The original recipe for this delicious cake can be found here. I converted the ingredients into volume measures for convenience and cut the recipe in half because I really don’t need to eat 24 pieces even if it is my birthday. (Don’t sue me, Alton!) The frosting will taste too sweet on its own (well, it did to me), but it is the perfect complement to the devil’s food cake.
The Cake
Preheat the oven to 325 and spray a 8 X 8 pan.
Heat to boiling:
1/2 c. water
Remove from the heat and stir in:
1/2 c. Dutch process cocoa powder (Regular cocoa does not give as chocolaty of a flavor.)
If you’re wondering why the heck you just did this step, read this article.
Set the cocoa and water mixture aside and mix together in a bowl:
1 c. brown sugar
1 c. cake flour (Remove 2 T. of flour and use 2 T. cornstarch to approximate this.)
1/2 t. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
Mix into the cooled cocoa/water mixture:
1/2 c. oil
1/4 c. sour cream
1 egg
1 egg yolk
Slowly add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat on low until smooth. Pour the batter into the pan and bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes. Mine was done at about 32.
The Frosting
While the cake is cooling, make the frosting by beating together:
5 1/2 T. butter
1/2 T. mayo
Then, add and beat:
1/4 c. melted semi-sweet chocolate chips
Add in thirds and beat until fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed:
1 c. powdered sugar
Frost the devil’s food cake when it is completely cool and enjoy the chocolaty goodness.


Devil’s Food Cake Better Than a Box
Equipment
- 8×8 pan
Ingredients
The Cake
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup cake flour or 14 T. flour and 2 T. cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
The Frosting
- 5 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips melted
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
The Cake
- Preheat the oven to 325 and spray an 8×8 pan.
- Heat the water to boiling. Remove it from the heat and stir in the cocoa. Set the mixture aside for now.1/2 cup water, 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup cake flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Mix the other wet ingredients into the cocoa mixture. Slowly add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and beat on low until smooth.1/2 cup oil, 1/4 cup sour cream, 1 egg, 1 egg yolk
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes. Let the cake cool.
The Frosting
- Melt the chocolate chips and set them aside to cool. Beat the butter and mayonnaise together until fluffy.5 1/2 tablespoons butter, 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise
- Add the melted chocolate and beat. Add the powdered sugar by thirds and beat the frosting until fluffy, scraping down the sides as needed. Frost the cake when it's completely cool.1 cup powdered sugar
Thank you, Sasha, for such a wonderful recipe! I wonder what it looks like in the original. I'd love to see the picture. Hope you're well.Bless you,Sunny