Devil's Food Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
Author: 
Recipe type: Baking
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: One 4 tier 20cm round cake
 
A deliciously moist chocolate cake layered with rich dark chocolate ganache and smothered in a creamy, sweet vanilla bean frosting.
Ingredients
For the cake
  • 75g cocoa powder, sifted
  • ¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • 4 medium eggs
  • 370g light brown muscovado sugar
  • 180ml groundnut oil
  • 200g self-raising flour
For the ganache
  • 200g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 50g milk chocolate, broken into pieces
  • 40g unsalted butter, cubed
  • 60g cocoa powder, sifted
  • 120ml full fat milk
  • 2 tbsp runny honey
For the frosting
  • 200g full-fat cream cheese
  • 400g icing sugar, sifted
  • ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped
  • 50g unsalted butter, very soft
Instructions
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cocoa, bicabornate of soda and 200ml boiling water. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C/160 C fan and line two 20cm round baking tins with parchment paper.
  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar and oil until pale and thick, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, followed by the cocoa solution. Divide the mixture between your two tins and bake for 40 minutes, or until risen and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
  3. To make the ganache, gently melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water. At the same time, combine the cocoa, milk and honey in a small saucepan and bring to just below the boil, whisking until smooth. Pass the cocoa and milk mixture through a sieve into the bowl with the melted chocolate and whisk to a thick, glossy ganache.
  4. Remove the parchment paper from your cakes and slice each one in half horizontally with a bread knife. Use the ganache to sandwich together the four layers then set aside to cool and firm up while you make the frosting.
  5. To make the frosting, whisk together the cream cheese, icing sugar and vanilla seeds until smooth. Add the softened butter and beat again until you have a smooth, creamy frosting. Spread over the top and sides of your cake then smooth with a palette knife. Sprinkle with chocolate curls or pipe with melted chocolate, if you like.
  6. This cake is beautifully moist and will keep in an airtight container for several days.
Recipe by thelittleloaf at http://www.thelittleloaf.com/2016/11/18/devils-food-chocolate-cake-vanilla-cream-cheese-frosting/