DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH FLUFFY WHITE ICING

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH FLUFFY WHITE ICING

Makes one (9-inch) two-layer cake; serves 12.

Note: Devil's food cake is an American classic, and this is about the best recipe I've ever come up with for it. It's very chocolaty and also very moist, two qualities that don't often coincide in this type of cake. Using brown sugar here makes all the difference -- it makes the cake super-moist and also boosts the chocolate flavor. The icing is easy to make. In the past, it was prepared like a cooked meringue in which the egg whites are whipped and a hot sugar syrup is poured over them. The method here combines all the ingredients and heats them over boiling water, which is faster and more reliable. You will need two (9-inch) round layer pans, 2 inches deep, buttered and the bottoms lined with a disk of parchment or buttered wax paper, cut to fit.

Cake batter:

• 13/4 c. flour

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 1 1/4 c. dark brown sugar, firmly packed

• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

• 3 eggs

• 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

• 3/4 c. milk or buttermilk

• 4 egg whites

• Large pinch salt

• 11/4 c. sugar

• 1/2 c. light corn syrup

Directions

Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, and stir well to mix. Combine the butter, brown sugar and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat with the paddle on medium speed until lightened in color and texture, about 3 or 4 minutes.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the cooled chocolate. Decrease the mixer speed to lowest and add a third of the flour mixture. Stop and scrape the bowl and beater.

Beat in half the milk, and stop and scrape the bowl and beater. Repeat with another one-third of the flour and the remaining milk. Stop and scrape. Beat in the remaining flour mixture.

Increase the speed to medium and beat the batter continuously for 3 minutes. Divide the batter equally between the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake the layers until they are well risen and feel firm when pressed in the center with a fingertip, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool in the pans on racks for 5 minutes, then unmold, turn right side up again and cool completely.

Regulate the heat under the pan of water so that it boils gently and place the bowl on the pan (to create a double boiler). Whisk gently just to keep the mixture moving until it is hot (about 140 degrees) and all the sugar is dissolved. Place the bowl on the mixer with the whisk and whip the icing until it has cooled and become white and fluffy.

Peel off the paper and put one of the cake layers right side up on a cake cardboard or platter. Spoon a little less than half the icing on the layer and spread to the edge (use a medium metal offset spatula).

Invert the second layer on the icing (the smooth bottom of the layer is now uppermost) and gently press the layer into the icing; peel off the paper. Spread the entire outside of the cake with the remaining icing, using the point of the spatula to swirl it all over, as opposed to spreading it straight and flat.

To serve: Cut wedges of the cake at the table, using a long, thin-bladed knife. The icing is sticky, so wipe the knife with a wet cloth every time you cut through the cake to avoid tracking crumbs into it.

To store: Keep the cake under a cake dome at room temperature -- plastic wrap or foil will stick to the icing and pull it off the cake.

Calories412Fat13 gSodium470 mgSaturated fat8 g

Carbohydrates71 gCalcium58 mg

Protein6 gCholesterol75 mgDietary fiber2 g