4.63 from 27 votes

Devil’s Food Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

Devil's Food Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing | photo by Zoë François

This Devil’s Food Cake from Zoë Bakes Cakes is the best chocolate cake recipe I have ever tried and believe me, over the past 20+ years, I’ve tried them all. The dark chocolate cake has a texture that is smooth and rich. The flavor is not overly sweet, because of the intensity of the coffee (you don’t actually taste the coffee, it just cuts the sweet) and the rum (the Devil in “Devil’s Food cupcakes” perhaps?), which make it a great match for cream cheese frosting sweetened with Lyle’s Golden Syrup.

If you haven’t tried Lyle’s you are in for a huge treat and a new addiction. I first had it when a friend of mine from South Africa gave it to me on a peanut butter sandwich. It is a decidedly British snack and like nothing you’ve ever had before. Lyle’s is a syrup made of sugar cane that looks and feels like honey, but the taste is not nearly as cloying. It can be found in some grocery stores and even on Amazon, gotta’ love the internet!

Devil's Food Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing | photo by Zoë François
Devil's Food Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing | photo by Zoë François

For those of you who want to learn to decorate your devil’s food cupcakes with a little more flair, here is a post on piping icing roses.

Devil's Food Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing | photo by Zoë François

pottery by Kevin Caufield

Devil's Food Cupcakes Recipe from Zoë François of Zoë Bakes

Devil’s Food Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

This Devil's Food Cake from Zoe Bakes Cakes (this version is just slightly different because I am always tweaking) is the best chocolate cake recipe I have ever tried and believe me, over the past 20+ years, I've tried them all. The dark chocolate cake has a texture that is smooth and rich. The flavor is not overly sweet, because of the coffee (you don't actually taste the coffee, it just cuts the sweet) and the rum (the Devil in "Devil's Food cupcakes" perhaps? the alcohol burns off in the oven.), which make it a great match for cream cheese frosting sweetened with Lyle's Golden Syrup (honey works, too, if you're in a pinch).
4.63 from 27 votes
Course: Desserts
Servings: 12 in a large muffin tin

Ingredients

Devil’s Food Cupcakes

  • 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
  • 2 1/3 cups (280g) all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup (50g) Cocoa Powder (I like the flavor and color of Dutch-processed cocoa but Natural cocoa produces a more even crumb)
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/8 cups (300ml) hot coffee
  • 1/4 cup rum
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Icing

  • 1 1/2 pounds (680g) package of Philly's Cream Cheese (I am really brand loyal, having tried lots!), softened
  • 1 1/2 cups (330g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract optional
  • 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 5 cups (600g) confectioner's sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons Lyle’s Golden Syrup use honey if you are in a pinch

Instructions

  • Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and prepare 1 dozen large muffin tins with Paper Baking Cups (or two 9-inch rounds).
  • Combine all the dry ingredients together in a large bowl and whisk until combined, set aside.
  • Whisk together, eggs, buttermilk, oil and vanilla until well combined. Add the egg mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk, while slowly adding the coffee and rum to the batter and whisk until totally blended and smooth, about 2 minutes. The batter will be quite runny.
  • Fill a measuring cup or pitcher with the batter and then fill the muffin cups about 3/4 full. 
  • Bake the devil's food cupcakes for about 18-20 minutes (about 25-30 for 9-inch rounds) or until a tester comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool on a cake rack and then frost with cream cheese icing (recipe follows).
  • Cream Cheese Icing: Combine all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl and cream together until smooth. I used a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip to decorate these devil’s food cupcakes. You may want to double the icing recipe just in case you find yourself dipping into the bowl with a spoon!

Notes

*You can also make this in a standard size muffin tin and it will result in about 18 cupcakes, rather than 12 in the large muffin tin.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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215 thoughts to “Devil’s Food Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing”

  1. Zoë–these look amazing! I adore Lyle’s and had no idea it could be thrown into a cream cheese frosting. I love it! I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing!

  2. Hi KN,

    It is a great way to sweeten not only cream cheese frosting but I also use it in place of Honey and/or corn syrup (like when I make caramel sauce I add a tablespoon to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.)

    Not only is it tasty but a kitchen helper.

    Thanks, Zoë

  3. Hi Zoe – thank you for the nice comment you left on my blog. I LOVE your site – I’ll definitely be back to do more browsing!!

    I tried another loaf of bread today – using parchment paper (because I was having so much trouble with the cornmeal scorching) – the loaf came out lovely. Do you see any problem with doing it that way?? I’m going to keep experimenting.

    Thanks to you and Jeff for putting out the book – this is really good bread and sooooo easy. We are loving it!

    Also, thanks for the comments about my gardens – that’s my passion! We do have a short growing season here in MN, but some lovely things happen during that time each year.

  4. Hi Kris,

    You really are a major talent. I love to garden but I fear I didn’t inherit my father’s green thumb, but I still try.

    Thank you for your kind words about the site and the book.

    I have heard many people talk about baking the bread on the parchment sitting on the stone. I am going to try it with my next loaf. I’ll let you know if I detect any difference at all.

    Thanks! Zoë

  5. Thanks for posting the cupcake recipe, Zoe! I loved them at the party. Of course, I alternated between the cupcakes and all the great bread. You’re amazing.
    Jayne

  6. Hi Jayne,

    Enjoy the cupcakes! The recipe makes a few dozen. If you want to freeze some of them just make sure you wrap them several times so they don’t take on the personality of your freezer!

