Happy “Chocolate Cake Day,” January 27th

by Scotty Irani
Food Columnist

Happy 2016! After an entire season of balancing out “naughty or nice,” we all have a new and clean slate to work off of; I say it’s time to be naughty and bring in a little Devil’s Food cake.

Devil’s Food cake is the balance off Angel’s Food cake…the white or yellow, airy, sponge like cake. Devil’s Food is a denser, “M” word (you all know that word to describe most baked goods that makes my skin crawl), rich, chocolate cake.

Either made with baking chocolate or cocoa powder. Always with coffee in some form to really bring out that chocolate flavor. And always, in my humble chef-like opinion, topped with a rich fudge icing.

Ready to bring in the Devil?

The Cake:

2 cups all-purpose four

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cocoa powder (if using “extra dark” cocoa use 3/4 cup)

2 cups sugar

1 cup grapeseed oil (this is where the ‘M word’ comes in)

1 cup hot brewed coffee

1 cup whole milk

2 large eggs, room temp

1. Preheat oven to 325 F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9 x 13 inch pan or two 9 inch round pans.

2. In a large mixing bowl, sift together 2 cups flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and 2 cups sugar. Add oil, coffee, and 1 cup milk and mix at medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and beat. Batter will be thin.

3. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 9 x 13 pan for about 45 minutes or 9 inch pans for about 30 minutes. Let the cakes rest then either leave in the 9x13 to finish cooling completely, or gently flip out the rounds onto a wire cake rack and finish cooling.

4. Ice the cake when cool and throw your face right into the middle of them! Enjoy!

Fudge Icing:

3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, cut in half, and softened

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon instant espresso powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup half and half

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1. Sift together the confectioners’ sugar, cocoa powder, and instant espresso. Heat 4 tablespoons butter, brown sugar, salt, and 1/2 cup half and half in a large saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles appear around perimeter of pan, 4 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens slightly and turns deep golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.

2. Transfer to a large bowl. Slice remaining butter into 4 pieces and stir it and the remaining half and half into the large bowl with the other ingredients. Add the chopped chocolate and the vanilla and stir until smooth. Slowly whisk in the confectioner’s sugar and cocoa until incorporated.

3. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Refrigerate for 30 to 40 minutes until the frosting reaches the desired spreading consistency, and start icing that cake!

The Gayly - 1/27/2016 @ 4:26 p.m. CST