Ancho Devil’S Food Cake
Ancho Chile Devil’s Food Cake
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 Tbsp pure ancho chile powder
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
10 Tbsp unsalted butter (at room temp)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs (at room temp)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup buttermilk (at room temp)
1/2 cup hot coffee
Set a rack in the middle of the oven & preheat to 350 deg F
Lightly grease two (9-inch) cake pans & line them with circles of parchment paper or greased wax paper
Sift flour, cocoa, ancho chile powder, cayenne, baking soda, baking powder & salt onto a sheet of wax paper
Sift 2 more times to mix & aerate
Put butter & sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer & beat at high speed for 30 seconds, or until well combined & smooth
Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated
Continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary, until light & fluffy, about 5 more min
With the mixer on a low setting, or using a rubber spatula, beat or fold in one-third of the flour mixture
beat or fold in vanilla extract, half of the buttermilk & half of the coffee, then another one-third of the flour mixture
Beat or fold in the remaining buttermilk & coffee, then the remaining flour mixture
Spread batter evenly in prepared pans
Bake for 30 min or until the centers spring back when lightly pressed
Cool the cake layers in the pans on a wire rack
Invert each cake onto a plate
Trim the tops flat with a serrated knife
Spread one-third of the Ganache over one layer
Flip the other layer on top, & frost the top & sides of the cake with the remaining Ganache
Ganache
6 ozs semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup heavy cream
Put chocolate in a small bowl
In a small saucepan, bring cream to a scald over medium heat
Pour the hot cream over the chocolate
Working from the center out, gently stir to melt & blend until smooth
Let the Ganache sit until slightly thickened, about 10 min
It should be spreadable, but still pourable
If the Ganache doesn’t have a smooth patina, blend in a few drops of cold heavy cream
A matte finish will dry to a mirror shine
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