When the craving for chocolate strikes, it’s usually best to bake up or find something truly rich. While everyone has their preferences for chocolate treats — from fudgy brownies to molten lava cake — Food Network star and Iron Chef Alex Guarnaschelli’s favorite is beyond decadent, and we’re here for it. In an interview posted on X (via Food Network), Guarnaschelli revealed that devil’s food cake is her favorite chocolate dessert — one that she likes to enjoy “with chocolate frosting that tastes chocolatey beyond … and a big mound of unsweetened whipped cream.”
In the host of chocolate cake recipes out there, devil’s food cake delivers ultimate richness. What differentiates devil’s food cake from other styles of chocolate cake is the inclusion of cocoa powder (rather than melted chocolate) and a healthy quantity of baking soda, which helps alkalize the cocoa and accentuate its deep flavor notes and color. Many recipes also use coffee or black tea, along with a mixture of brown and regular granulated sugar to amp up the chocolate flavor, which can range from subtly bitter to spicy, fruity, or even floral. Some chefs and home cooks use a flavor-neutral oil instead of butter, too, so as not to outshine the chocolate. In short, devil’s food cake is all about getting the most chocolate flavor in every bite … and along with that, decadence.
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Keys to making a perfectly rich devil’s food cake
Closeup view of rich, chocolaty devil’s food cake on a plate – Kattecat/Shutterstock
Beyond quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder and ingredients that let the cocoa sing, what really makes devil’s food cake so devil-ish? Here at Tasting Table, we tend to trust Guarnaschelli’s list of favorite foods — as well as her and other celebrity chefs’ tips for baking a chocolate cake. Guarnaschelli says she likes her devil’s food cake “perfectly made, without too much baking soda.”
She doesn’t specify exactly why in the Food Network interview. However, while baking soda is key to elevating the pH of the cake batter, which makes the bake super rich and fluffy, if you use too much, you could end up with a slight baking soda aftertaste. The right quantity of baking soda will help achieve a rise, along with a deep chocolate flavor and color. Devil’s food cake typically calls for about 1 tablespoon of baking soda in a standard recipe, though some also use baking soda in conjunction with baking powder for leavening.
Like Guarnaschelli implies with her choice of chocolaty frosting and unsweetened whipped cream accompaniments, devil’s food cake is a cake best served simply — and with an emphasis on the chocolate. Notably, this cake is not overly sweet and doesn’t require highly sweet frosting. Instead, this is more of an occasion for elegance, opting for a light coating of simple chocolate buttercream, whipped chocolate ganache, or sifted powdered sugar on top.
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