Devil’s Food Cake

The recipe, step by step

This Devil’s Food Cake is a chocolate lover’s dream: two layers of rich, moist chocolate sponge covered with a silky dark and milk chocolate ganache. It is deeply chocolatey without being overly sweet, with a soft, fudgy crumb that makes it perfect for birthdays, celebrations or simply whenever you need a seriously good chocolate cake.

This is one of my favourite cakes, and I find myself making it several times a year. I particularly love warming a slice for just a few seconds so that the ganache begins to soften, then serving it with cream or ice cream.

The combination of real dark chocolate, cocoa powder and sour cream gives the sponge its intense flavour and moist texture, while the ganache adds another generous layer of chocolate.

For more chocolate bakes, try my Flourless Chocolate Cake or Raspberry Mascarpone Cake.

Recipe Highlights

• Easy to make: A straightforward two-layer chocolate cake that can be prepared in advance.
• Flavour: Deep chocolate from dark chocolate and cocoa, balanced with caramel notes from brown sugar and vanilla.
• Texture: Rich, moist and slightly fudgy with a smooth chocolate ganache.
• Ganache finish: Made with both dark and milk chocolate for a creamy, balanced frosting.
• Serving: Delicious on its own or with cream or ice cream.
• Quantity: Makes 12 slices from two 20 cm (8 inch) cakes.
• Time: 30 minutes preparation and 25–30 minutes baking, approximately 1 hour total.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Chocolate Sponge

• Light brown sugar: Use 170 g. It adds sweetness, moisture and a gentle caramel flavour.
• Full-fat sour cream: Use 120 ml. Sour cream keeps the cake beautifully moist and tender.
• Dark chocolate: Use 100 g dark chocolate with a minimum of 50% cocoa solids, finely chopped.
• Eggs: Use 2 medium eggs, approximately 100 g in total.
• Caster sugar: Use 200 g to provide sweetness and structure.
• Vanilla: Use 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon vanilla paste.
• Neutral-tasting oil: Use 100 ml, such as vegetable or sunflower oil. Oil helps keep the sponge soft and moist.
• Water: Use 170 ml at room temperature.
• Plain flour: Use 300 g plain or all-purpose flour.
• Fine sea salt: Add a pinch. Salt balances the sweetness and helps deepen the chocolate flavour.
• Unsweetened cocoa powder: Use 3 tablespoons (24 g).
• Bicarbonate of soda: Use 1 teaspoon. It reacts with the acidic ingredients in the batter to give the cake lift.

Chocolate Ganache

• Double cream: Use 300 ml.
• Dark chocolate: Use 150 g dark chocolate with a minimum of 50% cocoa solids, chopped.
• Milk chocolate: Use 150 g, chopped.

Nigel recommends

Vanilla Bean Paste

Nielsen-Massey vanilla bean paste adds a rich, rounded vanilla flavour that complements the dark chocolate and cocoa in this Devil’s Food Cake.

Ingredient

Nielsen Massey

Vanilla Bean Paste

Rich vanilla bean paste with a concentrated vanilla flavour and visible vanilla seeds, ideal for cakes, biscuits, custards, creams and glazes.

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How to Make Devil’s Food Cake

1. Make the chocolate mixture: Place the 100 g dark chocolate, sour cream and light brown sugar in a heavy-based saucepan. Set over a low heat and stir occasionally until the chocolate has completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Set aside.

2. Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / 400°F / Gas 6.

3. Prepare the tins: Grease and line 2 × 20 cm (8 inch) springform tins or cake tins.

4. Whisk the eggs and sugar: Place the eggs and caster sugar in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Whisk until pale and approximately doubled in volume.

5. Add the liquids: Add the vanilla, water and neutral oil and whisk again until incorporated.

6. Add the dry ingredients: Sift the flour, cocoa powder, fine sea salt and bicarbonate of soda into the egg mixture.

7. Begin folding: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter.

8. Add the melted chocolate mixture: When the dry ingredients are about halfway incorporated, pour in the cooled chocolate and sour cream mixture.

9. Finish folding: Continue folding gently until everything is just combined. Avoid overmixing so that you retain as much of the air from the whisked eggs as possible.

10. Divide the batter: Divide the cake mixture evenly between the two prepared tins.

11. Bake: Place the tins on a baking tray on the middle shelf and bake for 25–30 minutes.

12. Check for doneness: Insert a skewer or toothpick into the centre. It should come out with a few moist crumbs attached rather than wet cake batter.

13. Cool briefly: Leave the cakes in their tins for 5 minutes after baking.

14. Cool completely: Carefully remove them from the tins and transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely before adding the ganache.

Make the Chocolate Ganache

15. Heat the cream: Pour the 300 ml double cream into a small saucepan and bring just to the boil.

16. Prepare the chocolate: Place the chopped 150 g dark chocolate and 150 g milk chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl.

