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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Cake

    The Best Devil’s Food Cake Recipe

    May 9, 2021 By Sam 151 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    collage of devils food cake, top image of single slice, bottom image of slice with whole cake behind it

    My Devil’s Food Cake recipe is rich, fudgy, and dangerously chocolatey! It’s also simple to make and essentially foolproof! Today I’m walking you through all the steps, be sure to check out the how-to video in the recipe card!

    Devil's food cake with a bite taken out on a white plate

    What is the Difference Between Chocolate Cake and Devil’s Food Cake?

    Leading with this question because it’s one I had myself. What’s the point of adding another chocolate cake to the blog, anyway, when I already have an incredible, 5-star chocolate cake recipe?

    After a bit of digging I learned that devil’s food cake is in a class of its own. While it’s known for being fudgier, moister, and richer than classic chocolate cake, people seem to widely disagree on what ingredients are critical to makes it so. Some recipes call strictly for melted chocolate, others for natural cocoa, and still others for Dutch-process. So which is right!?

    After far too many hours of devil’s food cake research, I came to the following conclusions:

    • It should be plush, velvety, and more fudgy and moist than a classic chocolate cake. Soft and melt-in-your-mouth, yes, but not quite so fluffy as many other cakes.
    • The chocolate flavor should be more intense than a classic chocolate cake. While any frosting will work on this cake, a thick and fudgy chocolate one is preferred (coming soon!).
    • Sour cream played an important role in many early recipes and I felt it belonged here as well, as did Dutch-process cocoa.
    • While baking powder may make an appearance, baking soda should be the primary leavener.
    • It is not the same as red velvet cake. I was shocked to find at least one source claiming that it was and felt strongly that I should set the record straight here. Nope!

    With these parameters in mind, I set about developing the best devil’s food cake recipe. It took weeks to get things just right, but I’m so excited to share this one with you today. Let’s get to it!

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for devil's food cake

    Many of today’s ingredients are basic pantry staples, but let’s talk about a few of them, including what role they play in the chemistry of making the perfect cake:

    • Flour. I specifically developed my recipe to be made with all-purpose flour. I have not tried it with cake flour but think it could work if substituted properly. I do not recommend any other kind of flour, such as self-rising flour.
    • Sugar. A blend of granulated sugar and brown sugar give this cake the best flavor.
    • Butter. Most of my cake recipes use a blend of oil and butter to maximize both flavor and moisture. However, for this fudgy recipe we have plenty of moisture added elsewhere, so we’re going for all flavor with all butter.
    • Cocoa powder. While many recipe developers disagree on the best chocolate to use when making devil’s food cake, I found that this recipe works best with Dutch-process cocoa powder to attain its signature deep, rich chocolate flavor. While “natural” cocoa powder is highly acidic, Dutch-process has been treated and neutralized. It also yields a darker color for the cake. We’ll “bloom” the cocoa powder in our milk & water on the stovetop for ultimate chocolate intensity in this cake.
    • Milk & Water. For the perfect texture, a blend of whole milk and water works best. This is the liquid we’ll heat to bloom our cocoa powder.
    • Coffee. Coffee doesn’t make the cake taste like coffee, but it does enhance the rich chocolate flavor. You have several options here. 1) Omit the water above and use your favorite coffee instead. 2) Use water and a teaspoon of instant coffee. 3) If you have neither coffee nor instant coffee you can just use water. Even without the enhancement of coffee flavor the cake will still taste good.
    • Sour cream. Sour cream plays an important role in this cake. It adds moisture (thanks to its fat content) and the acidity helps to activate the baking soda.

    This is just an overview of some of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!

    How to Make Devil’s Food Cake

    Melting the chocolate, stir the sugars and flour, adding the melted chocolate, and mixing.
    1. Combine the butter, milk, water, cocoa powder and instant coffee in a saucepan. Cook until the butter is melted then bring the mixture to a boil. This not only “blooms” our cocoa (releasing its full, intense chocolate flavor) but it also melts our butter, which also helps the cake’s flavor.
    2. Remove your chocolate mixture from the stove and let it cool. Meanwhile, whisk sugars and dry ingredients together in a large heatproof bowl.
    3. Add the chocolate mixture to your dry ingredients and stir until smooth and combined.
    4. Stir in the sour cream, then add the eggs and vanilla and stir until smooth.

