead
If not serving immediately, cover with a cake dome. It will last for 2 days at room temperature, up to a week in the fridge, or 4-5 months in the freezer.
If frozen, thaw it overnight in the fridge, then bring it to room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
What to Enjoy With a Slice of Devil’s Food Cake
The most obvious is a steaming hot cup of coffee or a latte. But whipped cream and ice cream are also good. Fresh berries balance the rich chocolate flavor, and surprisingly, a very small sprinkle of smoked salt gives salted caramel vibes.
More Addictive Chocolate Desserts to Enjoy
By Imma
This blog post was originally published in March 2021 and has been updated with additional tips and gorgeous photos.