Devil's Food Cake

Devil's Food Cake Source: Maida Heatter's Book of Great Desserts (Andrews & McMeel Publishing, 1999 ed.), pg. 56.

What a beautiful cake this turned out to be!  I thought it was delicious as well - a traditional devil's food cake that is light and subtle. The sweet frosting provides a nice contrast and together they are the perfect match. This calls for three 8" layers so it is a very tall cake. The chocolate curls are optional and I added them at the last minute. This cake will not freeze well because of the 7-minute icing. I had too much cake and not enough people to eat it. I ended up taking it to work on Monday.

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 lb (1 stick) butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups dark brown sugar, firmly packed
3 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup boiling water

Preheat the oven to 375, adjusting rack to the center of the oven. Butter 3 round 8" cake pans and dust them with fine bread crumbs. (I lined my pans with wax paper as well).

Sift the cake flour, baking soda and salt together and set aside.

Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler over low-moderate heat.

Beat the butter to soften it.

Add the vanilla extract.

Add the sugar - beat for a minute or two until well blended.

Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl occasionally. Continue to beat for a minute or two after the last egg has been added.

Add the melted chocolate.

On the lowest speed, add half of the sifted ingredients.

Add the buttermilk.

Add the remaining sifted ingredients.

Gradually beat in the boiling water.

The batter will be thin. Divide it equally among the 3 pans.

Bake for 18-25 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. Cool in pans for about 5 minutes. Cover with racks and invert. Remove pans. Let cool completely. Use a long sharp knife to cut off any rises on the tops to make them level.

7 Minute Icing

4 egg whites
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 TBS. cold water
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients except for the vanilla in the top of a large double boiler (it must have at least an 8-10 cup capacity - I used my mixer bowl and a large saucepan underneath). Place over hot water on moderate heat. Beat with an electric mixer at high speed for about 5 minutes until the mixture stands in peaks when beaters are withdrawn. Immediately, in order to stop the cooking, transfer the mixture to a large bowl of an electric mixer. Add vanilla. Beat at high speed until the mixture is smooth and stiff. Use immediately.

Frost each layer. Place strips of paper underneath the edges of the bottom layer to avoid a mess.

After the cake is frosted, carefully pull out the strips of paper.