Baking is my Zen: Memorial Day Weekend Baking: Devil’s Food Cake

It’s Memorial Day weekend, and of course, it’s time for barbecuing.

In my world, it’s always about dessert. If it were up to me, dessert would be eaten first, then dinner. As Jacques Torres says, Life is short, eat dessert first.

When I think of Memorial Day weekend cooking, I think of basic, down to earth cuisine. It brings to mind the quintessential basic cake…Devil’s Food Cake with Chocolate Frosting.

Found a recipe, Definitely Devil’s Food Cake, in a book called,

The Sweeter Side of Amy’s Bread,

by Amy Scherber and Toy Kim Dupre.

I love how this book is presented. Besides the storylines and baking information provided, it shows the recipe in three measurements; namely; grams, ounces and volume. Way cool!

You can check out other bloggers who have also baked this delicious cake.

My Stained Apron

A Tomato in Tribeca

~ Amy's Bread - Three Locations ~


HELL'S KITCHEN 672 Ninth Avenue (Between 46^th & 47^th Streets) New York, NY 10036 Telephone: (212) 977-2670 Fax: (212) 977-2282
Visit \| Map
Store Hours:
Mon-Fri: Saturday: Sunday:	7:30am - 11:00pm 8:00am - 11:00pm 9:00am - 6:00pm
Directions: By Subway: N or R train to the 49^th Street station, exit on the 47^th Street end of train, walk to Ninth Avenue. Or take C or E train to the 50^th Street station, or A to 42^nd Street--exit on North end of train, walk West to Ninth Avenue and 46^th Street. By Bus: Take the M11 bus down Ninth Avenue and get out at 46^th Street.

CHELSEA MARKET
75 Ninth Avenue (Between 15^th & 16^th Streets) New York, NY 10011 Telephone: (212) 462-4338 Fax: (212) 462-4323
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Store Hours:
Mon-Fri: Saturday: Sunday:	7:30am - 9:00pm 8:00am - 8:00pm 9:00am - 7:00pm
Directions: By Subway: A, C, E, or L train to the 14^th Street (8^th Avenue) station. Walk West to Ninth Avenue and 15^th Street. By Bus: Take the M11 bus down Ninth Avenue and get out between 15^th and 16^th Streets. Parking: There are 2 parking lots adjacent to the building, both with entrances on West 15^th Street.

THE VILLAGE
250 Bleecker Street at Leroy Street New York, NY 10014 Telephone: (212) 675-7802 Fax: (212) 675-7831
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Store Hours:
Mon Tue-Fri: Saturday: Sunday:	7:30am – 9:00pm 7:30am – 11:00pm 8:00am – 11:00pm 8:00am – 9:00pm
Directions: By Subway: Take the A, C, E, B, D, F, V to West 4^th Street Station, take the 3^rd Street exit, walk south one block to Bleecker Street and take a right. Or take the 1/9 to Christopher Street, walk down 7^th Avenue and take a left on Bleecker Street. By Bus: Take the M20 down 7^th Avenue to Bleecker Street or the M5, M6, or M7 up 6^th Avenue to West 4^th Street. Parking: There are parking meters on Cornelia St. and parking on Leroy Street after 4PM. Onto baking this moist cake …chocolate on chocolate… nirvana for chocoholics

Definitely Devil’s Food Cake with Chocolate Silk Frosting

By Amy Scherber and Toy Kim Dupre

Adapted by Carmen Ortiz of Baking is my Zen

YIELD: one 9 inch double-layer cake

INGREDIENTS	GRAMS	OUNCES	VOLUME
Unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped	136	4.80	7/8 cup

Sour Cream, full-fat	136	4.80	½ cup + 1 tablespoon
Valrhona coca powder	30	1	5 tablespoons
Baking soda	2 3/8 teaspoons	2 3/8 teaspoons	2 3/8 teaspoons
Boiling water	340	12	1 ½ cups

Cake flour, sifted	224	8	2 cups
Kosher salt	5/8 teaspoon	5/8 teaspoon	5/8 teaspoon

Eggs	180	6.35	4 large
Vanilla extract	2 ½ teaspoons	2 ½ teaspoons	2 ½ teaspoons

Unsalted butter, slightly softened	170	6	¾ cup
Dark brown sugar	432	15.24	1 ¾ cups, firmly packed

PREPARE PANS:

· Canola Oil Spray – (I use PAM)

· Parchment paper

· Cocoa powder for dusting

· 2 – 9 x 2 inch round cake pans

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

2. Lightly spray two nine-inch cake pans with oil and line with parchment paper.

3. Spray parchment paper very lightly with oil.

4. Dust a small amount of cocoa powder in pans shaking off excess.

5. Set aside.

6. Melt chocolate over a double broiler or in the microwave. Set aside to cool.

7. Sour cream mixture: In a bowl, whisk together sour cream, cocoa powder and baking soda to a smooth paste.

8. Gradually, while whisking, add boiling water to sour cream mixture until incorporated.

9. In a bowl, combine cake flour and salt, whisking gently. Set aside.

10. In a small bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla. Set aside.

11. Cream butter and brown sugar on medium speed of electric mixer, using paddle attachment, until light and fluffy, (about 2 to 3 minutes).

12. Add melted chocolate (pourable but not hot) into the butter/sugar mixture until incorporated. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl.

13. Add eggs (which includes vanilla) gradually, mixing well after each addition.

14. Set mixing speed to medium-low. Add the cake flour to the butter mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the sour cream mixture.

15. Mix until thoroughly combined. Batter is a thin consistency.

16. Divide the batter into the 2 pans. (Weight of the batter: 794 g or 28 oz per pan)

17. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until cake is almost ready to pull away from the side of the pan and toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out with a few moist crumbs.

18. Note: Rotate pans after 18-20 minutes in the oven. This step is for even baking of cakes.

19. Cool pans for 10 minutes on a rack.

20. Lightly spray racks with cooking spray.

21. Invert cakes onto lightly oil sprayed wire racks; removing pans and parchment paper.

22. Cool cakes completely on rack.

23. Prepare frosting while cakes cool.

24. Frost cooled cakes.

CHOCOLATE SILK FROSTING

By Amy Scherber and Toy Kim Dupre

Adapted by Carmen Ortiz of Baking is my Zen

Keep this frosting at room temperature. The high percentage of solid chocolate in the frosting keeps best this way. It will become hard in the fridge. (though still divine).

Yield: enough to fill and finish one 9-inch two-layer cake

INGREDIENTS	GRAMS	OUNCES	VOLUME
Semisweet chocolate chips	505	17.81	3 cups

Confectioner’s sugar	160	5.64	1 3/8 cups
Valrhona cocoa powder	75	2.65	¾ cup

Unsalted butter, slightly softened-cool and firm	454	16	2 cups

Vanilla extract	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon	1 teaspoon
Kosher salt	1/8 teaspoon	1/8 teaspoon	1/8 teaspoon

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt chocolate chips in double boiler or in the microwave. Set aside to cool.

2. In a bowl, sift together the confectioner’s sugar and cocoa powder.

3. Cream butter (using electric mixer with paddle attachment) at medium speed until light but not too soft, approximately 2 minutes.

4. With mixer speed on low, add the confectioner’s sugar mixture to the creamed butter and continue to mix until incorporated.

5. Add the melted chocolate, vanilla, and salt mixing on medium speed until incorporated and frosting is smooth with a good spreading consistency, 1 to 2 minutes.

6. Do not overmix or it will get too warm and runny. It should be smooth, glossy, and soft enough to spread but still hold a stiff peak.

7. Frosting is ready for use or store in an airtight container at room temperature.

8. Use within 3 days.