Devil’s Food Cake

for 1 cake d=18 cm

DEVIL’S
FOOD CAKE
for 1 cake d=18 cm

Copyright©2023 International Pastry Academy KICA, All rights reserved. 1

Photo credit: Dmitriy Khoroshayev
 Devil’s Food Cake
for 1 cake d=18 cm

CHOCOLATE SPONGE

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 754 g 100%

• Odorless oil 110 g 15%

• Cocoa powder (20–24% fat) 40 g 5%
• Sugar 190 g 25%
• Sea salt 2.5 g <1%
• Whole eggs 50 g 7%
• All-purpose flour 130 g 17%
• Baking soda 6g 1%
• Hot water 110 g 15%
• Plain yogurt 110 g 15%
• Baking powder 4.8 g <1%

1. Combine the cocoa powder, flour (both sifted), sugar, salt, baking
powder and baking soda in a bowl of a stand mixer. Mix with a
whisk and set aside.

2. In a bowl, combine the yogurt, the oil and the eggs. Whisk until
combined.

3. With the mixer running on low speed, gradually introduce the

yogurt, oil and egg mixture to the dry ingredients and mix with a
paddle attachment until combined.

4. Continue mixing on low speed and gradually add the water. Be

sure to stop the mixer from time to time to scrape the sides of the
bowl with a spatula.

5. Cover the bottoms of 2 cake rings (d=16 cm, h= 4 cm) with foil and
place them on a baking tray lined with a silicone mat.

6. Pour the sponge batter into the cake rings and bake in the oven,
preheated to 160 °C / 320 °F, for around 15 minutes. When ready,
the toothpick inserted in the center of the sponge cake should
come out clean.

7. Allow the sponges to cool down at room temperature for about

1 hour, then peel off the foil and cut the sponges out of the rings.

8. Place a cake ring d=16 cm and h=3 cm around the sponges and
trim the top crust with a serrated knife.

9. Cover the layers with cling film and leave them at room temperature
until assembly.

TIP
• The sponge layers, wrapped in cling film, can be stored in the
freezer for up to 2 weeks.
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 Devil’s Food Cake
for 1 cake d=18 cm

CHOCOLATE SWISS BUTTERCREAM

Ingredients Total weight: ~ 818 g 100%

• Egg whites 115 g 14%

• Sugar 200 g 24%
• Sea salt 2.5 g <1%
• Citric acid powder 0.6 g <1%
• Butter 82% 300 g 37%
• Dark chocolate 80% 200 g 24%

1. Pour the room-temperature egg whites, sugar, salt, and citric acid
in a saucepan. Bring the mixture to 60 °C / 140 °F over low heat,
stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook the mixture for 3 minutes at
this temperature to pasteurize the egg whites. Alternatively, you can
cook it over a water bath.

TIP
• If desired, the citric acid powder can be replaced with 6 g of
lemon juice.

2. Once ready, transfer the mixture to a stand mixer and whip it with
a whisk attachment at high speed, until you get a glossy and stiff
meringue which should be at around 26–27 °C / 79–81 °F.

3. With the mixer running on medium-high speed, gradually add the

butter (14–16 °C / 57–61 °F). Whip until the buttercream is thick,
creamy and soft, at around 20–21 °C / 68–70 °F.

4. Melt the chocolate to 30–32 °C / 86–90 °F, either in a microwave

or over a water bath. Gradually add the warm chocolate into the
stand mixer bowl and whip until fully incorporated.

5. Use the buttercream right away.

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 Devil’s Food Cake
for 1 cake d=18 cm

ASSEMBLY

Ingredients

• Baked cooled chocolate sponge layers

• Chocolate Swiss buttercream ~350 g

1. Place a cake base on a turntable. Transfer the buttercream to a

piping bag fitted with a round tip 11 mm in diameter and pipe a little
buttercream in the center of the cake board. Place the first sponge
cake layer on top.

2. Top with 150–200 g of buttercream and use an offset spatula

to spread it evenly over the surface of the cake layer. Place the
second sponge layer (flat side facing up) on top. Press the top layer
gently with your hand.

3. Crumb coat the top and sides of the cake with some buttercream,
spreading it as smoothly as you can using an offset spatula. Clean
the edges of the cake with an icing scraper.

4. Place the cake in the fridge for around 3 hours to stabilize.

COATING AND DECORATING THE CAKE

Ingredients

• Assembled cake
• Leftover chocolate Swiss buttercream
• Cocoa powder Sufficient quantity

1. Put the stabilized cake on a turntable and apply some frosting to it.

2. Spread the frosting over the surface of the cake by rotating the
turntable and using an offset spatula.

3. Then smooth down the sides of the cake by rotating the turntable
and using the icing scraper.

4. Apply some more buttercream to the top of the cake and create a
wavy surface with the help of an offset spatula. Create a pattern on
the sides too.

5. Place the cake in the fridge for 30 minutes to stabilize.

6. Sprinkle some cocoa powder on top using a fine sieve.

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Copyright©2023 International Pastry Academy KICA, All rights reserved. Photo credit: Dmitriy Khoroshayev