    Thanks! Zoë

  7. Hi Heather,

    Thanks! These are as delicious as they look. Try them out, it really is the best chocolate cake I’ve had. If you find a better one, let me know!!!

    Zoë

  8. These cupcakes are absolutely gorgeous! And I’ve seen Lyle’s Golden Syrup at the grocery store, but have never used it. This sounds like a great way to do so!

  9. Zoe,

    I noted that this recipe says to use either milk or buttermilk. Isn’t there going to be a big difference in the final result depending on what you use? I assume the acidity of the buttermilk will interact with the baking soda in a very different way than would plain milk. Isn’t buttermilk going to be better here?

  10. Hey Mark,

    Great question!!! Are you a baker, a scientist or have you read CookWise by Shirley Corriher? If you haven’t you should, you’ll love it!!!

    It is true that the baking soda and the buttermilk would be sufficient to make this cake rise. In fact, I have a recipe that calls for that combination, sans baking powder and it is wonderful!

    Because of the baking powder in this recipe you can use plain milk and still have a great rise to your cake. In which case the baking soda is there to react to the cocoa powder, which makes it nice and dark chocolaty looking, no matter what kind of cocoa you use.

    I’ve tried it with both buttermilk and regular milk and it works equally well.

    Thanks for the wonderful question. Please keep in touch!

    Zoë

    1. Hi Zoe,

      You have two different quantities of baking soda for this recipe on your page. The first listing of the recipe shows 1.5 tsp, the second shows 1tbsp in the section where the recipe has a border and you can print it. I’m going to try making these again today w the 1.5 tsp and hopefully don’t have the molten mess I had last time. Otherwise, they were delicious, save for the slight taste of baking soda.

      1. Hi Elizabeth, Thank you for calling this out! So sorry for the discrepancy and the inconvenience. I have updated the recipe card to reflect this.

  11. Zoe,

    Thanks for answering my question. I’m just a compulsive (!), home cook, who is especially interested in the science of baking. I am also sensitive to excess levening in baked goods, which often tastes soapy to me. Recipes like yours interest me, because I’m always trying to figure out how you know when the acid and base is balanced. If I want to make the recipe using dutched i.e. alkalized cocoa and buttermilk, which I think will produce the best crumb, would I leave out all of the baking powder, or just reduce it? Likewise, wouldn’t I have to change something if the recipe were instead made with regular cocoa, which is natually acidic?

  12. Hi Mark,

    I’m going to try a batch this week using just the buttermilk and soda, no baking powder. I have always done this using a Dutched cocoa, but am now curious to see what will happen if I use a natural cocoa.

    Thank you for this challenge! It is nice to meet someone that gets as excited about this stuff as I do!

    Zoë

    1. Hi Zoe,
      Loved these cupcakes! I made these cupcakes in a large muffin cups but would like to now make a smaller version in a standard muffin cup. Do you know how many standard cupcakes this recipe makes? Thanks!

  13. Hi Corrin,

    I have the tin next to my computer right now with a little spoon! It is that good. You may want to buy an extra just for your own private use.

    Zoë

  14. The recipe looks very similar to my favorite choc. cake recipe( Black Magic) from Hershey’s. It makes such a moist cake. I usually throw in some choc. chips to gild the lily.

    Btw, thanks for responding to my note about the thread on Egullet. I’ll be looking for you on the thread.

  15. Hey Randi,

    Thank you for inviting me to the forum, it is really a great discussion. It is so interesting to converse with people that are experienced bakers. They have more set ways and I think our method is challenging what they are used to. I so appreciate their willingness to try this!

    I’ve never tried the Black Magic cake from Hershey’s but you know I’ll be checking it out!

    Thanks, Zoë

  16. Hi Mark,

    Yes, I promised a friend of mine some of these cupcakes in return for borrowing her feather boa for a costume party. A fair trade I think!

    I’ll let you know when I test it.

    Thanks, Zoë

  17. Hi Mark,

    Sorry it took so long to get back to this, life and sick kids got in the way.

    The results of my buttermilk, soda and natural cocoa were excellent.

    This is what I used:

    3 cups sugar
    2 3/4 cups flour
    1 1/8 cup natural cocoa
    2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
    1 1/2 teaspoons salt
    3 eggs
    1 1/2 cups buttermilk
    3/4 cups oil
    2 teaspoons vanilla
    1 1/4 cups hot coffee
    1/4 cup rum

    Mix and bake as above.

    It also worked beautifully to cut the recipe in half!

    Thanks!

    Zoë

  18. Zoe, WOW this recipe rocks! When I saw that it made 30 cupcakes, I cut the recipe by two-thirds since I wanted to make a quick batch for a dinner I was going to and it worked out great! I love chocolate, so I mixed up some ganache and added it to your cream cheese icing.

    I will definitely be making these again!

  19. Hi Zoe – love that bread book – goes right to my hips! My sister in law has made these cupcakes a number of times now, and we adore them! I requested them for my birthday! Now it’s my turn to bake some for a friend’s 65th birthday! The party is Saturday afternoon. I was wondering how far in advance I can do this? Can I bake the cakes Thursday evening and frost them Friday for the Saturday gig, or do I need to step the process up further by a day – Start on Friday? Trying to just manage time, but want these to be as great as usual! Thanks! Karen

  20. Hi Karen,

    The best thing about this cake is how moist it is. I think you can get away with baking on Thursday and serving on Saturday. You may want to let them cool, wrap them really well and then freeze them until Friday evening when you frost them.

