Devils Food Chocolate Cake (Printable)

A moist, rich chocolate cake with intense cocoa flavor and silky chocolate buttercream layers.

# What Goes In:

→ Cake

01 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed)
03 - 2 cups granulated sugar
04 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
06 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
09 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
10 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup boiling water

→ Chocolate Frosting

12 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
15 - 1/2 cup whole milk, plus more as needed
16 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
17 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to dry mixture. Mix on medium speed until just combined.
04 - Reduce mixer speed to low, then carefully add boiling water. Mix until batter is smooth and thin.
05 - Evenly divide batter between prepared pans. Bake 28–32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
06 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
07 - Beat butter on medium-high until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and cocoa powder, mixing until smooth.
08 - Add milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until fluffy and spreadable, adding more milk if needed.
09 - Place one cake layer on serving plate. Spread with frosting. Top with second layer and frost top and sides.
10 - Slice and serve at room temperature.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The boiling water trick creates a cake so moist it practically melts on your tongue, no dry crumbs left behind.
  • The frosting whips up fluffy and thick enough to hold those layers like it was meant to, every time.
  • It looks like something from a bakery but tastes even better because you made it yourself.
02 -
  • Room temperature eggs and milk mix more smoothly with the other ingredients and create a more uniform batter—cold additions can cause lumps and uneven texture.
  • Don't skip cooling the cakes completely before frosting, or your frosting will slide off like it's on an ice rink.
  • If your frosting seems too soft, it's usually because it needs more beating time, not more powdered sugar—beat it for a full 2 to 3 minutes until it's fluffy enough to hold peaks.
03 -
  • Always sift cocoa powder for the frosting—it compacts during storage and lumps ruin an otherwise silky finish.
  • If you're serving this cake hours after frosting, keep it cool; chocolate frosting spreads beautifully on a chilled cake.
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