    Baking The Devil’s Food Cake

    Pouring the batter into pans, checking for doneness, loosening with a knife, finished cakes.
    1. Evenly pour the finished batter into two round baking pans (I use 8″ but include notes in the recipe for different sized pans and even for cupcakes!) and bake.
    2. Check that the cake is done by inserting a toothpick into the center of each cake. The toothpick should have some fudgy crumbs (but no wet batter!). A toothpick with no crumbs may indicate that the cake is overcooked, which could mean a dense/dry cake.
    3. When the cake is finished baking allow it to cool in the pan for 15 minutes then run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen it.
    4. Carefully invert the cakes onto a cooling rack to finish cooling (careful, the pans are still hot!). Let the cakes cool completely before covering with frosting.

    Frosting

    I used a chocolate fudge frosting that I’ll be sharing later this week, but here are a few other options that are great with this cake:

    • Chocolate Frosting
    • Chocolate Buttercream
    • Swiss Meringue Buttercream
    • Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Brown Butter Frosting (I iced this cake with brown butter frosting for Zach’s birthday at his request, the combination was incredible!).
    Devil's food cake with a slice taken out

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why is it called Devil’s Food Cake?

    This cake allegedly originated in the 1900s, and while there are a number of different reasons cited for the reason behind the name, nobody seems to know for sure. My best guess after scouring the internet? With its sinfully dark color, rich, decadent taste and plush, fudgy crumb, it most starkly stood out as the antithesis to the light, fluffy and airy angel food cake that predates it.

    Why is my cake dry?

    This recipe is specifically designed to be rich, fudgy and moist. However, a few wrong turns can leave you with a cake that is dense or dry.
    The most likely culprit is accidentally over-baking your cake. This is especially easy to do if your oven is running hotter than it says (which many ovens do!). Because of this I highly recommend keeping an oven thermometer (this is the one I use) in your oven at all times.
    However, accidentally over-measuring your flour can also yield a dense or dry cake. If you haven’t already, please see my guide on how to measure flour.

    Can I make this as cupcakes?

    Yes! This recipe will make approximately 24 cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners โ…”-3/4 of the way full and then bake for 17-18 minutes (a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs).

    Devil's food cake with a slice being taken out

    More Recipes For Chocolate Lovers

    • Slice of frosted Red Velvet cake on a white plate
      Red Velvet Cake
    • Chocolate cream cheese frosting on cupcake
      Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
    • Slice of hot chocolate cake topped with marshmallows with a mug of hot chocolate in the background
      Hot Chocolate Cake
    • chocolate lava cake on white plate
      Chocolate Lava Cakes Recipe

    Enjoy!

    Let’s bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card! 

    Devil's food cake on a white plate

    Devil’s Food Cake

    Rich, fudgy, and super moist, my Devil's Food Cake is a recipe you're going to want to bookmark and save! Recipe includes a how to video!
    5 from 76 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Cake, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 33 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 53 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12 slices
    Calories: 405kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
    • ½ cup (118 ml) whole milk
    • 1 cup (236 ml) water
    • ¾ cup (75 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder
    • 1 teaspoon instant coffee optional, see note
    • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
    • 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
    • 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar firmly packed
    • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¾ cup (190 g) sour cream
    • 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 1 batch chocolate frosting or your favorite frosting

    Recommended Equipment

    • Two 8" baking pans
    • Mixing bowls
    • Medium sized sauce pan

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line the bottom of two 8” baking pans (see note for different size pans) with cut-out parchment paper lines and spray the sides with baking spray (or you may thoroughly grease and flour the pans). Set aside.
    • In a medium-sized saucepan, combine butter, milk, water, cocoa powder, and instant coffee.
      1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (118 ml) whole milk, 1 cup (236 ml) water, ¾ cup (75 g) Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon instant coffee
    • Place on stovetop over medium-low heat and stir frequently until butter is melted. Increase heat to medium and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes while you prepare the dry ingredients.
    • In a separate large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
      2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 1 cup (200 g) light brown sugar, 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
    • Whisk the chocolate mixture briefly once more to combine then Pour into flour mixture. Stir until smooth.
    • Add sour cream and stir until combined.
      ¾ cup (190 g) sour cream
    • Add eggs and vanilla and stir well until batter is smooth.
      2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • Evenly divide batter into prepared baking pans and bake on 350F (175C) for 30-35 minutes or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with fudgy crumbs (preferred, as sometimes a clean toothpick can indicate the cake is overdone).
    • Allow to cool in the baking pans for 15 minutes then run a knife along the edge to loosen it from the pan and carefully invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely (be careful, the pans will still be hot).
    • Cool completely before frosting.
      1 batch chocolate frosting

    Notes

    Coffee

    Instead of using water and instant coffee you can instead just use 1 cup of your favorite coffee. The coffee enriches the chocolate flavor of the cake and I recommend it, but if you have neither coffee nor instant coffee the recipe can be made with just water (it’ll still be good!).