    Have fun and enjoy! Zoë

  21. Hello Zoe,

    Do you ever bake this luscious batter into a layer cake? If so, do you have any suggestions re: temperature (w/ or w/o convection), time, pan size…?

    Thank you,

    Beth Linsday

  22. Hi Beth,

    Yes, I’ve baked this cake in just about every form. Bake at 350°. I’ve baked it in a sheet pan which takes about 20 minutes to bake. In an 8″ x 2″ cake pan which takes about 35-45 minutes.

    The rule of thumb is that you want to fill the pan about 2/3 of the way full and bake it until it is set. It should resist when you gently touch it with your finger. When poked with a skewer it will come out with dry crumbs, not wet.

    I have baked it with convection heat, but it will change the times depending on your oven. You will also want to reduce the heat by about 20 degrees.

    Let me know if this makes sense to you.

    Thanks! Zoë

  23. Hi Zoe,

    Love your site and recipes. Quick question. In lieu of rum or brandy, you noted to use equal parts of coffee (i.e., 1/4 cup rum or brandy— if you opt out of the booze then use equal parts coffee)
    Questions: What type of coffee would this be? And would this be in addition to the 1 and 1/4 cup of hot coffee in your recipe? Thanks a lot.

  24. Hi Judy,

    Thanks for stopping by. These are great cupcakes and can easily be made without the booze. Just substitute your favorite brewed coffee or espresso in equal parts.

    Enjoy! Zoë

  25. Zoe, I discovered your recipe on a random search. I’ve just made the first doze and they are fabulous (I’ve only got one dozen cupcake pan). Although they did overflow a lot when I filled 3/4 of the way so I’m trying half instead. But the mix is so light and fluffy and the coffee really boosts the chocolate flavour. Hopefully you won’t be offended but these are exactly like the betty crocker ones I’ve been making for years (which is always light, fluffy and very chocolately and my favourite since childhood) but I’ve wanted a home recipe to use instead of boxed also because I live in the UK now and it’s not always easy to get. Thank you so much for this great recipe it’s now a family classic.

  26. Hi M,

    I take that as a great compliment! In culinary school they always told us we were not allowed to mock Betty or Hines until we were making as much $$$ as they do! LOL!!!

    Glad you like them! Zoë

  27. As I’ve said before this is my favorite cupcake recipe. I just wanted to share that the last time I made them the only coffee I had in the house was Traverse City Cherry Coffee. Afterall, I am in Michigan. 🙂
    It was wonderful. Just a hint of cherry flavor!

    Zoe, a few more questions on the cake pan conversion. When you mentioned a sheet pan, I assumed you were talking about a half-sheet pan like when one orders a cake from a bakery. So how long to bake for a 13×9 cake pan? And do I want to butter/grease and flour the pan like in other cake recipes?

  28. Hi Desiree,

    For this recipe the real difference between the cake made with oil vs butter is the texture. This cake stays very moist and soft even when it is refrigerated. You can fill it with a cream or mousse and serve it cold and not have the cake get too hard and dense.

    I find that it stores longer without getting stale as well.

    Hope that helps! Thanks, Zoë

  29. Hi, Zoe,
    I am just browsing your site and found this recipe.
    I’m always looking for a great chocolate cake/cupcake recipe and this looks great, but I really dislike coffee- any recipe I have tried with coffee or espresso powder just tastes like coffee to me.
    I know that it is just supposed to deepen the chocolate flovor, but I can almost always taste the coffee.
    A friend told me that I was imagining it when I baked the items because I know that it’s in there, but I can almost always pick it out when I have a dessert at a restaurant or at a friends’s house or other places where desserts are served.
    Should I just give up trying recipes that include coffee or espresso powder or is there another secret to enhancing the chocolate flavor?
    Thank for any info you can give me!

  30. Hi Bonnie,

    I do add the coffee just to get that complexity of flavor. Otherwise I find some chocolate cakes too sweet and flat tasting. You can eliminate the coffee and just add more hot water in its place. Even add a couple more tablespoons of rum (keeping the amount of liquid the same as I have it now).

    The other hint is to use a really great brand of cocoa. Something really rich and dark, like valrhona would add to the flavor.

    Enjoy! Zoë

  31. Thanks, Zoe.
    Maybe I’ll try this is as is to begin with and see if I can taste the coffe.My life with chocolate (cake) would be easier if my taste buds weren’t quite so sensitive to coffee!!
    I think that your comment about chocolate cakes tasting a bit flat without a bit oif coffe is exactly the reason that I haven’t found a recipe that I LOVE yet~
    Maybe I could try half of the amount of hot coffee and the rest of the liquid as hot water. that might give me a bit more flavor without a specific coffee flavor.
    Hopefully I’ll have a chance totry it this weekend.
    Thanks again for your advice~

  32. Zoe, thanks so much for this devil’s food cake recipe. It is the most moist recipe!ve. Could you please recommend a yellow cake recipe that would be as moist and can stay fresh for at least a couple of days? Thanks in advance for
    your suggestion.