17. Add the hot cream: Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and leave it undisturbed for 3 minutes.

18. Mix the ganache: Whisk the cream and chocolate together until completely smooth, glossy and free from lumps.

19. Allow it to thicken: Leave the ganache until it reaches a thick, spreadable consistency. In particularly warm weather, refrigerate it briefly if necessary, checking frequently so it does not become too firm.

Assemble the Cake

20. Add the filling: Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate and spread approximately ½ cm of ganache evenly across the top.

21. Add the second layer: Place the second cake carefully on top.

22. Cover the cake: Spread the remaining ganache over the top and sides until the cake is completely covered.

23. Set before serving: Keep the cake in a cool place until ready to serve.

Nigel’s Recipe Tips

Use good-quality chocolate. Chocolate is the dominant flavour in both the sponge and ganache, so the quality really does make a noticeable difference.

Use full-fat sour cream. It contributes moisture and richness while helping create the soft crumb.

Whisk the eggs properly. Getting plenty of air into the eggs and caster sugar at the beginning gives the cake important lift.

Fold gently. Once the flour is added, avoid vigorous mixing. You do not want to knock out all the air you worked into the eggs.

Do not overbake the cakes. A few moist crumbs on the skewer are exactly what you want. If the skewer comes out completely dry, the cake may already have gone a little too far.

Cool the cakes completely before frosting. Warm sponge will soften the ganache and make the layers difficult to assemble neatly.

Give the ganache time to thicken. Freshly mixed ganache will initially be too fluid to spread. Allow it to cool naturally until it becomes thick and creamy.

Do not leave ganache unattended in the fridge. Chocolate can firm surprisingly quickly. Check it regularly if you are chilling it to speed things up.

Level domed cakes when necessary. If the cakes have risen unevenly, trim the tops with a sharp serrated knife so the layers stack neatly.

Variations

Espresso Chocolate Cake

Coffee works beautifully with chocolate. Dissolve 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder in the hot cream before pouring it over the chocolate for the ganache.

Flavoured Chocolate

Use good-quality flavoured chocolate in the ganache, such as orange, raspberry or mint, provided the flavour comes from ingredients suitable for melting.

Butter Instead of Oil

You can replace the 100 ml neutral oil with 100 g melted butter for a slightly different texture and richer buttery flavour.

Sour Cream Alternatives

The sour cream can be replaced with double cream or yoghurt, although each option will alter the flavour and texture slightly.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is Devil’s Food Cake?

Devil’s Food Cake is a particularly rich style of chocolate cake, traditionally darker and more intensely chocolatey than an everyday chocolate sponge.

This version combines dark chocolate and cocoa powder in the cake itself and is finished with a dark and milk chocolate ganache.

Why Is It Called Devil’s Food Cake?

The precise origin of the name is uncertain, but it became associated with particularly rich and indulgent chocolate cakes in the United States.

The contrast with the much lighter Angel Food Cake probably helped make the name especially memorable.

Why Is Sour Cream Used in Chocolate Cake?

Sour cream adds both moisture and acidity, helping produce a tender crumb while complementing the chocolate.

How Do I Know When the Cake Is Baked?

Insert a skewer into the middle of the sponge after 25–30 minutes.

Wet batter means it needs longer. A few moist crumbs are ideal.

Can I Make Devil’s Food Cake Ahead?

Yes. Both cake layers can be prepared in advance, cooled completely and kept well wrapped before assembly.

Why Is My Ganache Too Runny?

Freshly prepared ganache needs time to cool and thicken. Leave it at room temperature until spreadable, or refrigerate it briefly in warm weather.

Why Has My Ganache Become Too Firm?

Chocolate ganache sets as it cools. If it becomes too firm to spread, allow it to stand at room temperature until it softens again.

Can I Warm a Slice Before Serving?

Yes. A few seconds of gentle warming softens both the sponge and ganache beautifully. Take care not to heat it for so long that the ganache completely melts.

Tools You’ll Need

• 2 × 20 cm (8 inch) springform or cake pans
• Baking parchment
• Heavy-based saucepan
• Small saucepan
• Large mixing bowl or stand mixer
• Heatproof bowl
• Electric whisk
• Spatula
• Fine sieve
• Wire cooling rack
• Serrated knife
• Palette knife or cake scraper
• Digital kitchen scales

Storage and Freezing

Storing

Because the cake is covered with a ganache made from double cream, store the finished cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

For the best flavour and texture, remove individual slices from the fridge and allow them to come towards room temperature before serving.

Freezing

For convenient portions, cut the completely cooled cake into individual slices and wrap each slice securely in cling film before placing them in a freezer-safe container or bag.

Defrost wrapped slices in the refrigerator, then allow them to come towards room temperature before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 slice (1/12 of the cake)

Calories: 544.51 kcal · 27% DV
Total Fat: 27.22 g · 39% DV
Carbohydrates: 69.81 g · 27% DV
Sugars: 45.06 g · 50% DV
Protein: 6.55 g · 13% DV
Sodium: 44.77 mg · 2% DV
Fibre: 3.17 g · 11% DV

% Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Nutritional information is provided as an estimate and may vary depending on the exact ingredients, brands and serving size used.

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