Lethal Devils Food Chocolate Cake

Warning! Do not attempt to eat this cake if any proper brain function or mobility is needed for at least 2 hours after consumption 😉 😉

I don’t know where to start…. everything, everything that my blog is all about comes down to this cake. It is the reason that got me so deep into baking and crazy obsessed with learning the basics and science behind baking.

All I’ve ever wanted in a chocolate cake is right this right here. It is all I have EVER and WILL ever want and need! <3

Dark, decadent, super stick-to-your-fork moist, lighter than clouds, softer than pillows and more chocolatey than the chocolatey-est chocolate cake you have ever thought could even be! <3 I am SO in love right now, I can’t see anything past this cake, it has taken control of my mind and body and completely taken over my soul <3

Hehe I know I’m being dramatic but seriously guys…look at this cake! 😀

This cake has it all. It is mostly composed of water and cocoa which makes the crumb INSANE (not to mention extra chocolatey) so I’m sure you can imagine just how light and soft the cake is.

It is a butter based recipe, I leave out the oil completely because I really don’t feel like it is needed here; the cake is plenty moist already so I go with all butter for a deeper flavour but most importantly a slightly denser more fudgy texture which is exactly how I like my chocolate cakes.

The recipe starts by cooking the butter, cocoa and water on the stove before baking. Actually even the frosting here is a cooked frosting. This is the best way to bring out as much of the chocolate flavour as possible. It is a technique called ‘blooming’ and I love doing it whenever possible especially when I’m making chocolate cakes.

Once it’s taken off the heat and everything is all smooth and melted together, the sugar is added to the mix to cool it down slightly but also get the melting process going so that everything gets all soft and fudgy. The heat is not enough to actually melt the sugar but it warms it up enough. That being said, this is a real deal chocolate cake so we’ve got a nice dose of soft brown sugar; you can’t have a chocolate cake without brown sugar right! 😉 it doesn’t matter whether you use light or dark brown sugar but you’ve gotta get it in there somewhere 😀

All the rest is straightforward; add everything else in, stir, bake, frost and indulge!

Since we’re talking about frostings and all, have you guys ever had a cooked chocolate fudge frosting?! this is the freakin best! pure gold! and sooo simple! just toss everything into a saucepan, simmer for a few minutes and then let it cool. Once it has had a chance to cool to room temperature, it’ll thicken up and with the addition of a little icing sugar, gets a wonderfully fudgy frosting consistency that’s somewhere in the middle of a ganache and toffee. It truly is the best and as much as I try to describe it, you really won’t understand how amazing it is until you try it yourself, seriously please try it and especially with this cake. They go SO well together!

I honestly can’t be more proud and pleased to be sharing this cake with everyone and I truly can’t wait for everyone to try it! <3

Do let me know if you guys make this cake and tag me with your pics! <3 @dutchbakerblog on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter.

Lethal Devils Food Chocolate Cake

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Recipe by Linda @thedutchbaker

Servings

8 – 10

servings

Makes 1 8 or 9 inch layered cake or a 9 x 13 inch cake.

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (190gms) all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup (96gms) cocoa powder

• 1 cup (200gms) butter

• 1 cup (250mls) water

• 1 cup (200gms) white sugar

• 1/2 cup (100gms) soft brown sugar

• 2 eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup (125mls) buttermilk or sour cream (yoghurt or homemade ‘soured milk’* can substituted)

• For the frosting

• 4 tablespoons (50gms) salted butter

• 125 gms dark chocolate (I used 50% but you can use as dark as you like)

• 1 1/2 cups (300gms) soft brown sugar

• 3/4 cup (180mls) milk

• 1 cup – 1 1/2 cups ( 125 – 190gms) powdered sugar

Directions

• Preheat oven to 160C/325F. Grease and flour cake tins.
• In a saucepan with high sides, melt the butter over medium low heat. Add in the cocoa powder and water. Using a whisk and stirring constantly, gently cook the mixture until well combined and smooth. Let the mixture come to a boil, bubble it for about 15 seconds then take off the heat and pour into a large heatproof bowl. Immediately add in both sugars and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and baking soda and salt.
  To the cooled chocolate mix, add in eggs one at a time whisking only until just combined. Add in vanilla.
  Add in half of the dry mix then the buttermilk/sour cream then the remaining dry mix whisking until just combined. Batter will be very thin.
• Divide batter between cake tins and bake for 25 to 28 minutes until baked through and a toothpick or knife comes out clean. Cool cake in tins for 10 minutes then cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before placing in airtight containers to cool completely.
• For the frosting
• In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate over low heat. Add the brown sugar and milk. Increase the heat to medium and wait until the chocolate begins to boil, stirring occasionally. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 4 minutes.
• Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
  Beat the powdered sugar into the frosting until it becomes lighter and spreadable. Add a pinch of salt and/or vanilla if desired.

Notes

• *To make sour milk; measure 1/2 cup of milk into a glass. Remove 1 1/2 teaspoons of the milk and replace with 1 1/2 teaspoons of vinegar. Let it sit for about 5 minutes then use as stated in the recipe.
• Cake recipe by the dutch baker.
• Frosting adapted from Pastry Affair.

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