Chocoholics Rejoice: Ina Garten’s Dreamy Devils Food Cake Recipe

Chocolate lovers rejoice as this decadent Ina Garten devils food cake recipe promises pure indulgence with every single bite.

Rich, moist layers of deep chocolate delight await your taste buds.

The cake melts seamlessly on the tongue, creating a luxurious dessert experience.

Professional baker Ina Garten perfected this classic recipe with her touch of culinary elegance.

Each ingredient carefully selected ensures a remarkable chocolate sensation.

The velvety texture and intense flavor make this cake a showstopper at any gathering.

Grab your mixing bowl and get ready to bake a dessert that will have everyone asking for seconds.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Calories: 550 kcal

Servings: 12

Ingredients for Ina Garten’s Devil’s Food Cake

• All-Purpose Flour: The sturdy foundation that gives structure and softness to the cake, opt for unbleached flour for better texture.
• Cocoa Powder: Delivers rich chocolate intensity, choose Dutch-processed for deeper, smoother flavor.
• Baking Soda, Baking Powder: Magical rising agents that help the cake become light and airy, ensure they're fresh for maximum lift.
• Salt: Enhances and balances the chocolate's complexity, use fine sea salt for even distribution.

• Unsalted Butter: Provides luxurious richness and tender crumb, select high-quality butter for superior taste.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens and helps create a soft texture, prefer pure cane sugar for clean sweetness.
• Eggs: Bind ingredients and add structure, use room temperature eggs for smoother mixing.
• Water, Milk: Activate ingredients and create smooth batter, use filtered water for purest flavor.
• Vanilla Extract: Adds depth and rounds out chocolate flavor, choose pure vanilla for best results.

• Chocolate: Creates silky, decadent frosting, select high-percentage dark chocolate for intense flavor.
• Heavy Cream: Delivers smooth, glossy texture to the frosting, use fresh, high-fat cream for best results.

Baking Tools That Turn Chocolate into Magic

• Standing Mixer: Essential for creaming butter, sugar, and mixing cake batter smoothly with paddle attachment.
• Large Heatproof Bowl: Perfect for melting chocolate and creating frosting.
• Small Saucepan: Needed to heat cream and milk for the recipe.
• 9-inch Round Cake Pans (2): Crucial for baking cake layers evenly.
• Parchment Paper: Helps prevent cake from sticking and ensures easy removal.
• Whisk: Great for mixing dry ingredients and combining chocolate and cream.
• Spatula: Useful for spreading frosting and creating decorative swirls.
• Cooling Rack: Allows cakes to cool completely without getting soggy.
• Cake Stand or Plate: Provides a nice surface for assembling and presenting the cake.

Instructions for Baking the Ultimate Chocolate Cake

Chocolate Dream Cake

• Chocolate Magic Preparation

Start the frosting adventure by melting rich chocolate in a cozy bowl. Pour steaming cream over the chocolate and let it rest, transforming into a silky dream. Allow the mixture to settle and become perfectly smooth.

• Oven Warm-Up

Get your oven cozy at a toasty temperature. Gently prepare cake pans with a light butter coating and soft parchment paper hugs.

• Dry Ingredient Symphony

Gather your dry ingredients in a bowl, whisking them together with gentle care, creating a powdery cloud of potential deliciousness.

• Butter and Sugar Dance

Whip butter into a creamy cloud, gradually welcoming sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy. Blend in rich cocoa and vanilla for depth of flavor.

• Egg Introduction

Carefully welcome eggs one by one, letting each become best friends with the butter mixture.

• Liquid Harmony

Combine hot liquid with flour mixture in a delicate ballet, mixing until the batter becomes smooth and inviting.

• Baking Transformation

Pour the batter into prepared pans, giving them a gentle tap. Bake until the cake whispers its readiness, pulling away from the pan edges.

• Cooling Moment

Let the cakes rest and cool completely, releasing their warmth and developing deep flavors.

• Frosting Finale

Build your cake masterpiece by layering frosting between and around the cake. Create swirls of chocolate goodness that invite everyone to take a bite.

• Cake Sanctuary

Protect your creation under a cake dome, keeping it fresh and ready to delight for a couple of days.

