Devil’s Food Cake

Total Time Prep: 40 min. Bake: 25 min. + cooling
Yield 16 servings
Test Kitchen Approved
Devil’s food cake is indulgent from the first forkful to the very last crumb. Anyone with an unwavering weakness for chocolate will love this recipe’s decadently dark cake that’s decorated with rich chocolate buttercream.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup brewed coffee
  • FROSTING:
  • 2 cups butter, softened
  • 3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 cup Dutch-processed cocoa
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup whole milk

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour two 9-in. round baking pans.
  2. In a large bowl, cream butter, oil, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract and sour cream. In another bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with coffee, beating well after each addition.
  3. Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25-30 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
  4. For buttercream, in a large bowl, beat butter until creamy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar and cocoa until smooth. Add vanilla and salt. Add milk; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Spread buttercream between layers and over top and sides of cake.

Nutrition Facts

1 slice: 682 calories, 42g fat (23g saturated fat), 117mg cholesterol, 544mg sodium, 76g carbohydrate (52g sugars, 8g fiber), 8g protein.

Devil's food cake is darker and richer than regular chocolate cake recipes due to the Dutch-processed cocoa powder and coffee in the cake batter. Our recipe has a from-scratch buttercream that makes every bite as decadent as possible. —Julie Andrews, Rockford, Michigan
Recipe Creator

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