Devil's Food Cake Recipe

Devil's food cake is a retro tiered cake with a hint of chilli and lots of dark chocolate and coffee to bring out the flavour.

You will need 5 x 20cm (8in) sandwich tins that are greased and the bases and sides lined with baking parchment. You can use one tin and make the sponges in two or three batches, or you can bake all the sponges at the same time if you have three tins to hand. 

Ingredients

• 450g (1lb) plain flour
• 2tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2tsp baking powder
• good pinch of salt
• 300ml (½pt) hot, strong coffee
• 200g (7oz) dark chocolate, roughly chopped
• 350g (12oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 400g (14oz) caster sugar
• 4 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten

For the ganache:

• 600ml (1pt) double cream
• ¼-½tsp chilli powder
• 600g (1lb 5oz) dark chocolate, roughly chopped

To decorate:

• 100g (4oz) dark chocolate thins 
• Edible glitter
• 2tbsp freeze-dried raspberries

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C, 160C fan, 350F, gas 4. Sift the flour, bocarbonate of soda, baking powder and salt in a bowl; set aside. Pour the coffee over the chocolate pieces in a small bowl, allow to melt then mix to combine. Set aside to cool.

2. Cream the butter and sugar intil pale, then gradually beat in the eggs; you may need to add a few tbsp or flour between additions to avoid curdling. Fold in the flour then fold in the cooled melted chocolate mixture. Divide between the prepared tins and cook for 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Allow the sponges to cool slightly in the tines before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, amke the ganache. Heat the cream with the chilli powder until hot but not boiling. Adjust the chilli to taste, then pour over the chocolate pieces. Allow to melt then mix until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

4. Using a palette knife, spread a layer of ganache on the first sponge, top with another sponge and repeat with remaining layers. Now cover the sides of the cake and top with the ganache. Finish with a layer of chocolate thins running around the middle of the cake, and a dusting of glitter and freeze-dried raspberries on top.