Hello March. Every March 1st I bake this Devil’s food chocolate birthday cake to celebrate my Grandmother. She is famous for her moist chocolate cake with chocolate icing always topped with chopped walnuts. I am fortunate to share her birth month and her name. Cecile Stephens Dearden is one of my greatest inspirations in the kitchen and out.
Once again March has rolled in like a Lion reminding me it’s time to pay tribute to this wonderful woman and her Devil’s food chocolate birthday cake.
I have reposted this Devil’s food chocolate birthday cake because it’s such a simple one-bowl cake. This cake can be whipped up faster than it takes to drive to the grocery store to buy a cake mix. You can find the step-by-step photos and instructions by clicking this link for Devil’s food cake. This will soon be a family favorite in your home too.
Devil's Food Chocolate Cake
Easy one bowl chocolate cake. Moist and delicious every time.
Ingredients
Cake:
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 1/3 cup sugar
- ¼ cup cocoa preferable Dutch processed
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
1 cup boiling waterButtercream icing:
- 1 cup butter softened
- 3-4 cups powdered or confectioners sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa
- pinch of salt
- 4-6 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- chopped walnuts
Instructions
Cake:
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Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans or a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Set aside. Sift together flour, soda and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl cream butter, cocoa and sugar for approx. 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth and creamy. Add sour cream and mix until smooth. Add flour mixture and mix just until blended. Slowly add boiling water and beat until smooth. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Invert to a cooling rack to cool. Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes.
Icing:
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In a mixing bowl, blend butter.  Add cocoa, 3 cups of powdered sugar, salt and 4 tablespoons of milk.  Mix until smooth.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add vanilla.  At this point check for consistency.  If you would like your frosting thicker add the extra powdered sugar.  If it needs to be thinner add more milk. Spread over cooled cake. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
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Makes enough frosting for one 9 x 13-inch cake or 24 cup cakes or a 2 layer cake. S
Last year to celebrate my birth month I posted my version of carrot cake oatmeal. It’s a winner. Check out the post here Carrot Cake Oatmeal.
I was looking at recipe for the frosting and couldn’t figure out how you use boiling water in buttercream LOL
“1 cup boiling waterButtercream icing”
The icing looks delicious.
😂 I hope you give it a try.
Such a wonderful recipe. A lot of complements anD so easy to make with basiC Ingredients I alread had on hand.
Ill make it again.
Thank you so much for commenting. I love getting positive feedback and I’m thrilled the cake was a success!
One thing about the recipe instructions.
when I see it on the iphone or ipad, the 1 cup of boiling water happens to be on the same line as the frosting. I had several friends I’ve shared the recipe with comment on thIs. It Takes a moment to reaLize the water is for the cake and not the frosting. Of course when the recipe is read it makes since.
Tracy
I love the addition of the walnuts!
Happy birthday cecilE! She was a great woman, and leaves a wonderful legacy. I love your cake pan.
Hi Judy, I love your CecilE with an “E”. I miss her. Thank you so much for your kind comment. She was a grand lady.