Deliciously rich and decadent, this devil’s food cake is a chocolate lovers dream! This double layered frosted cake is perfect to serve for any occasion.
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Best Devil’s Food Cake Recipe
This is one recipe for all you chocolate lovers…it really doesn’t get much better than this!
This devil’s food cake is the perfect dessert to serve to friends and family. Made from scratch, it’s wonderfully moist and rich, and I can assure you, one slice is not enough!
If you prefer your cakes on the lighter side, be sure to try my Angel Food Cake.
Why you’ll love this Devil’s Food Cake
- Perfect for occasions: This cake will easily serve 8 and it’s perfect for birthdays, Valentine’s, Easter and any other time you need some chocolate cake!
- Easy: This is actually a pretty simple cake to make and you need just a few basic ingredients.
- So delicious! Ok, so I may have said this already, but I really can’t emphasize how yummy this cake is! If you only make one cake all year, make this one!
How to make Devil’s Food Cake
- Grease two baking pan and sprinkle with cocoa powder.
- Whisk together cocoa powder and boiling water, whisk in the milk.
- Mix together the dry ingredients.
- Cream together the butter and sugar and add in the vanilla and eggs.
- Combine the cocoa mix with the sugar and butter, then mix in the dry ingredients.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake.
- Let cool before frosting (chocolate buttercream recipe in recipe card below).
**Be sure to see the recipe card below for full instructions and details.
Why is it called Devil’s Food Cake?
This rich chocolate cake first appeared in the 1900s, and it was a time when cakes were given all sorts of fancy names. Unlike lots of other cakes of the time, devils’s food cake is still really popular today.
Originally, lots of red food dye was added to the cake and it had a bright reddish brown color.
How long does it keep?
Once you have made your devil’s food cake and let it cool, it can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for around 3 days, frosted or unfrosted. It will keep for a few extra days in the fridge, but it tends to dry out a little.
Can you freeze it?
You can freeze the cakes, unfrosted, for up to three months. Let the cakes cool completely before covering them well in plastic wrap. Thaw the frozen cakes at room temperature for a few hours before frosting.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Your ingredients should all be at room temperature. This will help them combine more easily so that you have a consistent texture throughout.
- It’s quicker and easier to mix everything together with a stand mixer, but you can make the cake by hand too. It will take a little longer, and make sure that everything is well combined.
- Ensure that the devil’s food cake is fully cooled before frosting it.
I can not wait for you all to try this delicious Devil’s Food Cake. So rich, so chocolatey and quite simply, the best! I can’t wait to see you all try it!
More chocolate recipes we love
If you make this recipe be sure to leave us a comment or rating. Enjoy!
Best Devil’s Food Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Devil's Food Cake
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ⅓ cup boiling or very hot water
- ⅔ cup milk
- 2 cups of all purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 large eggs
For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature (2 sticks)
- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk (use 1 T more if frosting is too thick)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Devil's Food Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
- Coat the sides of two 8 inch round pans with butter, and then sprinkle a light dusting of cocoa powder over the butter. Set the pans aside until the batter is ready.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the cocoa powder and the bowling water. (If the mixture is too thick, add in one Tablespoon of hot water until it looks like creamy chocolate frosting. Once it is well combined, allow the mixture to cool for about two to three minutes. Once it has cooled, whisk in the milk,until it is smooth and creamy, then set aside. (The mixture should be similar to very chocolate hot cocoa, or dark chocolate milk. Be sure to whisk until all of the cocoa powder is dissolved.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk the four baking soda and salt, set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar, mixing until it is blended together and looks creamy. Continue mixing and add in the vanilla, then the eggs.
- Add in the cocoa mixture to the sugar mixture, mixing on medium speed until it is all well combined together. Add in the flour mixture in batches, while mixing on low to medium speed. Continue mixing until the batter is smooth and creamy.
- Evenly divide the batter into the two prepared pans.
- Bake for about 28-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or the top of the cake springs back when touched. Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool before frosting. (instructions below)
For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter with the cocoa powder. Beat them together until they are well combined and it becomes creamy.
- Slowly add in the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, allowing it to be mixed in. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl if necessary.
- Add in 3T of the milk, and the vanilla, allowing the frosting to become smooth. Add in additional milk, one Tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired texture.
Notes
- Your ingredients should all be at room temperature. This will help them combine more easily so that you have a consistent texture throughout.
- It’s quicker and easier to mix everything together with a stand mixer, but you can make the cake by hand too. It will take a little longer, and make sure that everything is well combined.
- Ensure that the cake is fully cooled before frosting it.
- This frosting will stiffen if it is chilled. If you want to use it to design your cake, allow it to chill for about 10 minutes before piping.
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