Devil's Food Cake

 It must be an anachronism to think chocolate and the devil are symbiotic. The down side to this thought is that a chocolate overload is enough to send you into a food coma. Or that it is sinfully rich. Or the weight gain that results. 

Throw all those notions away! Chocolate is a well warranted indulgence! This aptly named cake is moist, rich, a chocolate lover's dream. Like all cakes, butter, sugar and eggs are a must, though they are used in reasonable portions. Cocoa powder gives gives the cake a deep chocolate color and an intense flavor. The fudgy ganache, is sandwiched in between layers. The rest of the ganache is poured over the assembled cake. The question will be...thick or thin slices? Your choice.

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

From the Joy Of Cooking

Cocoa Mix

1/2 cup Cocoa Powder

1/2 cup Yogurt

1 cup Sugar

Yogurt Mix

1/2 cup Yogurt

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup or 1 stick Butter, softened

1 cup Sugar

2 Eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup Yogurt

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 cups  AP Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Cointreau Syrup

3 tablespoons Sugar

1/4 cup Water

3 tablespoons Cointreau

Ganache

8 oz Bittersweet Chocolate, chopped finely

1/2 cup Milk

1 teaspoon Butter

Butter 2 9" round cake pans. Line the bottoms with 9'" rounds of parchment paper. 

Mix cocoa, yogurt and sugar till smooth. 

Whisk yogurt and vanilla till smooth.

Sift flour, baking soda and salt. 

Heat oven to 350F/180C.

Beat butter in a stand mixer or hand held mixer for 3-5 minutes till light colored. 

Add sugar and beat till fluffy.

Drop eggs in one at a time, whisking well between eggs. 

Scrape the cocoa mix into batter. Whisk well.

Divide the sifted flour into three portions.

Add one portion of flour, with the mixer on the lowest setting.

Follow it by adding 1/2 of the yogurt vanilla mix. 

Spoon in the second portion of flour.

Scrape the rest of the yogurt vanilla mix.

Add the rest of the flour, running the mixer on low. 

Divide the batter between the pans.

Smooth the batter so it is evenly distributed in the pans.

Bake for 35 minutes. Check by poking the cake with a skewer or toothpick. It should emerge clean with no batter attached to it.

 

Cook cakes on a wire rack for 10 minutes. 

While cakes bake, make syrup and ganache.

Whisk sugar and water in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 15 seconds. Then add Cointreau to sugar. Keep aside.

Place the chopped chocolate in a bowl. 

Heat milk and butter till you see small bubbles along the sides of the pan. 

Pour hot milk over chocolate. Wait for 5 minutes, then mix with a spatula till smooth.

Divide the ganache into two portions. Place one in the fridge and one in the freezer. 

Run a knife along the outer edges of the cakes.

Invert them onto the  cooking rack and cool for 15 minutes.

Take one cake and place it topside down on a serving platter. The flat underside should face up. Drizzle the cake  with half the syrup.

Take the ganache out of the freezer. It should have a thick consistency.  

Spread the ganache over the cake going all the way to the edges. 

Place the second cake over the ganache layer, the flat underside facing up. Jiggle the cake so the edges line up. 

Poke holes with a toothpick, then drizzle the remaining syrup over the cake. 

Take the remaining ganache out of the freeze and pour over the top of the cake. Start in the middle and go all the way to the edges so the ganache drips down the edges. 

Refrigerate cake for 1/2 hour. Then cut appropriate slices and indulge your sweet tooth,

Chocolate soothes that sweet spot. The devil's food cake is definitely guilty pleasure. 

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