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Active Time
1 1/2 hr
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Total Time
3 1/4 hr
This recipe, all the rage at the turn of the previous century, makes the quintessential layer cake—old-fashioned and toothsome.
我ngredients
Serves 8
For cake layers:
For frosting:
Make cake layers:
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 2 (8- by 2-inch) round cake pans and dust with flour, knocking out excess.
Step 2
Stir together milk and vinegar and set aside to “sour” (mixture will curdle). Melt chocolate and butter with water in a large metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, whisking until smooth. Cool slightly. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat sugar into chocolate mixture with an electric mixer. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture and beat on low speed just until combined. Add soured milk and beat on high speed 2 minutes.
Step 3
Divide batter evenly between cake pans. Bake in middle of oven until tops of layers spring back when touched lightly and edges have just started to pull away from sides of pans, about 35 minutes. Cool layers in pans on racks 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around edges of pans, then invert layers onto racks to cool completely.
Make frosting:
Step 4
Bring sugar and cream to a boil in a heavy saucepan, stirring constantly, and simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add chocolate, butter, and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. Chill frosting, stirring frequently, until thickened and spreadable.
Assemble cake:
Step 5
Brush any loose crumbs from layers and put 1 layer upside down on a serving plate. Spread with about 1 cup frosting. Place other layer on top, right side up. Frost top and sides of cake with remaining frosting.
The old-fashioned frosting will have a slightly grainy texture, like some types of fudge.
Leave a Review
Reviews (46)
Back to TopThis is the only chocolate cake I make for birthdays or one someone requests an American style chocolate cake. The initial cake is dry but once you ice it and let it sit overnight magic happens. I always double the frosting recipe because you really need to ice heavily and the recipe as is only just covers the whole cake. Also I love the frosting all by itself.
sipagolda
Arlington, VA
4/3/2018
这个配方的成分失踪吗?我am an experienced cook and have never had a cake turn out like this. Not only did it fall, but it tastes like squished chocolate egg bread. The icing tastes good. Now I'm off to make a new cake to put it on.
yappingcairn
Toronto, ON
1/12/2013
OK PEOPLE- I just want to advise anyone looking here: If I can make this chocolate bliss cake & have it come out as fantastic as it did, anyone can!! Played by the rules & it came out perfect- the only tweak was a generous spoonful of coffee crystals into the first step of the frosting recipe b/c my daughter (for whom this 16th birthday cake was being made) requested coffee icing. DELICIOUS & WORTH THE BIT OF FUSS!!
Shiracancook
Jerusalem
11/25/2011
OK PEOPLE- I just want to advise anyone looking here: If I can make this chocolate bliss cake & have it come out as fantastic as it did, anyone can!! Played by the rules & it came out perfect- the only tweak was a generous spoonful of coffee crystals into the first step of the frosting recipe b/c my daughter (for whom this 16th birthday cake was being made) requested coffee icing. DELICIOUS & WORTH THE BIT OF FUSS!!
shirlette
Jerusalem
11/25/2011
My all time favorite American-style chocolate cake. Easy to make. The best frosting. Make the cake the day before and let it sit overnight for the best texture and taste.
sipagolda
Arlington, VA
8/28/2011
我had not baked a cake in over 20 years and I have to say it was FABULOUS! I followed the directions exactly as written and would NOT change a thing. I baked it for a special Christmas dinner with friends and will most definitely bake it again!
Moohook
New Jersey
12/26/2010
Nice texture, but it's too sweet. If I made this cake again, I would definitely make some adjustments; perhaps I would substitute unsweetened chocolate for the semisweet chocolate. This definitely not the best chocolate cake recipe that I've made from this site.
carniebanana
4/18/2010
This is the best chocolate cake I make and is now the only cake I make.
sipagolda
DC
3/16/2010
我have been making this recipe for years and it's consistently a huge hit. The secret here is to make it a day ahead. It's really substantially better when it's been made at least 24 hours in advance of serving. Furthermore, I find it best to simply store it at room temp under a cake dome or plastic wrap rather than refrigerate it as refrigeration tends to ruin the frosting, in my opinion.
wendychapman
Ann Arbor, MI
12/23/2009
我have made this recipe so many times. It is such the right balance of chocolate and sweetness. Not too sweet and not so chocolaty that you smack your tongue. The cake melts in your mouth! Everyone we have ever served it to (and there have been many) have asked for the recipe.
petersondavis
Brookline, MA
11/13/2009
DO NOT make this cake! It was a flavorless, mishappen mess. I had to cut the cake into a square to ice it and make it look nice.
kll5
7/19/2009
this is my second try at devils food and i don't know what the heck i am doing wrong. It has overflown the pan both times and i used a larger pan this time. After overflowing it falls into almost nothing. It tastes good but I am doing somehthing wrong any advice on what i am missing?
alisonjohnson
5/24/2009
我will give this cake a second try. My wife and son loved it. I added 1/3 cup moist shreaded coconut to the cake. 1/2 of the center I covered in my rasberry perserves and the other in the chocolate frosting. The frosting is like rich fudge. Whipped cream is a must.
Anonymous
New Hampshire
12/11/2008
我liked this. I would prefer it sweeter, so next time I will use milk chocolate for the cake and semi sweet for the frosting.
murasakij
chesapeake, va
12/3/2008
我have make this cake at least once a year, w/ rave reviews from everyone. I made it the other day w/ my 8 yr.old daughter who had been begging to bake w/ me. It turned out the BEST I think it has ever come out! I used silicone baking dishes (just under 9"). The cakes were moist and dense almost fudge like, no "sinking" or crumbling like I've had in the past. I didn't do anything out of the ordinary except sift the flour about 3 times. For the frosting I did ADD 2 tsp. triple sec and some (a whole orange) of orange zest...OMG it is DELICIOUS! Like I said this was the best time it has turned out for me, and it looks pretty when you add sliced strawberries or put orchids on it for parties
amhudson04
Sunny So. Cal
10/30/2008
