C is for Caring, Compassion, & Chocolate Cake Part 2

The first cake I made in remembrance of Melissa Hortman, a member of Minnesota’s House of Representatives, her husband, Mark and their dog, Gilbert, is Smitten Kitchen’s Strawberry Cake. You can find that cake here.

One Cake Was Not Enough

I baked another cake on the day of their memorial. Watching the procession of people paying their respects was the only consolation.  The outpouring of love and respect for the Hortman family reflected who they were.  They’ll be sorely missed.

The cake I baked was Zoe’s Devil’s Food Chocolate Cake. Why? Zoe lives in Minneapolis-St. Paul writes cookbooks and has a show that highlights the food and community of Minnesota.  She exudes warmth, generosity of spirit, caring, and her Devil’s Food Cake is luscious, chocolatey, nostalgic, and comforting.

It’s made with Dutch-process cocoa powder (I use King Arthur Triple Cocoa), oil, brewed coffee,  buttermilk, and eggs.  The batter is loose, very pourable, and will not rise a lot. Fill pans no more than 3/4 full, and use any remaining batter for cupcakes.

While the cake cools, make Odette William’s Vietnamese Whipped Cream Topping.  Combine heavy whipping cream, sweetened condensed milk, and strong coffee, and whip for a simple, delicious topping.  Frost only the top of the cake or smooth a thin layer of whipped cream on the sides of the cake.  Top with a generous layer of the cream and a dusting of cocoa powder; it’s a stunner.

The next time you are feeling down and out, find yourself railing about our current government, stop, and make this cake.  Call family and friends to come over for a slice of damn good chocolate cake, conversation, and camaraderie.  We’ll all need that extra energy to fight back against the craziness and cruelty.

Food has a way of comforting us and bringing us together.

Print Pin

CHOCOLATE DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE

Adapted from Zoë Bakes Cakes, by Zoë François (Ten Speed Press) by Dorie Greenspan, my baking muse.

Course Cake, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword chocolate cake, Chocolate Devil's Food Cake

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Ingredients

• 2 1/3 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (400 grams) granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup (50 grams) Dutch-processed cocoa powder (sifted if lumpy)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml)hot strong coffee
• 2 tablespoons rum or brandy
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) mild-flavored oil (such as vegetable oil)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan then line with greased parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined. In a small bowl, stir together the coffee and rum.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla until well combined. Add the egg mixture and half the coffee rum to the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon until smooth. Slowly add the remaining coffee mixture and whisk until completely blended and smooth. The batter will be quite thin.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Gently tap the pan on the counter several times to release excess air bubbles.
• Bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes (30 minutes for 8-inch rounds). Let the cake cool completely before removing from the pan and inverting it onto a serving plate. (If you want to trim the top of the cake – which will be the base – do it now; see above.)
• Using a metal offset spatula, cover the cake with an even layer of frosting. Top with chocolate shavings, if you’d like. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

Can be made in 2 8-inch round pans

To make 24 cupcakes, fill the well of a cupcake pan two-thirds full of batter and bake for about 20 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean.