Wouldn’t it be nice if the Devil really had horns, glowed red and carried a pitch fork. We’d all know just who to stay away from then, wouldn’t we?
No, we aren’t going to have a discussion about the validly of the Devil. As a Catholic, I have no doubt that he is real, and that demons do indeed walk the earth seeking the ruin of souls. I profess this every Sunday at the end of Mass when we recite the Prayer to Saint Michael seeking protection as we go about our daily lives.
No, today we’re going to talk about a different Devil. Devil’s Food Cake to be more accurate. Today is National Devil’s Food Cake Day. Just as Angel’s Food Cake was popular in the 19th century, a popular cake at the opposite end of the spectrum was also making the rounds. It seemed only fitting that this sinfully dark, temptingly delicious cake be given the name Devil’s Food.
While I love a good cake as much as the next guy, we rarely have cake unless it’s for something special like a big family gathering. When it’s just the three of us, baking a cake seems a bit of a waste. That’s when I decided to invest in some smaller pans. I present to you my first attempt at a smaller cake packed with just as much sinful temptation as its larger counterpart. Enjoy Devil’s Food Cake Day!
Spicy Devil’s Food Cake with Chocolate Mousse and Nearly Midnight Ganache
Devil’s Food Cake
Flour as needed for pans
1 box Devil’s Food Cake Mix
2 tablespoons Dutch Processed Unsweetened Coca Powder
3/4 cup Hot Water
1/4 cup Black Coffee
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
3 large Eggs
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper or to taste
Heat oven 350-degrees. Grease bottoms and sides of two 6-inch round cake pans with shortening or margarine. Sprinkle with a silky flour such as Wondra or cake flour. Shake out excess flour, set pans aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, blend cake mix with cocoa. Add warmed water, coffee and oil. Beat on low speed, adding eggs one egg at a time. Add cayenne pepper, continue to beat at low speed until moistened, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium, beat for 2 minutes. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake on the middle rack in the heated oven for about 25 minutes or until cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Let cake cool in the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, cool completely on the wire racks before decorating.
Chocolate Mousse
4 oz Semisweet Dark Chocolate, no more than 70%
2 Eggs
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1 tablespoon Sugar
1/2 tablespoon Liquor of choice
Note: You will need 3 bowls to make the mousse, two smaller and one larger, as well as a double boiler, a wire whip, an electric beater, and a rubber spatula. As for the chocolate, the higher the quality, the better the mousse. It is recommended that the chocolate content of no more than 70 % is used — otherwise the mousse will not be sweet enough.
Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in a medium bowl and the whites in a large bowl. To avoid mishaps, separate them one by one over a small glass before moving them into the appropriate bowls. That way, if a bit of yolk gets into one white, you will not have to jettison all the whites.
Set the whites aside for the moment. Whip the yolks with a wire whip until they are well blended.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water. While it is melting, pour the cream into the third bowl and whip until firm with your electric beater. (Oh the beauty of a standing mixer).
Remove the melted chocolate from the heat and allow to cool slightly (1 minute). Pour the chocolate into the yolks and mix quickly with your wire whip or a wooden spoon. This will cool the chocolate and prevent the yolks from cooking. Once blended, add the liquor. Mix in the whipped cream. The mixture should be smooth and satiny.
Beat the whites with the electric mixer. Before beginning, have the 2 tablespoons of sugar standing by in a little dish so that you can add it easily as you are beating. When the whites coalesce into a mass with soft peaks, add the sugar. Beat a little more, to medium-hard peaks, and stop. DO NOT over-whip into stiff peaks, you will want the whites to blend without separating (too soft) or needing to work them in with a firm hand (too stiff).
Using a soft rubber spatula, gently fold the whites into the chocolate mixture. This takes some time because you want your mousse to remain light, but you also want to avoid having bits of the whites turning up in the midst of your chocolate creation. Be careful to fold, not stir — stirring will make the mixture collapse. Let mousse chill until fully set and ready to assemble cake.
To assemble the cake: Place bottom layer of the cake on a serving platter or cake plate. Reserve 3/4 cup of the mousse as a garnish, keep refrigerated.
Spread remaining mousse over the top of the bottom cake layer, smooth out the mousse with a spatula. Top with remaining cake. Touch up as needed with an off-set spatula. Place the cake in refrigerator to chill while the Ganache is made.
Nearly Midnight Ganache
1 cup semisweet Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
1 tablespoon Butter
Note: To help with the melting process, chips can be coarsely chopped. Place chocolate in a bowl.
In a saucepan, bring the heavy cream and butter to a low boil over medium-high heat. Once heated, pour the cream mixture over the chocolate. Give the bowl a good shake to submerge all the chips. Allow to stand for 5 minutes without stirring for the chocolate to naturally melt.
Once melted, gently stir the Ganache until smooth. Carefully pour the Ganache onto the center of the cake, smoothing over the top with an offset spatula. Return the cake to the refrigerator and chill so the Ganache will set.
Optional Additions to Finishing Touches
Chocolate Shavings
Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans
Pipe the reserved mousse on to of the finished cake to decorate. Stars or swirls with the mousse are both nice touches. The addition of chocolate shavings or chocolate espresso beans are also an elegant touch.
A bountiful rain You showered down, O God, upon Your inheritance;
You restored the land when it languished
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