Variations to Make It Even More Indulgent

• Add a tablespoon of espresso powder to enhance the deep chocolate flavor without making the cake taste like coffee.
• Dust buttered cake pans with cocoa powder instead of flour to prevent white residue and maintain rich chocolate color.
• Let eggs and butter reach room temperature before mixing to ensure smoother batter and more even cake texture.
• Use a hot, clean knife when spreading frosting to create sleek, professional-looking cake surfaces.
• Brush cake layers with simple syrup before frosting to keep the devil's food cake incredibly moist and tender.

Serving Ideas for Birthdays or Casual Cravings

• Savor Sweet Celebrations: Perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, or casual gatherings, this devil's food cake transforms any moment into a delightful celebration.
• Pair with Creamy Companions: Serve alongside vanilla bean ice cream or freshly whipped cream to enhance the rich chocolate flavor and create a luxurious dessert experience.
• Wine and Cake Harmony: Complement the cake's deep chocolate notes with a glass of port wine or a smooth red dessert wine for an elegant after-dinner treat.
• Decorate with Elegant Touches: Sprinkle cocoa powder, add fresh berries, or garnish with chocolate shavings to elevate the cake's visual appeal and add extra texture.

Cake Storage That Preserves Moistness

• Storing Strategies for Maximum Freshness: Keep your devil's food cake in an airtight container to maintain its soft, moist texture and prevent drying out.
• Refrigerate with Care: Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap before storing in the refrigerator, where it can last up to 5 days without losing its delicious flavor.
• Freeze for Future Enjoyment: Slice the cake and place individual portions in freezer-safe containers, which can be stored for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours before serving.
• Serve at Perfect Temperature: Allow refrigerated cake to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before enjoying, ensuring the frosting softens and the cake's flavors become more vibrant.

Heavenly Devils Food Cake Recipe

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4.8 from 23 reviews

• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: 12 1x

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Description

Ina Garten’s devil’s food cake delivers rich chocolate decadence with perfect moisture and depth. Chocolate enthusiasts and home bakers can savor this classic dessert that promises indulgent moments of pure pleasure.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 15 oz (425 g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2 cups plus 2 tbsps (250 g) sugar
• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ cups (310 ml) water
• 1 ½ cups (360 ml) heavy cream
• 12 tbsps (170 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 large eggs, room temperature
• ¾ cup (65 g) non-alkalized cocoa powder
• ¼ cup (60 ml) milk
• 2 tsps pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ tsps baking soda
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp salt

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Instructions

1. Ganache Preparation: Chop chocolate into fine pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Heat heavy cream until boiling, then pour over chocolate. Let rest for 4 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to stabilize at room temperature for 2 hours.
2. Oven Preparation: Center the oven rack and preheat to 350°F. Butter two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper for easy removal.
3. Dry Ingredient Blend: Thoroughly sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt in a mixing bowl. Set aside for later use.
4. Butter Creaming: Use a stand mixer to cream butter until smooth. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Incorporate cocoa powder and vanilla extract, mixing completely.
5. Egg Integration: Add eggs one at a time, ensuring full incorporation after each addition and scraping bowl sides to maintain consistent texture.
6. Liquid Combination: Bring water and milk to a boil. Reduce mixer speed and alternately add flour mixture and hot liquid, creating a smooth batter.
7. Baking Process: Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, tapping to remove air bubbles. Bake for 30-35 minutes until cakes pull away from pan edges and spring back when touched.
8. Cooling Stage: Rest cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Cake Assembly: Place first cake layer on a serving plate, spread one-third of ganache. Top with second layer, applying remaining frosting to cover top and sides with elegant swirls using an offset spatula.
10. Storage: Protect cake under a dome or wrap loosely, storing at room temperature for optimal freshness up to 48 hours.

Notes

• Chocolate Selection Matters: Use high-quality dark chocolate with at least 60% cocoa content for a deeper, more intense ganache flavor.
• Temperature Control Critical: Ensure ingredients like eggs and butter are at room temperature for smoother batter consistency and even mixing.
• Prevent Dry Cake: Do not overbake; check cake doneness by gently pressing the center and watching for slight springback.
• Ganache Perfection: Let ganache rest and cool naturally without refrigeration to achieve ideal spreading texture and rich chocolate depth.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Desserts
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 12
• Calories: 550
• Sugar: 36 g
• Sodium: 250 mg
• Fat: 35 g
• Saturated Fat: 21 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Carbohydrates: 61 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Cholesterol: 85 mg