Tomato Devil's Food Cake with Classic Boiled Icing
Submitted by Marieclaire
A rich, velvety devil’s food cake with a secret weapon: tomato sauce that adds incredible moisture and depth. Topped with a billowy classic boiled icing spiked with orange juice and vanilla.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
35 minCOOK
25 minREADY
60 minTomato sauce in a chocolate cake? Before you raise an eyebrow, hear this out.
Bakers have been tucking tomato sauce into devil’s food cake for generations, and for good reason. It adds moisture, a subtle tang, and a depth of flavor that makes people ask “what IS that?" without ever guessing the answer.
Sweet chocolate melted with milk and brown sugar forms the base, then gets folded into a buttery batter with sifted cake flour and whipped egg whites for lift.
The whole thing gets crowned with a cloud-like boiled icing kissed with orange juice and vanilla. It’s old-school baking at its most glorious.
Pro Tips
- The double boiler step for the chocolate is essential. Melting it with the milk and brown sugar creates a smooth, glossy base that won’t seize or get grainy.
- Fold the beaten egg whites in gently. They’re giving this cake its light, tender crumb, so don’t knock the air out.
- For the boiled icing, use a candy thermometer. You’re looking for the soft ball stage. Rushing it means runny frosting.
- Let the cake layers cool completely before icing, or the frosting will slide right off.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Grease and flour two 9 inch cake pans.
To make the cakes: Combine chocolate, milk, brown sugar and 1 egg yolk in the top of the double boiler.
Cook, stirring constantly, over hot water until smooth.
Remove from heat.
Sift the flour with the baking soda and salt into a medium bowl.
Beat the butter in the large bowl of an electric mixer until light.
Slowly beat in the sugar until light and fluffy. Add the two remaining egg yolks, one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
Slowly add the chocolate mixture. Combine the tomato sauce, cream and vanilla in a small bowl.
Add to the batter in thirds, alternating with thirds of the flour mixture.
Beat the egg whites until stiff; fold into the batter.
Pour the batter into prepared pans.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
Cool on a wire rack before unmolding.
FROSTING: Combine water, corn syrup and sugar in a medium saucepan.
Heat to boiling; boil until the mixture thickens and forms a ball when a small spoonful is dropped into cold water (about 240F on a candy thermometer).
Beat the egg whites in a large bowl of the electric mixer until stiff.
Slowly beat in the hot syrup.
Combine to beat until spreading consistency.
Beat in orange juice and vanilla. Spread over bottom layer, the sides and tops of cake.
SERVES 8 to 10
Comments
