If you want a pure dessert, with chocolate of course, then Devil’s Food Cake is a must. I had always thought that the two necessary ingredients for Devil’s Food were cocoa powder and buttermilk. But I’m wrong.
Nick Malgieri is one of the baking gods in America. Chef, author, and teacher, Nick has overseen enough butter and eggs to fill multiple 747’s. Some health enthusiasts might accuse him of using IMD — ingredients of mass destruction — but I vote with all true foodies: Nick is a master.
I listen to Nick for two reasons. First, he has superior skills in crafting recipes. And, second, he now has years and years of experience. In his header notes in The Modern Baker for this recipe, Nick calls this the “best recipe I’ve ever come up with” for Devil’s Food. That’s not just a recommendation. That’s reassurance that this cake will be award winning.
This recipe keeps the buttermilk but does use melted chocolate instead of cocoa powder. It has the classic tang and softness of a Devil’s Food cake. Incredibly moist, this cake is tempting just from the oven. Nick suggests his Fluffy White Icing [or Frosting] and that makes for a pure classic cake. You can equally enjoy this cake just by itself, with whipped cream, or with a variety of ice creams. It is a perfect cake, so go to the Devil and enjoy every bite.
Devil’s Food Cake
Yield: serves 8
Ingredients:
1 ¾cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (one stick) unsalted butter
1 ¼ cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
¾ cup milk or buttermilk
Preparation:
Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F
Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and stir to stir well to mix.
Combine the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla in the bowl of electric mixer. Beat with a paddle on medium speed until light and color and texture, 3 to 4 minutes.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the cooled chocolate.
Decrease the mixer speed to lowest and add one third of the flour mixture. Stop and scrape down the bowl and beater.
Beat in half the milk and stop and scrape the bowl and beat her.
Repeat the previous two steps adding half of the flour and remaining milk. Stop and scrape. Beat in the remaining flour mixture.
Increase the speed to medium and beat the batter continuously for three minutes. Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake the layers until her well risen and feel firm when pressed in the center with a fingertip, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pans on racks for five minutes, then unmold, turn right side up again. Cool completely on racks.
Serve with whipped cream, ice cream, or fluffy white frosting. [See the previous post for Fluffy White Frosting from Nick]
Source: The Modern Baker by Nick Malgieri