Devil's Food Cake
A moist two-layer Devil's Food Cake made with sour cream, oil and hot coffee, frosted with rich chocolate buttercream.
Equipment
- 2 9-inch round cake pans
- stand mixer
- mixing bowls
- whisk
- parchment
- wire rack
- cake stand
Ingredients
Cake
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) light olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 3/4 cup (75 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- 1 cup (240 ml) hot brewed coffee (or very hot water)
- 1/2 cup (120 g) full-fat sour cream, room temperature
Chocolate Buttercream
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (65 g) unsweetened cocoa powder (Dutch or natural)
- 3 1/2 to 4 cups (420–480 g) powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream or whole milk, plus more as needed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Optional garnish
- Chocolate curls, sprinkles, or cake crumbs
Instructions
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment, and grease the parchment.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle, beat the butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the oil.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then beat in the vanilla. Scrape the bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa.
- On low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the hot coffee in two additions, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix just until combined.
- Add the sour cream and mix on low just until smooth. The batter will be fairly thin.
- Divide evenly between the pans. Bake 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment, and cool completely.
Buttercream and Assembly
- Beat the butter on medium until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the cocoa, powdered sugar (start with 3 1/2 cups) and salt and mix on low until combined.
- Add the cream and vanilla and beat on medium-high 2–3 minutes until fluffy. Add more cream or powdered sugar to reach a spreadable consistency.
- Place one layer on a cake stand and spread about 1 cup buttercream over the top. Top with the second layer.
- Spread a thin crumb coat over the top and sides; chill 15–20 minutes.
- Finish with the remaining buttercream, smoothing with an offset spatula. Garnish with chocolate curls, sprinkles or cake crumbs.
Notes
Sour cream is the key to the moist crumb; use full-fat and room temperature. Oil and hot coffee add moisture too.
Spoon and level the flour. No coffee? Use very hot water.
Storage: frosted, covered at room temp up to 2 days or refrigerated up to 5; serve at room temp. Freeze unfrosted layers wrapped in parchment + foil up to 3 months.
Nutrition is an estimate per slice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 735kcalCarbohydrates: 94gProtein: 7gFat: 41gSaturated Fat: 20gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 520mgFiber: 4gSugar: 70g
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