Angel Food Cake Day: Make it Devil's Food!

I know today is Angel Food Cake Day, but I had to do something devilish. Here's an easy recipe from Diana Rattray at Southern Food for Devil's Food Cake. Enjoy!

Devil's Food Cake
Ingredients:
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa (use a high grade cocoa)
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups milk, scalded
2 cups cake flour, sifted or stirred before measuring
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup shortening
3 eggs
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation:
Grease two 9-inch layer cake pans and line bottoms with wax paper. Grease wax paper. Sift the cocoa with 1/3 cup sugar; pour into the milk gradually; stir until well blended. Set aside to cool. Sift together flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, soda, and salt. Add shortening and half of the cooled cocoa and milk mixture. Beat at medium speed of an electric hand-held mixer. Add eggs, vanilla, and remaining cocoa and milk mixture. continue beating for about 2 minutes, scraping bowl with a spatula occasionally. Pour into prepared pans. Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in the pans for 5 minutes; turn out on racks and peel off paper. Cool and frost devil's food cake.

The original recipe says to frost as desired, but I know it needs Fudge Frosting. You can' have enough chocolate!

Fudge Frosting
2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
2/3 cup evaporated milk
3 squares (3 ounces) unsweetened baking chocolate (I like Ghirardelli or Scharffen Berger)
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, corn syrup, milk, and chocolate; stir to blend well. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture forms a very soft ball when a small amount is dropped into cold water, or about 232° on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat; add butter without stirring. Set aside and let cool until bottom of pan is lukewarm, about 1 hour. Add vanilla and beat until frosting is creamy and just begins to hold its shape. Spread quickly on cake before frosting hardens. Makes about 2 cups.

My favorite Devil's Food Cake recipe is from David Lebovitz. Have a look at his recipe and decide which you'll make. He uses Valrhona cocoa powder, and I suggest using Valrhona in the above recipe, too. He also has a great ganache frosting! David Lebovitz is the author of The Great Book of Chocolate (and other books). You should have it on your Chocolate Cookbook shelf!