  33. These were a hit. But I’m having an issue with the outside setting before the center is done rising, resulting in uneven rise, lop-sided cakes. Solution? Less batter in each cup? Temperature change?

  34. Hi Marry,

    I’m so sorry I never got back to you about the weight of the flour. It is about 4 3/4 ounce per cup.

    Thanks, Zoë

  35. Hi Sarah,

    Two things come to mind from your description.

    1. Are you using a convection oven?

    2. If not, do you have an oven thermometer?

    Let me know and we can take it from there!

    Thanks, Zoë

  36. Zoë-

    It was requested that I make the cake for my friends bridal shower, she’s a chocolate nut. So I was thinking about pairing this recipe with your Mocha Buttercream, and perhaps some fresh raspberries (any thoughts on that?). I was wondering, in terms of cake sizes, how much does this recipe make? Ideally I’d like to do a double tiered round cake. Any ideas or suggestions?

    Thanks so much in advance!

    -Genevieve

  37. Hi Zoe,

    I am completely in love with these cupcakes! I am considering using them for my wedding cupcakes….I love their taste, but I am having some small problems….I’ve only tried to make them once,and about half the cakes spilled over the top of the papers and made an awful mess. Any thoughts as to why this happens? I’m using a gas oven (non-convection)…also my icing turned out really runny. I really want it to look like yours in the pictures!! Any advice??

    Many thanks,
    Sarah

  38. Hi Sarah,

    My first thought is that you are over filling the cup cake cups? Try filling them about 1/2 way or just a tad more and see if they still over flow.

    If your icing is too thin, just add more cream cheese. Is your kitchen very warm, it may just need to be refrigerated a bit before working with it?

    I hope this helps!

    Enjoy, Zoë

  39. Hi Zoe…

    I only have small oven that only enough to bake 12 cup. Is it ok if i made this receipt with three shift bake ?

  40. Hi Tika,

    I think you can bake them in shifts. I’ve done it in 2 batches, but never 3. You could also bake a half recipe.

    Thanks, Zoë

  41. Zoe, I made these on my quest to find the perfect chocolate cupcake for my daughter’s upcoming wedding. They oozed all over the place, and my first thought was, “OOPS, I used butter instead of oil” (I’d already room-temp’d the butter), and then I reminded myself, “No, you simply over-filled the cup.” Either way, this recipe was going into FILE #13.
    When I’d finally finished up the baking (I had to do two separate bakes because of oven size)I left the kitchen a bit defeated knowing that I was still not satisfied with yet another cupcake trial.
    I returned an hour later to whip up a frosting (I altered yours a bit by adding 3/4 c. cocoa, 2 T. milk and 1 tsp. orange oil, and omitted the syrup). I piped the cupcakes and placed them in the fridge.
    At dinner I offered them along with an apology for a saggy and less than attractive mess of a wrapper, along with the explanation, “I have no idea what these will taste like.”…………..

    OMG! I had no idea anything could taste so divine, be so moist, and overcome such odds.

    I don’t think they oozed because of the butter, they did so because of the amt. I placed in each well. I’m testing these again in a week or so, but I’ll probably stay with my use of butter, it’s difficult for me to be converted, ;), but I will fill the baking cup 1/2 to 2/3’s of the way. I need to get the amt. figured out for sure because this is the very cake that I will bake for my future son-in-law. They are so moist, chocolaty and definitely, gourmet. AND I so agree…use good chocolate. If they ooze, do as I did, peel and roll the excess into small golf-ball sized treats and plop them atop a frosted cupcake. I sprinkled a little tiny bit of confectioners sugar on them and the whole effect was suuprising.
    “Hey, if I can fool my MIL, I can fool anyone!”
    Seriously, this recipe is a winner; just be advised that filling 3/4 of the way is NOT the way to go.

  42. Hi Margie,

    Sorry to hear that they overflowed, but I’m so glad they tasted so great! 🙂

    Carry on with the butter, I too am a huge fan!

    I’ll put a warning in the post about overflowing cups!

    Thanks, Zoë

  43. Zoe,

    I used half buttermilk, half 2%, and at room temp.
    Oh, if you’re interested, I’m still searching for the perfect white cake for my daughter. lol. Seriously, I need something as decadent as this beautiful item. Please feel free to post one. ;)She wanted a red-velvet, but I have too many children that will be in attendance, and I don’t want to worry with allergies or reactions to the red food dye.

    Thank you!!!

    Margie

  44. these cup cakes look really good. I am trying new things to cook for Wednesday night dinners at church and this looks promising. I am a desert chef wanna-be

  45. Hi, Zoe,

    This is a terrific recipe!I’ve made these cupcakes for work and my colleagues just wolfed them down. Now they’re asking when I’m going to bake them again!
    Loved it!

  46. Heya Zoe,

    Thanks very much for the recipe. I am still getting used to my temperamental oven so I had a few problems with my cupcakes (uneven rising, exploding out of muffin tins!). Also, I think my kitchen was too hot after all that baking so the cream cheese topping was quite runny. No matter, I am not a chocolate lover and I still liked how they tasted. I put in a mix of rum, brandy and espresso…yum!

    By the way, I did not have buttermilk so I used a ratio of 1 cup milk plus 1 3/4 tbsp cream of tartar for the first batch. Was not a good idea, the cupcakes were too light and fluffy.

