Devil's Food Cake
 
Sinful dark chocolate devil's food cake with raspberries, adapted from Tartine Bakery's recipe.
Ingredients
For the cake layers:
  • 150g milk
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 130g flour
  • 20g cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 60g dutch-processed cocoa powder (if using regular cocoa powder, switch ½ teaspoon baking powder for baking soda)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 120g butter, room temperature
  • 180g sugar
  • 3 eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the whipped chocolate ganache:
  • 450g whipping cream
  • 450g dark chocolate, chopped and in a bowl
For the simple syrup:
  • 50g sugar
  • 50g water
To assemble:
  • Raspberries (optional)
  • Neutral glaze (optional--make by bringing 50g water, 50g sugar, 25g lemon juice, and 3g pectin to a simmer for two minutes and then cooling to room temperature)
  • Microgreens (optional)
  • Chocolate decorations (optional)
Method
Prepare the cake layers:
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter and flour a quarter sheet pan, and then line with parchment paper.
  2. Combine the milk with the lemon juice and let stand for ten minutes (while you complete the other steps).
  3. In a new bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder (or baking soda, if using regular cocoa powder), cocoa powder, and salt.
  4. In a third bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy on medium speed, slowly adding the sugar as you do.
  5. Beat the eggs into the butter-sugar mixture, one at a time, until combined.
  6. Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter, sugar, and egg mixture. Mix until combined. Pour in half of the milk, and beat until combined. Repeat until you use all the flour and the milk (you will have three additions of the flour mixture and two of the milk).
  7. Beat in the vanilla extract.
  8. Spread the batter evenly onto the sheet pan and bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  9. Cut the cake into four pieces of equal size, maximizing their area (wow, that sounds like a math question). I used pieces that were 7'' x 4'', approximately. Do not discard the scraps. You will need them.
Prepare the whipped chocolate ganache:
  1. Bring the whipping cream to a simmer, being careful that it doesn't boil.
  2. Pour over the dark chocolate and let stand for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to melt.
  3. Whisk slowly, until all the chocolate is melted and combined.
  4. Let the chocolate come to room temperature (about two hours).
  5. Beat on medium speed for three minutes, until light and fluffy.
Prepare the simple syrup:
  1. Bring the sugar and water to a simmer, and then let cool to room temperature.
Assemble the cake:
  1. Place a layer of cake on a tray, and brush with simple syrup until quite wet (this will help keep the cake moist). Spread with about half a cup of frosting, and then repeat with the remaining layers.
  2. After placing the last layer on, coat the entire cake with frosting (reserving a bit). Don't worry if it's ugly. That's what the cake crumbs are for.
  3. Place in the freezer for one hour before proceeding.
Prepare the cake crumb coating:
  1. Take the reserved scraps, break them into chunks, and toast on a parchment paper-lined baking tray at 120°C (250°F) for about 45 minutes, or until hardened (but not burnt).
  2. Cool the scraps completely, and then grind until fine.
  3. Sift over a large sheet pan or tray to prepare for coating.
Finish assembling the cake:
  1. Remove the cake from the freezer and coat with the bit of frosting you have left. If you don't have much left, pass a flame quickly over the cake to make the outer layer of frosting sticky.
  2. Pick up the cake and roll it in the cake crumbs.
  3. Place raspberries on top, and brush them with neutral glaze to make them shiny, if using. Add microgreens and chocolate decorations, if using, as well.
  4. Make sure that you serve the cake at room temperature (it takes about an hour to bring it up to room temperature from the fridge).
Recipe by IronWhisk at http://www.ironwhisk.com/2014/05/devils-food-cake/