Devils Food Dream Cake

In honor of McKenzie's birthday and at Terri's request:
1/4C Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 ¼ C Cake Flour
2 t Baking Soda
½ t. Baking Soda
½ t. Salt
2 oz. Unsweetened Chocolate
1 Stick Unsalted Butter-softened
2 ½ C Light brown sugar-lightly packed
2 t. Vanilla
3 Eggs
¾ C Sour Cream or buttermilk
1 t. vinegar
1 C. Boiling Water
Chocolate Ganache Frosting
3 C Heavy Cream
1 ½ lb good quality bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 T. Butter
1 T. Vanilla Extract
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease two 9 inch cake pans. Line bottoms with baking parchment: re-grease and flour pans. Sift together the cocoa powder, cake flour, baking soda and salt; set aside
In the top of a double boiler over low heat, melt the chocolate, stirring frequently until smooth. Cool
With an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and vanilla until creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream or buttermilk in three batches. Stir in the vinegar and slowly beat in the boiling water. Pour into pans and bake 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pans 5 minutes. Carefully unmold on to a wire rack to cool completely
Preparing the frosting: Bring the cream to a boil. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate all at once, stirring until melted. Beat in the butter and vanilla. Pour into a bowl and refrigerate until the ganache reaches a spreading consistency
To assemble: Remove paper from the cake bottoms. Slice each layer into two layers. Place one layer cut side up om a plate and spread with one sixth of the ganache. Place second layer on top and frost with another sixth of the ganache. Continue layering. Frost the top and the sides of cake.


This is the cake to beat all cakes- it sound difficult but it is really only time consuming- and worth every minute. I don't usually end-up putting all of the ganache on the cake, it makes fabulous ice cream topping. It last for quite some time in the fridge if you can resist it.