Moist Devil's Food Cake
intro
Ultra-rich, moist, deeply chocolatey two-layer cake slathered in silky chocolate buttercream, a beloved American treat perfect for joyful celebrations.
Ingredients
Steps
Prep pans and oven
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F) with a rack positioned in the center. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans with butter or nonstick spray, line the bottom of each with a circle of parchment paper, and lightly dust the sides with cocoa powder (instead of flour to avoid white residue on the dark cake layers).
Whisk dry ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, combine 240g all-purpose flour, 80g of the Dutch-processed cocoa powder, 300g granulated sugar, 1 ½ tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp of the fine salt. Whisk vigorously for 45 seconds to fully incorporate all ingredients and break up any cocoa lumps, ensuring even leavening distribution across the batter.
Mix cake batter
Add 240ml room-temperature buttermilk, 120ml vegetable oil, 2 room-temperature large eggs, and 2 tsp of the vanilla extract to the dry ingredient bowl. Mix on medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, then slowly pour in 240ml hot brewed coffee, stirring on low speed for 30 seconds until the batter is smooth and thin (a very liquidy batter is normal for this recipe). Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared pans.
Bake and cool layers
Place the pans on the center oven rack and bake for 28-32 minutes at 180°C (350°F). Test for doneness by inserting a wooden toothpick into the center of each layer: it should come out with 2-3 moist crumbs attached, not coated in wet batter. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn them out directly onto the rack to cool completely to room temperature (about 1 hour) before frosting; you can make the buttercream while the cakes cool to save time.
Make chocolate buttercream
In a large bowl, beat 226g softened unsalted butter on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the remaining 50g Dutch-processed cocoa powder and remaining ¼ tsp fine salt, beat on low for 30 seconds to combine, then gradually add 360g powdered sugar in 3 equal batches, alternating with splashes of 60ml heavy cream and the remaining 1 tsp vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes until the frosting is smooth, silky, and easily spreadable.
Assemble and frost cake
Place one fully cooled cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate, spread 1 cup (about 240ml) of the chocolate buttercream evenly over the top with an offset spatula, leaving a ¼-inch border if desired. Place the second cake layer flat-side up on top of the filling, then use the remaining buttercream to coat the top and sides of the cake in a smooth, even layer, creating gentle swirls with the spatula tip for a classic homemade look.
Tips
2.The hot brewed coffee in the batter blooms cocoa powder to amplify deep, rich chocolate flavor; if avoiding caffeine, substitute an equal amount of hot water for identical cake texture.
3.To reduce loose crumbs when frosting, wrap fully cooled cake layers in plastic wrap and chill them in the refrigerator for 2 hours before assembly for a smoother, professional-looking finish.
OMG this cake is SO good!!! I made it for my partner’s birthday dinner this weekend and every single guest asked for the recipe. It’s perfectly moist, not too sweet, and the deep chocolate flavor is *chef’s kiss*. Total game changer for my go-to chocolate cake recipe.
Made this for my kids’ end-of-soccer-season potluck and it was a huge hit! My only note is that the cook time for the layers ran a little short in my older oven—mine were done at about 32 minutes instead of the 40 listed, so definitely start checking with a toothpick early. My kids loved it so much they already asked for it again for our next family dinner.
As someone who’s only ever made boxed cake mix before, I was nervous to try a from-scratch recipe rated medium difficulty, but this was so doable! It came out moist and rich, even when I messed up the frosting a little and had to add extra powdered sugar. 10/10 will be making this for my dorm floor potluck next month.
The flavor of this cake is incredible, but I ran into a big issue where my layers sunk in the middle after I took them out of the oven. I followed the recipe exactly, so I’m not sure what went wrong? I ended up cutting the sunken parts off and filling the gap with extra frosting, which worked, but it was so stressful making it for my sister’s baby shower.
I’ve tried half a dozen devil’s food cake recipes over the years looking for one that stays moist for more than a day, and this is IT! I stored the leftover cake in an airtight container on the counter and it was still perfectly fudgy 4 days later. Absolute winner for regular Sunday family dinners.
This recipe reminds me so much of the devil’s food cake my own mom used to make when I was a kid! It’s rich, chocolatey, and the chocolate buttercream is perfectly fluffy. I made it for my grandkids’ visit last weekend and they went back for second slices before they even finished their dinner.
I was worried this would be too heavy for a post-long-run treat for my running group, but I lightened up the frosting a tiny bit by using half Greek yogurt and no one could tell! The cake itself is so deeply chocolatey that it doesn’t even need a ton of super sweet frosting to feel indulgent. Will definitely be adding this to my weekend meal prep rotation for sweet treats.
Just pulled this out of the oven and frosted it, and I may have eaten a whole edge piece while it was still warm. No regrets. The crumb is so tender and the chocolate flavor is next level. Can’t wait to serve this at my board game night tonight!
I made this as a surprise for my husband who’s obsessed with all things chocolate, and he said it’s better than the $12 slice we got at that fancy downtown bakery for our anniversary. Total win for me! The buttermilk in the recipe makes such a difference for that moist texture, right?
Great recipe! The only tweak I made was adding a little espresso powder to the frosting to amp up the chocolate flavor even more, and it was chef’s kiss. I brought it to my office potluck and only two crumbs were left in the pan by the end of the lunch hour.
I’ve been scared to make layer cakes because mine always come out lopsided, but this recipe’s tips for leveling the layers and letting them cool completely before frosting made it so easy! My cake looked like it came straight from a fancy bakery, and it tasted even better. My whole family raved about it at our Sunday dinner.
Wait, is there a typo in the frosting recipe? I added the exact amount of cocoa powder listed and my frosting came out super grainy, almost gritty? I had to toss half of it and run to the store for a quick backup for my daughter’s graduation party. The cake itself was amazing, but the frosting was a total flop for me.
Made this for my monthly book club meeting and we spent 20 minutes just talking about how good the cake was instead of discussing the book. Oops! The deep chocolate flavor pairs so well with a glass of red wine, 10/10. I already sent the recipe to three of my friends from the group.
I made this as a little birthday treat for my roommate and even my super picky cat tried to steal a bite off the counter when I wasn’t looking! That’s how you know it’s good. It was moist, rich, and not cloyingly sweet like so many chocolate cake recipes I’ve tried before. Will absolutely be making this again.
Game changer! I’ve been using the same devil’s food cake recipe for neighborhood potlucks for 10 years and this one just permanently replaced it. It’s so moist even when I make it the night before an event, which is a total lifesaver when I’m juggling 3 different dishes for a gathering. My neighbors are already asking when I’ll bring it again.