    I used only whole milk for the second batch, which resulted in a much firmer crumb. I will persevere until I get pretty goodies like yours! Thanks again.

  47. Hi Eve,

    An inexpensive oven thermometer will be a big help if you suspect your oven is acting a bit wonky. If you know it is off, you can always adjust the temp.

    To make buttermilk in the future add a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice to the cup of milk.

    Your explosions in the oven may have been due to the cream of tartar reacting with the recipe. That is a substantial amount of acid.

    Thanks and enjoy the cupcakes! Zoë

  48. Hi Zoë,

    Thanks for the tip! I’ll definitely try the recipe again. I just have to finish the ugly (but yummy) ones that I kept from the morning tea that I donated the rest to. 🙂
    Have a great week!

  49. Hi Zoe. I made this buttercream a while back and it is absolutely amazing! I’m getting ready to make it again and want to put it on your devil’s food cake. Do you have baking instructions for that recipe somewhere on your site? (I mean for cake layers, rather than cupcakes.) I’m assuming 2 nine-inch pans at 350 degrees, but it would be great to know how long you bake them, although of course I can guess and then watch them closely. Thanks for all the inspiration in your wonderful posts!
    Emilie

  50. Hi Zoe,

    I’ve been a fan of your website ever since reading “Artisan Bread in 5 Min’s”. I finally tried out this recipe for my sister’s tea party shower: so luscious and chocolate-flavored without being overly sweet. And the rum just gives it the most lovely ‘what’s-in-it? scent’. I will definitely use this recipe again and again!
    Thank you!

  51. Hi Zoe, I have been grazing your site for the past hr and when I came to this post I just had to tell you that I am in love. Not only does everything you make look absolutely sinful but I have one of the biggest sweet tooth, so this is perfect. 🙂 There’s something about chocolate and cream cheese frosting that just makes me swoon.

    Soooooooo Yummy!

    Thanks for sharing!

    -Natasha

  52. Hi Zoe! We are not that used to “generous” icing on cupcakes. Although they do look fantastic! I think that I am a little bit reluctant to use icing with too much c.sugar. I do not like too sweet icings (yes, I know, I am weird…). This icing seems not to be so sweet as it has cream cheese – am I right? If you have, could you please give me a link to a icing that “looks plenty”, gets into piping bag,can be decorated with some sparkels AND does not taste too sweet and sugar…?

  53. Hi there,

    Recipe sounds great would like to make it as a cake in bundt pan 9 inches and use a chocolate ganache.

    Thanks,

  54. Zoe,
    I found your site by accident, but these cupcakes look great and I can’t wait to try them. At Christmas I make carrot cakes for my friends and neighbors (try to stay healthy with them) and I make my cream cheese frosting with Publix brand whipped cream cheese, combo of brown sugar & splenda and vanilla. I am going to try adding some kind of lowfat whipped topping into that mix. Also a great quick frosting is Chocolate instant pudding (can use sugar free) mixed with lowfat whipped topping. Excellent on cupcakes like these and on an angel food cake. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.

  55. I can’t help myself 2 say that ur piping is EXTREMELY beautiful! I am a novice decorator and i just hate piping!!! could u help me with some tips plz?

  56. Hi Zoe – This recipe looks AMAZING! I am going to make it for my son’s first b’day party (for the adults to enjoy!) Does this recipe make enough batter to fill two 9″x2″ rounds, or would I need to double? Thanks so much!

  57. Thank you so so much for this recipe! I tried a test run and they turned out perfectly. I was a little worried since my batter was very very runny. Really these are awesome cupcakes!

  58. Spectacular! I thought I had found the recipe I wanted, baked them and just knew they could be better. Your recipe is IT! I used Brandy and 2/3 buttermilk and 1/3 whole.
    These are the cupcakes I will get in Heaven!!!! Thank you.

  59. Hi Zoe thanks for the recepi
    when i made it every loved it but it was a little sweat , can i reduce the sugar to 2 1/4 cups without ruining the cake ??
    the frosting was out of the world…
    thanks

  60. Hi Zoe!
    Made these cupcakes last weekend and they were FANTASTIC! Used Frangelico instead of rum. This weekend, I’m using the icing to spruce up my carrot cake which I forgot to add the sugar to. My family forgave me instantly.
    I’m looking forward to using this recipe to make a Black Forest cake for my husband’s birthday.
    Thanks,
    Tina

    1. Hi Evie,

      I have used olive oil in this recipe and I love it, but I LOVE olive oil. You can definitely taste it, so many people will find that flavor too strong. I usually make it with a vegetable oil like canola.

      Thanks, Zoe

  61. Zoe,
    I made you recipe into the 9-inch double layer cake with the Mocha Buttercream for a friend’s birthday. (now an epic event due to your cake) First, there was stunned silence at the shock of having taken a bite of something so good, then an immediate need to be reassured that the recipe would be shared, and finally, a sigh of relief after finding out that the rest of the cake was, indeed, going to be left for my friend to finish. Thank you for sharing.

    Stephanie

  62. Hi Zoe,
    I made these but they all fell in the middle. I filled some 1/2 full, some 2/3 full, didn’t open the oven door, etc. What went wrong?
    Thanks!

    1. Hi Andrea,

      I’m sorry to hear that, this recipe is usually so reliable.

      Three questions come to mind:

      1. do you live at high altitude?

      2. do you have an oven thermometer? most ovens are not true to the temperature they say on the dial or digital read out.

