Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Devil's Food Cake for the Chocoholics!





It was half past midnight. V and me were getting back home chitchatting happily about the eventful Loyolites' meet. Suddenly I came across a pretty looking box sitting at the back seat of my car.I reached out for my mobile, searched the name Shobhna and queried, "hey, is this box yours? shall I just come across and give it back to you?"

"Don't do it Bharathy, it's for you. Open and enjoy," came the reply.

"I thought she left it behind while getting dropped" I explained to my better half.

Shobhna, one of my dearest pals among V's friends' wives, had come down with Sudhakar, her lively n cheerful hubby for the Loyolites' meet from Kodai.

Back home, I couldn't wait to open the cute box.
Yaaoo!! The Rich Moist Devil's Own Chocolate Cake!!
I squealed in delight! Believe me or not, I found licking my fingers clean after finishing half of it within a minute with a heavy burp, that too after the grand buffet dinner at the college meet.
It was the yummilicious Devil's cake I'd ever had!

I called up Shobhana the next day for the recipe which she explained. The ingredients and the method sounded almost exactly like Nigella's Granma's Devil's Food Cake, except for the slight difference in measurements, addition of coffee powder and the frosting.

I baked the cake thrice ever since and it came out perfectly delicious every time I did!

Try it if you are a chocoholic; you will never fail and ultimately will be baking it again and again!


Devil's Chocolate Cake to serve 6 regular people or 3 chocoholics ;)

Remember, you need 11 major ingredients to make the cake.

All purpose flour- 1 1/2 cups
Granulated sugar- 1 - 1 1/4 cup
Butter, softened- 1/2 cup (you may also use 1/4 cup butter + 1/4 cup oil)
Eggs- 2
Salt- a pinch
Baking powder- 1/4 tsp
Baking soda- 1 tsp
Vanilla essence- 1 tsp
Boiling water- 1 cup
Unsweetened cocoa powder- 1/2 cup ( I used Cadbury's)
Coffee powder- 1/2 tsp 

1. Boil a cup of water in a wide saucepan. Switch off the stove and dissolve coffee and cocoa powders well without any lumps. Keep aside to cool to room temperature.

2. Powder sugar. Sift the dry ingredients 3-4 times. (ie, flour + salt+ baking soda+ baking powder). Keep aside.

3. Position a rack in centre of the oven and pre-heat to 350 F/175 C. Grease and flour, two 8 inch cake pans.

4. In another wide n large bowl, beat butter until fluffy using an electric mixer and gradually add the powdered sugar. Beat in the eggs, one at a time; add the vanilla and beat again until light for a minute or two. Fold in the dry ingredients alternating with the cocoa mixture, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

5. Divide batter between the prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until the tops spring back when lightly touched and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it ( read it again, and it's not like the usual cake test where the skewer has to come out neat n clean)

6. Do not over bake or the cakes will become dry and will lose that 'touch' of the Devil ;)

7. Cool the pans on a wire rack.Run a knife around the edges to loosen from the pans and turn layers out on the rack, placing one upside down and the other right side up.


For the Easy Chocolate Frosting: (makes 400 gms)

Butter, softened- 200 gms
Confectioners sugar- 150 gms
Unsweetened cocoa powder- 3 tablespoons
Vanilla- 1/2 tsp

Cream butter and sift in sugar and cocoa powder. Add vanilla and mix well until soft and creamy. You may add 3-4 tsps of milk little by little if you find the frosting too thick. Be careful or it may turn out to be runny.

* I never measure when it comes to frosting and the measurements above are approximate. I start with 100 gms/ half cup of butter, add 1/4-1/2 cup of sugar, 2 tbsps cocoa and proceed doing taste tests in between increasing the quantity, slowly. I avoid the addition of vanilla since contented with the 'chocolatey home made butter' flavored frosting.


To Frost the Cake:

1. Brush any loose crumbs from the layers and place one upside down on a serving plate. Spread with some of the frosting. Centre the remaining layer, right side up over the top.

2. Use remaining frosting to coat top and sides making decorative swirls around sides and over the top.

3. Chill to set frosting but return to room temperature before serving.




35 comments:

  1. I remember you mentioning this in FB.
    Cake looks so so fabulous and so so delicous that i want to have double slice.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am a hard-core chocolate cake fan, love this decadent preparation, simply irresistible.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow,absolute treat for chocoholics and love the frosting very much too!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Wow what a yummy chocolate cake... bookmarked...

    ReplyDelete
  5. aww..that's so nice of your friend. Cake looks absolutely delicious! I cant wait to treat myself now!

    ReplyDelete
  6. At last the wait is over! Read your status about this sinful indulgence on FB. Now I can eat it virtually. Lovely.

    Lite Bite

    ReplyDelete
  7. First things first--what a colour..love it,absolutely.I remember you mentioning it on Fb,so this was the sweet surprise you got.I have so many cakes bookmarked and am clueless as to which one to bake first,this one definitely is on top 3!!

    ReplyDelete
  8. i am a chocoholic and this post is making me droooool like anythg...thx for the post

    ReplyDelete
  9. could'nt take my eyes off from that slice!

    iam sure, I will try this Cake!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Welcome back with a bang...yummilicious cake..looks super yumm

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh my this is so tempting ...I can't take my eye off ...

    ReplyDelete
  12. Yummmmm.. I am a super chocoholic and this is like making me crave :) got to give it a try asap :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Amazing click!..what a lovely cake:)

    ReplyDelete
  14. That looks Nice~~ I make mostly, always chocolate cakes so this is my kinda recipe. Will definitely try.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Beautiful cake,B! I remember you talking abt this on FB.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Beautiful cake, beautiful click and a great recipe dearie:)....

    ReplyDelete
  17. Aha the choco cake is so tempting let me come over and have a quick bite.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Bookmarking the recipe.. I am a chocoholic and am trying this out...

    http://www.myspicykitchen.net

    ReplyDelete
  19. Cant take my eyes from those pics,truly irresistible and highly addictive..

    ReplyDelete
  20. Divine......
    Wot a coicedence.. I made one for the weekend .. for my lil one's party !!!!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Looks soooo delicious! My daughter will love this.

    ReplyDelete
  22. oh boy, that looks delicious!!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Thats utterly tempting even if you are not a chocoholic !! Such a delight .

    ReplyDelete
  24. though i dont like choclates much, i love this yummy on seeing the click.U have made it very perfect

    ReplyDelete
  25. Looks like a perfect treat to eyes!!!
    just yummy n finger licking type!!!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Perfect and yummy....must give a try!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Wow..Beautiful cake..kudos to ur friend for sharing it with u..

    ReplyDelete
  28. Isn't it the most wonderful surprise..love it..and it looks so delicious

    ReplyDelete
  29. Looks super chocolaty and moist! Coffee optional?? That must be a mandatory ingredient;-)

    droo..ool-worthy cake- bookmarked !

    ReplyDelete
  30. wow...tempting n healthy one..sure its my fav...:D
    Tasty appetite

    ReplyDelete
  31. I have a big puddle of drool here for that slice of cake. It is just heavenly :)

    ReplyDelete
  32. wow, looks so gorgeous, I too made Devils food cake thrice, I could never take a photo, My chocoholic family devoured it before I come back home :(, but never made a frosting as none was left, I made it from Jamie's book which I have.
    Your's look so delicious with the frosting, May be I should make it and hide it for the frosting :)), beautiful clicks too bharthy

    ReplyDelete
  33. Can I bake this in one pan and then divide. My oven will not hold two pans at one time.
    Is it advisable to bake one half first and then the other

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...