The richest, darkest, and moistest chocolate layer cake imaginable. This devil’s food cake uses both cocoa powder and melted chocolate for intense flavor, paired with a silky chocolate sour cream frosting.
This is the chocolate cake of all chocolate cakes. Devil’s food is defined by its deep, almost reddish-brown color, supremely moist and tender crumb, and intense chocolate flavor achieved by using both cocoa powder and melted dark chocolate.
Paired with a tangy, silky chocolate sour cream frosting that cuts through the richness, this cake is a show-stopping, decadent masterpiece perfect for any celebration where only the deepest chocolate will do.
The Science of Deep Color & Extreme Moistness
What separates devil’s food from other chocolate cakes is its unique pH balance and moisture content. The recipe uses a combination of natural cocoa powder (which is acidic) and baking soda.
When combined with a hot liquid like coffee, this creates a chemical reaction that deepens the cake’s color to a rich mahogany and tenderizes the crumb dramatically.
Additionally, using oil instead of butter and incorporating buttermilk or sour cream ensures the cake stays incredibly moist for days. The melted chocolate in the batter adds fat and cocoa solids for a more complex, fudgy flavor than cocoa powder alone can provide.
Ingredients
For the Devil’s Food Cake:
- 1 ¾ cups (219g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (75g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (240g) full-fat sour cream, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 oz (115g) bittersweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup (240ml) hot strong brewed coffee or hot water
For the Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting:
- 12 oz (340g) semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks / 340g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (240g) full-fat sour cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 3-4 cups (360-480g) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
Instructions
1. Bake the Cake Layers: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour three 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment. Sift flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk sugar, eggs, and oil until combined. Whisk in sour cream and vanilla, then the melted chocolate.
Alternately add the dry ingredients and hot coffee in three additions, beginning and ending with dry, mixing until just smooth (batter will be thin). Divide evenly among pans. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
2. Make the Frosting Base: Melt the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in short bursts in the microwave. Let cool until lukewarm.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Beat in the room-temperature sour cream, vanilla, and salt until combined (it may look curdled—this is okay). Beat in the lukewarm melted chocolate until smooth.
3. Finish the Frosting: With the mixer on low, gradually add 3 cups of sifted confectioners’ sugar. Beat on medium-high for 2-3 minutes until very smooth, light, and spreadable. If too soft for piping, add more sugar, ¼ cup at a time. If too thick, add a teaspoon of milk.
4. Assemble & Crumb Coat: Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with about ¾ cup of frosting. Repeat with the second layer. Top with the third layer. Apply a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake to seal in crumbs. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
5. Frost the Cake: Use the remaining frosting to generously frost the top and sides of the chilled cake, creating a smooth finish. A bench scraper or offset spatula works best.
6. Decorate & Serve: Decorate with chocolate shavings, curls, or a drizzle of melted chocolate. Let the cake sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour before slicing for the best texture. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerated for up to 5 days.
Pro-Tips for the Ultimate Devil’s Food Cake
- Use Natural Cocoa Powder: Do not substitute Dutch-process cocoa. The acid in natural cocoa is needed to react with the baking soda for the correct rise and color.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Eggs, sour cream, and butter for the frosting must be at room temperature to emulsify properly and prevent a greasy or lumpy texture.
- Hot Coffee Enhances Flavor: The coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor without adding a coffee taste. You can use hot water, but coffee is highly recommended.
- Thin Batter is Normal: Don’t be alarmed—the batter will be quite liquid. This contributes to the cake’s exceptional moisture.
- Cool Cake Layers Completely: Frosting a warm cake is a recipe for sliding layers and melted frosting.
- Frosting Consistency: The sour cream frosting is rich and tangy. If your kitchen is warm, chill the frosting for 15 minutes before the final coat for better spreadability.
This Ultimate Devil’s Food Cake is a chocolate lover’s dream come true.