      3. what brand of flour are you using?

      Thanks, Zoë

  63. Hi Zoe,
    Tried the cupcakes, now goin to make a cake and it feels like i hve my fav chocolate cake recipe. I even had my sister get me the lyles syrup 😉

  64. Made these as mini-cupcakes for a Christmas party – everyone LOVED them and said they were better than all the local cupcake bakeries’ versions. Used a Salted Caramel buttercream frosting from CHOW; used milk (not buttermilk); filled cupcake liners more than 3/4 full and baked for 9 min. No problems with overflowing or sinking. GREAT recipe! Will use again. Thank you!

  65. Zoe, I love this cake recipe. I have made it many times to raves. I am thinking about making a large birthday cake. The above batter should be enough for an 11×15 pan, don’t you think? To scale it up for a 12×18 pan, I am assuming that I increase by 30 percent (4 cups of sugar, 3 2/ cups flour, 1 1/2 cups cocoa, etc.). Does this sound right? Can I just adjust upwards the baking soda and baking powder similarly?

  66. I am going either bake the batter in the amounts listed above in a Wilton 11×15 cake pan (2″ deep), or scaled up to bake in a Wilton 12×18 cake pan (2″ deep).
    The package information for the Wilton 11×15 pan says to use 11 cups of batter, and the package information for the 12×18 pan says to use 14 cups of batter. Both say to bake the cake at 325 degrees.
    The party is for about 30 people and I still don’t have an answer as to whether to go with the larger or smaller pan. I am planning on baking just one layer.
    Thanks for your help (and, btw, the blackout cake in your current looks fabulous. This cake is so versatile!).

    1. Hi Laura,

      If the pan is 2-inches tall then it should work as you suggested. Just be sure not to fill it beyond about the 1/2 way mark or it may bake over the top.

      Did you enter the contest on the home page for a $100 Williams-Sonoma gift card?

      Enjoy! Zoë

  67. Thanks, Zoe! I made the cake scaled up by 30 percent in a 2″ high 12×18 pan. The cake was a little low, only 1 or 1 1/2 inches high instead of a full 2″. I would scale it up more next time I make a cake this big for a higher cake.

  68. “The results of my buttermilk, soda and natural cocoa were excellent. ”

    zoe, do I understand correctly that the instructions are if using buttermilk and natural cocoa, omit the baking powder

    what about buttermilk and dutched cocoa – then use all the baking powder, or reduce it? (the original question seemed to presume that using dutched cocoa would require reducing the baking powder or omitting it….IF I understood the discussion)

    1. Hi confused,

      I made no changes to the recipe when I switched from one cocoa to the other. It seemed to work just as well with either one.

      Thanks and enjoy! Zoë

  69. I made this in a layered cake version for a friend’s birthday on the 4th of July. I added a chocolate mousse filling and a simple chocolate ganache frosting. I think some people actually passed out, it was that good! Once again, you have made me the rave of a party.

    One of these days I may not stuff myself silly at Tilia so I can actually try a dessert or three.

    1. Hey Alex,

      That is so cool, thanks for letting me know! I love the chocolate mousse filling idea!

      Hope to run into you at Tilia!

      Zoë

  70. Hi Zoe,

    I am so grateful to finally find a moist chocolate cake recipe that works! I have made it twice already ad a two layer cake, but I need to make it again tomorrow and I do not remember how long to bake the 8 inch rounds for.. was it 45 minutes?

    Thanks ever so much ahead of time!

    Lisa

    1. Hi Lisa,

      So glad you are enjoying the devil’s food cake. I would very carefully check the layers after 35 minutes. Just ever so lightly touch the top of the cake with your finger and see if it is set. If it feels set then test it with a toothpick or skewer. If it feels wet, let it go for another 5-10 minutes, depending on how wet it feels.

      Enjoy, Zoë

  71. hi zoe. thanks for your response. “I made no changes to the recipe when I switched from one cocoa to the other. It seemed to work just as well with either one.”

    I (question left in comment on june 21, 2011) was referring to the discussion you had with mark, way back in january 2008 – comments are from jan 20-30, 2008 .(now that’s 3-1/2 years ago, but one reads the comments consecutively:-) (I realize that in the original recipe, natural vs dutched cocoa and buttermilk vs. milk can be used interchangably, but in the discussion w/ Mark, it sounded as though you revisited this conclusion).
    in your comment of Zoë January 30, 2008 at 9:22 pm you seem to have settled on leaving out the baking powder when using buttermilk and natural cocoa….is that right?
    what about if using buttermilk and dutched cocoa – then use all the baking powder, or reduce it? (Mark’s question seemed to presume that using dutched cocoa would require reducing the baking powder or omitting it….IF I understood the discussion…)
    thanks for your patience…

    1. Hi confused,

      Technically the buttermilk and natural cocoa powder are adding acid to the recipe, which makes the acid in baking powder no longer as necessary. So, to Mark’s point, you could essentially reduce or eliminate the baking powder and just use the baking soda and still have the leavening effect. The reason that I mentioned trying with natural vs Dutched cocoa and regular vs buttermilk, in any combination, is that the recipe still seems to work, as written. If you want to eliminate the baking powder, then you need to have the acid of the buttermilk and/or natural cocoa.

      If this kind of food science is of interest to you, I highly recommend you get the book BakeWise by Shirley O. Corriher.

