Devils Food Cake

From now on, and for the previous brownie entry, these formulas are all from a class that is about bulk production and plating. So if the formulas seem very large and anyone wants to try to make them at home and needs help rewriting the formula for personal use just let me know.



Formula: yields two sheet pans
2# 5 oz. Cake flour
3# 13 oz. Sugar
1 1/4 oz. Baking soda
2 1/2 t Baking powder
1# 8 oz. Eggs
20 oz. Vegetable oil*
25 fl. oz. Buttermilk
1 oz. Vanilla extract
25 fl. oz. Water, warm**
15 oz. Cocoa Powder***


*can, and we did substitute 1# 9 oz. melted butter. Butter gives a richer taste.
**if the water is not warm it will not combine with the cocoa properly. It'll either not emulsify or will be too thick. You want a liquid ganache consistency to form.
***you could substitute unsweetened chocolate (at least 60%) for the cocoa powder and warm water


MOP: Well method
This can easily be mixed by hand. Same steps occur if you are using a electric mixer or mixing by hand.

• Combine warm water and cocoa powder in large mixing bowl. Whisk until combined and smooth.
• Add wet ingredients to cocoa mixture. 
• Sift dry ingredients together.
• Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, in three stages.
• Pour batter in greased and lined cake pans. Pour from center and use an offset spatula to move the batter into the corners. Make sure the batter is level. You want to make sure to handle the batter as little as possible.
• Tap the pan on the counter before baking.
• Bake at 325° F for 25-30 minutes.
• Check for done-ness, the cake should be solid and the cake should bounce slightly at your touch.
• Let cool completely.

Assembly:

• Sandwich both layers between a thin layer of buttercream. Press down to make sure the buttercream is even to the edges.
• Spread a thin layer of buttercream on the top of the cake. You do not need to frost the sides because the sides will be trimmed like in a brownie.
• You can texture the top, like a brownie if you choose.