Devil's Food Layer Cake

It was my parent's 25th wedding anniversary this past Thursday, so I wanted to bake something extra special. A cake like no other, that will really fit the celebration! Luckily, I had a cake in mind. I was actually planning on making this cake for my birthday (march 12, everyone!), but this cake seemed perfect, especially since my mom is also a chocolate fanatic. 

The cake is absolutely spectacular! I just love the crumbs around the cake, which create such a unique look. In between the cake layer is a wonderful thick chocolate ganache, but the best thing about the cake is the caramel. Yup that is right - the cake has caramel in between the ganache and cake layers. Sounds irresistible right?

It was a lovely anniversary and everyone raved about the cake. Lucky we had friends over, because we would never have been able to finish the entire cake!

Devil's Food Layer Cake

Adapted From Tartine

Printable Recipe

Cake Layers:

1 3/4 Cups All-purpose flour
4 1/2 tbsp Cornstarch
1 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp Baking soda
1 1/4 Cup Cocoa powder
1 tsp Salt
1 Cup Unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 3/4 Cups Sugar
5 Large eggs
1 1/4 Cups Full-fat buttermilk

Chocolate Ganache:

24 or 32 oz. Bittersweet chocolate
3 or 4 cups Heavy cream
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp Caramel (recipe below) 

Authors note: you can finish the cake with just the ganache (use the larger amount of ganache ingredients), or you can finish it as we do at the bakery, with a dusting of finely ground cake crumbs (use the trimmings from the cake to make the crumbs). The crumbs give the cake a dark, velvety look-a look borrowed from the blackout cake that was my favorite when I was growing up in Brooklyn. 

Kitchen notes: If you like, after assembling the cake layers, apply a smooth, very thin layer of ganache over the top and sides of the cake and allow it to set up either overnight in the refrigerator or for 1 hour in the freezer. This base layer, called a crumb coat, helps any crumbs stick to the cake so that they do not mar the final icing. 

 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and lightly flour the sides of two 9-inch cake pans, knocking out the excess flour. Line the bottom of each pan with parchment paper cut to fit exactly.

To make the cake layers, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder, and salt into a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and creamy. Slowly add the sugar and continue to beat on the same speed until light in color and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until incorporated before adding the next egg. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with the rubber spatula. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture in 3 equal batches alternately with the buttermilk in 2 batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Stop the mixer, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and then mix again for another few seconds.

Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake until the top springs back when lightly touched or a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let the cakes cool completely in the pans on a wire rack. 

When the cakes are cool, turn them out by inverting the pans, and then turn the cakes upright. Using a serrated knife, slice off the domed portion from the top of each cake to make the tops flat. If you want to decorate the cake with crumbs as described in the headnote, reserve the slices for making the crumbs. 

To make the crumbs, preheat the oven to 250°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick liner. Break up the cake slices and spread on the lined baking sheet. Place in the oven and toast until completely dry, about 1 hour. Let cool completely, then transfer to a food processor or blender and process until finely ground. Sift the crumbs through a medium-mesh sieve. (Don't use a sieve with fine mesh or the crumbs won't pass through.) Set aside. 

To make the ganache, place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl, using the smaller amount of each ingredient if you will be decorating the cake with crumbs and the larger amount if you will not. Bring the cream to just under a boil in a small saucepan. Pour the cream over the chocolate. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes without stirring until the chocolate is partially melted, and then stir with a rubber spatula until smooth and shiny. 

To assemble the cake, split each cake into 2 layers to make 4 layers in all. Transfer 1 layer to a serving plate. Using an offset spatula, spread 3 tablespoons of the caramel evenly over the cake layer. Spread a thin layer of ganache (about 1/4 inch thick) over the caramel. Top with a second cake layer, and again spread with 3 tablespoons caramel and then a thin layer of ganache. Repeat with the third cake layer, the remaining 3 tablespoons caramel, and a thin layer of ganache. Top with the fourth cake layer. Refrigerate the cake until the center seems firm, 1 to 2 hours. Cover the remaining ganache with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for finishing the cake. 

Remove the cake from the refrigerator. Using the rest of the ganache, frost the top and sides of the cake with the offset spatula. If you are going to coat the cake with the toasted cake crumbs, the cake must be evenly frosted and the ganache must be soft enough for the crumbs to adhere. If the ganache has hardened, use a kitchen torch to soften it slightly, or put the whole cake into a 400°F oven for io seconds or so, just until the chocolate looks shiny. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over the top of the cake, then tilt and turn the cake so that they spill over the sides, adhering to them as they fall. If you are using only the ganache and not the crumbs, the ganache will be thicker on both the top and sides. 

Serve the cake at room temperature. To store, cover tightly and keep in a cool place for up to 4 days. It is not necessary to keep this cake in the refrigerator. 

Caramel

1/3 Cup Heavy cream
1/4 Vanilla bean
1 1/4 Cups Sugar
1/4 Cup Water
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Light corn syrup
3/4 tsp Lemon juice
4 tbsp Unsalted butter

Authors note: This is an incredibly versatile sauce and cake filling, with enough body to stay put when spread over cake layers, and just thin enough to sauce ice cream. When I spoon it over simple baked fruits, like apples or figs, it becomes a whole new sauce as it mixes with the concentrated fruit juices from the roasting pan. This recipe also perfectly demonstrates how the addition of a couple of simple ingredients to a base heightens its flavor. Here, a squeeze of lemon juice and a little salt bring out flavors of the butter and caramelized sugar.

Be sure to use a good-sized pan for cooking the caramel. When you add the hot cream, the caramel will boil furiously at first, increasing dramatically in volume. As always when caramelizing sugar, have ice water close by in case of burns. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Pour the cream into a small, heavy saucepan. Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise and use the tip of a sharp knife to scrape the seeds from the pod halves into the milk. Place over medium-high heat and bring to just under a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low to keep the cream warm.

In a medium, heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, water, salt, and corn syrup. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Then cook, without stirring, until the mixture is amber colored, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat.

The mixture will continue to cook off the heat and become darker, so make sure to have your cream close by. Carefully and slowly add the cream to the sugar syrup. The mixture will boil vigorously at first. Let the mixture simmer down, and then whisk until smooth. Add the lemon juice. Let cool for about 10 minutes.

Cut the butter into 1-inch chunks and add them to the caramel one at a time, whisking constantly after each addition. Then whisk the caramel periodically as it continues to cool.

The caramel will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.