      Thanks and hope I cleared up the confusion? Zoë

  72. thanks – i think you did (leaving out baking powder is optional w/ acidic ingredients…). thanks for the book recommendation also!

    1. Hi confused,

      This may take some experimenting and may not always work, but considering you can make baking powder by combining baking soda, cream of tartar (acid) and cornstarch, it makes sense.

      Cheers, Zoë

  73. I halved the recipe and baked a cake…….. AWESOME… Its probably the best chocolate cake I have ever made or eaten… you are a true artist Zoe. Love the site and everything you do.

    Thanks so much.

  74. I made this cake in 2 9″ layer insulated pans. It did not overflow and in fact the insulated pans produced a flat top beautiful cake. I used instant espresso for the coffee and it was a big hit!! I love your website.

  75. Hi Zoe,
    Just read this awesome recipe and reviews.
    Am excited to try this.
    If I were to bake it in a 8 inch square or round baking pan, how long do I put in in the oven? At what temperature? Do I use it similar to the cupcakes? Does this recipe make for 2X 8 inch pans?

    Appreciate your advise.
    Jacqui from Singapore

    1. Hi Jacqui,

      If you are baking in 2 8-inch pans then bake for about 30 to 40 minutes, or until at tester comes out clean.

      Thanks and enjoy! Zoë

  76. Hi Zoe,

    My husband loves mint chocolate so i was wondering if you have ever tried making this cake mint flavored? If so, can you recommend how to do so?

    By the way, i made this recipe (in cake format) for a few people now and they always say it is the BEST so thank you for the recipe! It is my favorite chocolate cake hands down!

    Cheers, Amanda

  77. Hi Zoe,

    Thank you so much. I will give it a shot and let you know how it went.

    Oh, last 2 question: do I use Top & Bottom heat or Fan forced less 25 degrees? We use Celsius in Singapore.

    Can I bake it all in one 8 inch pan instead of 2x8inch. Realised I have only 1 8inch square or round and a square 9inch. For 9 inch square, is it ok to bake it for about 35 mins?? Please advise.

    Many Thanks in advance.
    Jacqui

  78. This recipe is amazing! I have made it 3 times in 10 days, in both regular sized cupcakes and mini cupcakes. I used regular milk all 3 times, and one batch had hot water instead of coffee. They all turned out moist and delicious (not quite as deep a chocolate flavour without the coffee). Thanks for sharing!

  79. Hi! I was really excited to try these but when I took them out of the oven they completely sunk in! I followed the recipe exactly. Not sure what went wrong!?
    Thank you
    Isabelle

    1. Hi isabelle,

      Oh no, that is so odd. Did you test them with a toothpick or skewer to make sure they weren’t wet? Sounds like maybe they needed a few more minutes to bake.

      Thanks, Zoë

  80. Wow! These cupcakes are amazing. They seriously taste better than a lot of bakery ones and they last (that’s if your partner doesn’t eat them all!) for days in airtight containers for days without going hard and horrible!
    They are so very moist, and easy to make!!
    I thank you Zoe, this recipe will be the only one I use from now on! 🙂
    Sophie

  81. Hi Zoe,
    I am a young baker and I love your Youtube channel, and I just recently discovered your beautiful website, Quick Question, I have just made some coffee Butter cream, and i want to bake a cake to go with it, and I was thinking of using this recipe and turning into a chocolate devil foods cake with coffee butter cream frosting? do you think that would be a good idea and the two components will work together to make a beautiful cake?
    Thanks 🙂 Jennifer

    1. Hi Jennifer,

      Thanks for visiting the site, I think the combination will be fantastic! Give it a try and let me know.

      Cheers, Zoë

  82. hi zoë
    i will love to bake these, but, i have 3 silicone cupcake molds where i usually bake brownies and i need to know if using silicone molds changes baking time/temperature, i usually use a little butter in them, but they already are “cured”, as i don’t have cupcake papers handy. or bake it in a bundt cake mold.
    the other consideration is that i live 1000 mts /3.609 ft high above sea level, any changes?
    i will use the best natural cocoa in the planet grown in chuao, venezuela 😉 and i will use high altitude brewed artisan coffee, and orange infused rum also from my country… that’s why i don’t want to mess up the recipe O.o many thanks… jjj

    1. Hi Janine,

      I think your molds will work just great for this recipe. The cakes may be a little too delicate to unmold them when they are still hot, so you may want to wait until they are cooled.

      Have you had issues baking at that altitude with other recipes? I think the real problems come at 4000ft, but let me know if this has been an issue for you.

      Thanks, Zoë

      Thanks, Zoë

  83. Hello Zoe,
    Is golden syrup like corn syrup or completely different? I have another recipe “Millionaire’s Shortbread” that also calls for golden syrup. Is the flavor like honey- since you say hone is fine in a pinch? I know you are the person to help, Thanks

  84. Hi Zoe,

    I love chocolate cake and has tried this twice, however it turned out so different from your result. The taste was nice but the way my cakes rose was relly weird, they ended up like a volcano, not with smooth surface as yours, could you let me know what’s wrong with them?

    Anw the taste is terrific. Thank a lot for sharing such a great recipe Zoe!!

    1. Hi guzcon,

      Several reasons come to mind, so let me know more details. Are you baking at high altitude? Do you scoop and sweep your flour, or spoon and sweep? Do you use convection heat in your oven?

