Devils Food Chocolate Cake (Printable format)

Moist chocolate cake with intense cocoa flavor, layered and frosted with silky buttercream.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Cake

01 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed)
03 - 2 cups granulated sugar
04 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
05 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
06 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
09 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
10 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
11 - 1 cup boiling water

→ Chocolate Frosting

12 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
13 - 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
14 - 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
15 - 1/2 cup whole milk, plus additional as needed
16 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
17 - 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans and line them with parchment paper.
02 - Sift flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl.
03 - Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to the dry mixture and mix on medium speed until just combined.
04 - Reduce mixer speed to low and carefully add boiling water, mixing until the batter is smooth and thin.
05 - Evenly distribute batter between prepared cake pans.
06 - Bake for 28 to 32 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.
08 - Beat softened butter on medium-high speed until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and cocoa powder, beating until smooth.
09 - Mix in milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until the frosting is fluffy and spreadable, adding extra milk if necessary.
10 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate, spread with frosting, add the second layer, then frost the top and sides evenly.
11 - Slice and serve at room temperature.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The boiling water trick keeps these layers impossibly moist without any weird textures or dense crumbs.
  • That silky buttercream frosting actually feels light enough to enjoy without guilt, even though it tastes sinfully rich.
  • You get restaurant-quality results at home in under an hour with basic equipment and no fancy techniques.
02 -
  • The boiling water is not a typo; it's the technique that makes devil's food special, so don't skip it or substitute it with warm water.
  • Bringing eggs and milk to room temperature before mixing prevents the batter from splitting or looking curdled, which affects the final texture.
  • Overmixing the batter after adding the wet ingredients will overdevelop gluten and give you a tough, dense cake instead of the tender crumb you want.
03 -
  • Sift your powdered sugar and cocoa powder before beating them into the butter; this prevents lumps that will texture your frosting and ensures the frosting looks professionally smooth.
  • If your frosting seems too thick to spread, add milk one tablespoon at a time and beat well between each addition; if it seems too thin, refrigerate it for 15-20 minutes and it will firm up without becoming stiff.
Go back