Violet Bakery Chocolate Devil's Food Cake

This chocolate cake is everything you want it to be: rich, moist, and very dark.

INGREDIENTS

1 ½ cups plus 1 tbsp (220g) all-purpose flour

1 cup (100g) cocoa powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 ¼ cups (450g) sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (200g) buttermilk or plain yogurt

7 tablespoons (100g) vegetable oil

1 cup (225g) hot water

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 320˚F /160˚C (285˚F /140˚C convection). Butter and line two* 8-inch (20-cm) cake pans with paper.

Measure the dry ingredients, including the sugar, into a large mixing bowl and whisk with a balloon whisk to distribute the salt, baking soda, and baking powder evenly throughout the other the dry ingredients.

In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (except for the hot water). Once they are well incorporated, slowly whisk in the hot water.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour half of the wet mixture. Starting in the middle of the bowl, whisk in a clockwise, circular motion. Don't switch direction or you'll end up with lumps. Gradually add the remaining wet ingredients until you have a smooth, liquid batter.

Pour the batter into your pans right away and bake for 40 to 50 minutes until the top is springy to the touch and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

Decorate the tops and sides of your cooled cake with the frosting of your choice. Here I’ve used Salted Caramel Buttercream from Claire’s beautiful book, linked below.

*A note on pan sizes--the original recipe calls for one 8-in cake pan, but mine always spills over even with a 3-in depth, so I recommend splitting the batter into two 8-in cake pans.

Recipe from The Violet Bakery Cookbook by Claire Ptak (Ten Speed Press, 2015)

Vintage Cake Plate by Arte Italica

Vintage Pastry Server by Arte Italica