Devilish Chocolate Cake Recipes

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• To make the frosting: Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. In a small saucepan, bring the cream to a boil. Pour the cream over the chocolate, move the bowl gently to let the cream settle. Set the mixture aside until softened, about 4 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Cover the surface of the frosting with plastic wrap. Set aside and let set up at room temperature, about 2 hours.
• To make the cake: Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter two 9-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with a circle of parchment or wax paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium-high and slowly add the sugar. Continue beating until light and smooth, about 4 minutes. Turn the mixer off and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the cocoa powder and vanilla and beat at medium speed for 1 minute more. (Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl again, if needed.) With the mixer running at medium-low speed, add the eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute between each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
• Combine the water and milk in a saucepan and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat.
• With the mixer at low speed, add the flour mixture, about a 1/4 cup at a time. Carefully pour the hot liquid into the batter. Remove the bowl from the mixer and, using a large rubber spatula, finish combining the batter until smooth. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Lightly drop each pan onto the counter to settle the batter.
• Set the pans on the middle rack in the oven. Bake until the cakes begin to pull away from the sides of the pans and the center springs back when touched lightly, about 30 to 35 minutes.
• Cool the cakes, in the pans, on a rack for 10 minutes. Turn the cake layers out of the pans and cool on the rack. (If not assembling the cake right away, wrap the layers in plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 1 day, or freeze for up to 2 months.)
• Assemble the Devil's Food Cake. Place 1 cake layer upside-down on a cake stand or flat plate. Scoop about 1/3 of the icing onto the center of the layer. Using a large, offset spatula, spread the icing evenly over the layer to the edges. Place the other cake layer, rounded-side up, on top. Evenly spread half of the remaining icing over the top, spreading any excess icing down the sides. Spread the remaining icing around the sides of the cake. Use the tip of the offset spatula to make a swirling pattern in the icing. Serve. Store under a cake dome or loosely wrapped with plastic, at room temperature, for up to 2 days.
• Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, GP. All rights reserved

DEVILISH CHOCOLATE ORANGE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC). Grease three 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pans and line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper. Dust the sides of the pans with flour, tapping out any excess.
• Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the orange zest and stir in.
• Whisk the hot coffee and milk together and then whisk in the oil, eggs and vanilla. Add this all at once to the flour mixture and blend on low speed using electric beaters or the mixer until no flour is visible and then increase the speed to medium-high, mixing until smooth and glossy, about 1 minute (the batter will be fluid). Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for about 25 minutes, until a tester inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Cool the cakes in their pans on a cooling rack for 20 minutes, then turn the cakes out of the pans to cool completely on the rack.
• To assemble the cake, peel away the parchment from the first cake layer and place it on a cake plate. Spread an even layer of Philadelphia Cream Cheese Whipped Frosting to cover the top of the cake and set the next cake layer on top. Repeat with the frosting and final cake layer. Spread a generous amount of frosting on top of the cake, pushing the frosting just over the outside edge of the cake - this helps to create precise edges when joining the frosting from the sides to the top. Spread a sheer layer of frosting on the sides of the cake and rotate the cake to smooth it out - if you like the décor of a sheer or "naked cake," you could stop here. For a completely covered cake, spread a second, thicker layer of frosting on the sides and smooth it out, joining the top and sides. To make a precise top edge, use your spatula to pull the frosting on top from the outside edge in towards the centre and rotate the entire circumference of the cake. For the final décor touch, use the tip of your spatula as you run it around the cake, starting at the bottom and working your way to create a lovely line. Arrange the edible flowers to the top of the cake as you wish and then chill the cake until ready to serve.

DEVILISH VALENTINE'S CAKE

Steps:

• Grease a 9-in. heart-shaped baking pan. Line with waxed paper; grease and flour the paper. Set aside. Prepare cake batter according to package directions; stir in chocolate chunks. Pour into prepared pan., Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter. Spread warm cake with hot fudge topping. Arrange raspberries over the top.

THE ONLY CHOCOLATE CAKE RECIPE YOU'LL EVER NEED! (DEVIL'S FOOD)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• In a large mixing bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add oil, coffee and milk and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat 2 more minutes. Expect batter to be thin.
• Pour into a 9" x 13" greased and floured pan or 2- 9" round pans. Bake 9 x 13 pan for about 45 minutes or 9" pans for about 30 minutes. Cool in pans for about 15 minutes and then cool completely on racks.
• While cake is cooling make the icing: Combine the milk and flour in a saucepan and cook over low heat until thick, whisking constantly. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
• In a medium bowl, beat butter, shortening, sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add chilled milk and flour mixture and beat for 10 minutes. Frost cooled cake and enjoy! The frosting sounds intimidating, but it is worth it! By the way, for some reason, we prefer this cake chilled, right out of the refrigerator. The rich chocolate and cool frosting just seem to taste best this way.

DEVILISH CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. Make and bake cake mix as directed on box for cupcakes, using water, oil and eggs. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• Line cookie sheet with cooking parchment paper. Melt candy melts as directed on package; spoon into resealable food-storage plastic bag. Seal bag; cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to pipe melted candy into devils' horn and tail shapes on parchment paper. Refrigerate 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth. Beat in vanilla and food color. Pipe or spread frosting on cupcakes. Insert horns and tail into frosting on each cupcake.

