Classic Devil'S Food Cake Recipe
Ingredients
| 125 g/4 oz dark cooking chocolate | ||
| 250 ml/8 fl oz milk | ||
| 185 g/6 oz light brown sugar | ||
| Egg yolks | 3 | |
| 300 g/10 oz flour | ||
| Soda bicarbonate | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Salt | 1 Pinch | |
| 125 g/4 oz butter | ||
| 185 g/6 oz castor sugar | ||
| Water | 4 Tablespoon | |
| Vanilla essence | 1 Teaspoon | |
| Egg whites | 2 | |
| Chocolate Fudge Frosting | ||
| 250 ml/8 fl oz single cream | ||
| 500 g/1 lb sugar | ||
| 50 g/2 oz dark cooking chocolate, grated | ||
| 45 g/1 1/2 oz butter | ||
| Vanilla essence | 1/2 Teaspoon | |
| 50 g/2 oz walnuts, chopped | ||
Directions
Put the chocolate, milk, brown sugar and one egg yolk in the top of a double saucepan or in a heatproof bowl placed over a pan of hot water.
Heat gently, stirring, until the chocolate melts and the sugar dissolves.
Remove from the heat.
Sift the flour, soda and salt into a mixing bowl.
Cream the butter and sugar together in another mixing bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Beat in the remaining egg yolks, one at a time.
Mix in one-third of the flour, then half the water.
Add the remaining flour and water and beat until the batter is smooth.
Stir in the vanilla essence and chocolate mixture.
Beat the egg whites until they will hold a stiff peak.
Fold into the chocolate batter.
Spoon into three greased shallow 20 cm/8 in sandwich cake tins.
Bake in a moderate oven (180°C/350°F or Gas Mark 4) for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean.
Turn the cake layers out onto a wire rack and allow to cool.
To make the frosting, scald the cream in a saucepan.
Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, salt and grated chocolate.
Return to the heat and stir to melt the chocolate, then cover and cook for 3 minutes.
Uncover the pan and boil until the mixture reaches 115°C/238°F on a sugar thermometer (the soft ball stage).
Remove from the heat and place the bottom of the pan in cold water.
When the mixture has cooled to 43°C/110°F, beat in the butter and vanilla.
Continue beating until the frosting is thick and of a spreading consistency.
Stir in the walnuts.
Sandwich the three cake layers together with three-quarters of the frosting and cover the tops and sides with the remainder.
Heat gently, stirring, until the chocolate melts and the sugar dissolves.
Remove from the heat.
Sift the flour, soda and salt into a mixing bowl.
Cream the butter and sugar together in another mixing bowl until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Beat in the remaining egg yolks, one at a time.
Mix in one-third of the flour, then half the water.
Add the remaining flour and water and beat until the batter is smooth.
Stir in the vanilla essence and chocolate mixture.
Beat the egg whites until they will hold a stiff peak.
Fold into the chocolate batter.
Spoon into three greased shallow 20 cm/8 in sandwich cake tins.
Bake in a moderate oven (180°C/350°F or Gas Mark 4) for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centres comes out clean.
Turn the cake layers out onto a wire rack and allow to cool.
To make the frosting, scald the cream in a saucepan.
Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar, salt and grated chocolate.
Return to the heat and stir to melt the chocolate, then cover and cook for 3 minutes.
Uncover the pan and boil until the mixture reaches 115°C/238°F on a sugar thermometer (the soft ball stage).
Remove from the heat and place the bottom of the pan in cold water.
When the mixture has cooled to 43°C/110°F, beat in the butter and vanilla.
Continue beating until the frosting is thick and of a spreading consistency.
Stir in the walnuts.
Sandwich the three cake layers together with three-quarters of the frosting and cover the tops and sides with the remainder.
Chef