    Baking Pans/Making as Cupcakes

    This recipe may be baked in two 9” pans (bake for 28-30 minutes) or it will make 24 cupcakes (bake for 17-18 minutes).
    This recipe will also work in a 9×13″ pan baked for approximately 30 minutes. Always use the toothpick test to check for doneness: a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with moist, fudgy crumbs (preferable).
    A bundt pan will also work though I have not tried this recipe in a bundt pan myself so cannot comment on the bake time.
     

    Making In Advance

    You may make the cake up to two days in advance of frosting and serving. Simply bake and cool then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. I store at room temperature.
    This cake may be prepared, cooled, and frozen for up to a month before thawing and frosting. After frosting, the cake may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 48 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1slice (without frosting) | Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 76mg | Sodium: 367mg | Potassium: 212mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 618IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 77mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!
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    Chocolate Fudge Frosting »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Rose

      May 22, 2025 at 7:33 am

      Hi! Could I use (3) 7โ€ pans instead of (2) 8โ€ pans? Looking forward to trying this recipe!

      Reply
      • Sam

        May 23, 2025 at 9:48 am

        Hi Rose! You would likely have slightly thinner cakes and your bake times will change, but it could be done. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    2. Sue

      April 18, 2025 at 12:09 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent cake! I make it with egg replacer for a grandchild with egg allergy, and itโ€™s perfect. I use a 9×13 & top it with a cooked fudge frosting. Soooo rich & delicious.

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 21, 2025 at 11:22 am

        I’m so glad it was such a hit, Sue! Thank you for the feedback using an egg replacer! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    3. Christine Farrell

      April 10, 2025 at 2:08 pm

      Can I freeze this batter? Any tips?

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 10, 2025 at 3:37 pm

        Hi Christine! I’m not sure how freezing the actual batter would work. You could freeze the baked cakes though. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    4. Kit

      March 28, 2025 at 10:51 pm

      5 stars
      I’ve made this cake roughly five times I think and it turns out great every time. Ive even made it gluten free twice (if you try it be prepared for the weird goopy texture of the batter) my family loves it and it is now the go-to request for birthdays!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        March 31, 2025 at 4:44 pm

        So glad to hear this, Kit! We appreciate the feedback on the gluten free version as well ๐Ÿ˜Š

        Reply
    5. Ellen Heitz

      March 22, 2025 at 10:52 pm

      Iโ€™m so disappointed ๐Ÿ˜ข Iโ€™m thinking maybe I over mixed my cake. It barely rose, but still managed to sink once it cooled. (Baking soda and powder are both good / not old) So moist it was almost wet ๐Ÿ˜‚ It is fully cooked.
      My reg size oven is a convection oven, so I baked it a shorter amount of time 5-10 min less I thinkโ€ฆ

      Iโ€™ve had such good luck using your recipes and videos in the past. (LOVED your gingerbread spice cupcakes with sugared cranberries at Christmas- not sure if thatโ€™s the exact name.,Next time I make this one, I will watch the mixingโ€ฆ I did use a stand mixerโ€ฆ I am determined to get it right!

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 24, 2025 at 3:52 pm

        I’m so sorry to hear this, Ellen! I would definitely watch how much you mix it. You likely need to alter your bake temperature as well if using a convection oven.

        Reply
    6. Melissa

      March 18, 2025 at 9:00 am

      Suggestions for high altitude?

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 18, 2025 at 10:44 am

        Unfortunately I do not have experience with high altitude baking so I can’t say for sure what/if any adjustments would be needed. If you do try it I would love to know how it turns out. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    7. Michelle

      February 17, 2025 at 12:40 pm

      5 stars
      Love this cake! I am making it for my son’s wedding since it is his favorite!

      Reply
    8. jill dombroske

      February 16, 2025 at 6:27 pm

      5 stars
      amazing

      Reply
    9. Antonietta

      February 12, 2025 at 4:42 pm

      Can you use oil instead of butter?

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        February 13, 2025 at 2:01 pm

        Hi Antonietta! We would be a little bit worried that the cake may just fall apart with oil. Itโ€™s already a very moist cake. If you do try it let us know how it goes ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    10. Lauren

      January 31, 2025 at 5:08 pm

      Can someone tell me what I am doing wrong? I mix all the items in the sauce pan and as soon as my butter melts, it doesnโ€™t incorporate into the chocolate mix. It just separates and doesnโ€™t come to a boil.

      Reply
      • Sam

        February 07, 2025 at 4:56 pm

        Hi Lauren! I would try to keep whisking and cooking and maybe turn up the heat a notch. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
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