DEVILISHLY MOIST CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Position oven rack in the center of the oven; preheat oven to 325°; grease bottom and sides of a 9x3 inch round cake pan; dust the pan with flour and set aside.
• Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt the bowl of an electric mixer.
• Add the sugar, and using the paddle attachment, mix at low speed until blended.
• Add the safflower oil and mix a few seconds, until the dry ingredients are crumbly.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs until blended.
• Whisk in the milk and vanilla extract until blended.
• With the mixer at low speed, add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix until blended, scraping down the sides of bowl as needed.
• Gradually add the boiling water and mix just until blended and smooth; scraping down sides as needed.
• Pour batter into cake pan.
• Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a pick comes out clean.
• Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes.
• Invert cake onto the wire rack and cool completely.
• Frost as desired.

THE BEST DEVILS FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 F. Grease and lightly flour (2) 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
• Stir in coffee, oil, and buttermilk and mix just until combined.
• Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
• Pour batter into prepared baking pans.
• Bake on the middle rack for 30 minutes. (may need more or less time)
• Let cakes cool in pans until pans are cool enough to touch, and then remove cakes and allow them to cool completely on a wire rack.
• While cakes are cooling, prepare frosting by creaming the butter with a mixer in a medium bowl.
• Slowly add powdered sugar until the mixture is thick and combined.
• Mix in heavy whipping cream and vanilla extract.
• Mix on medium speed, for 2-3 minutes or until frosting is light and fluffy.
• Frost cooled cakes using an offset spatula.
• Store cakes in an airtight cake container.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH HAZELNUT PRALINE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (nonfan)/375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of 2 (20-centimeter/8-inch) cake pans (tins) with a removable base with parchment paper and grease the sides. Alternatively, grease the bottoms and sides of 2 (20-centimeter/8-inch) regular cake pans, line with parchment, and grease the parchment.
• In a large bowl, whisk together cocoa, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugars. In a separate bowl, add the oil, eggs and kefir, and whisk just to combine. Add to the dry mixture and use a spatula to gently fold through. Add the 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons/220 grams hot coffee and mix gently to combine. It'll look very runny at first, but will soon come together into a glossy, pourable batter.
• Divide the batter evenly between the two cake pans, about 21 ounces/600 grams per pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Set aside to cool for about 30 minutes, then slide a butter knife along the sides to help release the cake. Brush the tops lightly with the remaining 1 tablespoon/14 grams extra coffee (discard any extra).
• Invert one cake onto a board, remove the parchment, then invert it again onto a cake stand or the platter you intend to serve it on (domed side up now). Invert the other cake onto a board (don't remove the paper). Invert it again, onto a plate, so that it's paper side down. (This will help prevent it from sticking.) Set both cakes aside to cool completely.
• Make the praline: With the oven still at 200 degrees Celsius/375 degrees Fahrenheit, spread the hazelnuts onto a parchment-lined medium baking sheet (tray) and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until deeply golden, shaking the pan halfway through baking. Set aside, keeping the tray and parchment paper. You'll use them again later.
• Place a large saucepan over a medium-high heat and, once quite hot, sprinkle in a third of the caster sugar to cover the base. It should immediately start to melt at the sides but not brown too quickly. Swirl the sugar in the pan a little, then add another third of the sugar, allowing it to melt a little before adding the remaining third. Turn the heat down to medium and cook until the sugar is an amber caramel, stirring with a spatula just a couple times (but not much more). Add the hazelnuts and 1/4 teaspoon salt, stirring to coat, then quickly transfer the mixture to your parchment-lined tray and leave to cool completely.
• Once cool, roughly break apart the praline and add it to a food processor. Pulse a few times until you have very coarse crumbs, then measure out about 1/2 cup/75 grams of the mixture and transfer to a bowl. Blitz the remaining mixture in the food processor for about 5 minutes or until it turns into the consistency of a smooth nut butter, stopping to scrape the inside of the bowl as necessary. Transfer this to a separate bowl.
• Make the mascarpone cream: Add all the ingredients to a stand mixer and beat on medium-high speed for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, or until you have medium peaks. Refrigerate if not assembling right away (you want it nice and cold).
• When ready to assemble, top the cake on your cake stand with half the cream mixture. Spoon over about 2 tablespoons of the smooth praline and gently swirl it through the cream with your spatula. Top with another 2 tablespoons of the praline, this time without swirling. Sprinkle with half the praline crumble. Carefully invert the other cake on top now, removing the paper. Top with the remaining cream and repeat the same process with the smooth praline and praline crumble. Serve right away, or refrigerate overnight to firm up the cream before serving. (The cake will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

DEVILISH CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9" round pans, or line the bottoms with parchment.
• Whisk together 1/2 cup each of agave nectar, cocoa, and buttermilk. Set aside.
• Sift together the cake and whole wheat flours, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
• Mix vanilla and remaining buttermilk together. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup agave nectar, then beat at high speed until fairly well incorporated. (This took about three minutes in my stand mixer.).
• Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter/nectar mixture.
• Slowly beat in the cocoa mixture.
• At low speed, add the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture alternately. This can be done by hand as well with a rubber scraper.
• Scrape the batter into prepared pans and spread evenly.
• Bake 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick poked in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Let cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the cakes from pans to cool completely on a rack.

DEVILISH VALENTINE'S CAKE

Steps:

• Grease a 9x12" baking pan. Line with waxed paper; grease and flour the paper. Set aside.
• Prepare cake batter according to package directions; stir in chocolate chunks. Pour into prepared pan.
• Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter.
• Spread warm cake with hot fudge topping.
• Arrange raspberries over the top.