      Thanks, Zoë

  85. Hello Zoe,
    Is golden syrup like corn syrup or completely different? I have another recipe “Millionaire’s Shortbread” that also calls for golden syrup. Is the flavor like honey- since you say hone is fine in a pinch? I know you are the person to help, Thanks

    1. Hi Nia,

      Golden Syrup is not like corn syrup, it is thicker, closer to honey. The flavor is not really like either of them, but honey will do to replace it.

      Thanks, Zoë

  86. hi zoe

    I love your blog. can I cut on sugar in the devil´s recipe please? if so what should I change/add?
    living in europe and don´t like that much sugar…

    thank you
    p

    1. Hi Petra,

      The problem with reducing the sugar is not just the flavor, but also the texture of the cake. You can experiment with using less sugar, but reducing it too much will result in a dense cake.

      Thanks, Zoë

  87. Dear Zoe,

    can I prepare the swiss meringue and “ice” my cake and either let it sit out a couple of hours until we are ready to torch it, or should I put in the fridge till torch time. Would it be best to go ahead and torch it? I wanted to have the torching be part of the party….is that a bad idea? thanks so much Terri

  88. Hi Zoe,
    love your site. I want to make 3-tiered cake with this recipe, do you think the cake is dense enough to hold?
    thanks, Manjula

  89. Hi Zoe,
    I am making a dear friend’s wedding cake in November and am certain that your cake is going to be the winner-she and I are both true chocolate lovers and i have looked at many, many recipes, none of which sound just right. I will have a little tasting of a few different ideas and make a commitment then. My question is, how do I take your cupcake recipe and make it for a 2 tiered cake for 60? She wants either a mocha or espresso buttercream or a satiny chocolate glaze with a mocha or espresso filling. What do you think? Thanks so much! this will be my 5th wedding cake but the 1st in 4 years…a little nervous!

  90. Hi Zoë, I discovered your blog a while ago, while looking for a carrot cake recipe, and I made yours (it was my first carrot cake ever!) and is was a huge hit! Thank you so much for that wonderful recipe!
    Now I was thinking to make it for a Thanksgiving dinner where we’re invited this Sunday, but I found this one instead and it looks so incredibly yummy!
    I have a question, though: can I bake any of the two (carrot cake or this one, Devil’s food) in a fluted pan? I would like to shape and decorate the cake as a pumpkin so I need to bake it in a fluted pan. Any advice, please?
    Thank you!

    1. Hi Ioana,

      They should both do well in a fluted pan, but you need to be sure to butter and flour the pan very well.

      Thank you! Zoë

  91. Hi Zoë,

    I ended up baking the devil’s food cake in a regular round pan and it went great. Used your outrageous mocha buttercream and your chocolate glaze from the praline cheesecake and I have a simple cake that I will decorate with pumpkins and autumn leaves (I even have a rake 🙂 ) that I’ve made from fondant and then painted. I’ll probably try the carrot cake in the fluted pan for a Halloween pumpkin, I think it’s more suited for the kids, and I’ll post about the result – maybe someone will need the information at some point.

  92. Hi Zoe, these look fantastic and I will definitely be making them over the next few days. Just one question – what coffee would you recommend we use; espresso or filter? Thank you from Greece.

  93. Hi Zoe, I made this cake yesterday for a friend. She called and told me that it was the BEST chocolate cake she’d ever eaten in her life! Thank you 🙂
    I sandwiched the layers with whipped cream and vanilla bean paste.

  94. Hi zoe beautiful page I’m your new fan I’m still going through your recipes -one question though I’ve a small oven so can bake one tray or tin at a time any suggestions

    1. Hi Mash,

      You can either divide the recipe in half or stagger the baking. This recipe will hold up to the wait, if you need to bake one tray at a time.

      Cheers, Zoë

  95. I’ll be making these for my son’s 2nd birthday party and serving it to the kids. If I omit the coffee and the rum, do I need to add more of one of the ingredients? And I love the addition of Lyle’s in the icing. I can’t wait to open up my new jar and try it out here.

    1. Hi Elina,

      Yes, you will want to replace the liquid with something else, just warm water. I also recommend that you use buttermilk, not plain milk, since you are reducing the acid in the recipe so much.

      The cake will have a much more mild flavor without the coffee.

      Cheers, Zoë

      1. Hi Zoe
        I absolutely love your cupcake recipe. I have problems when using this recipe for big cakes. It comes out smudgy and not fluffy as the cupcakes. Help me find a solution as I love this recipe and cant find a better one. I’ve tried low temp and higher temp. Once in a while it comes out perfect but I cant pinpoint what I do wrong.

        1. Hi Jane,

          When you bake the batter as a cake, are you using a tester to make sure the cake is baked through? What size pan are you using?

          Thanks, Zoë

          1. Hi Zoe
            Thanks for your reply. I use a tester which makes it look like its completely cooked. It does not rise properly. I use all sizes of panc from 6inch to 14 inch. I have more success with smaller tins.

          2. Hi Jane,

            You say it doesn’t happen every time? Other than the size of the pan, are there any other changes made? Do you have an oven thermometer? The oven temperature can make a significant difference in baking success.

            Thanks, Zoë

  96. I would like to make the cup cake receipe as a cake, do you have suggestions for time and size of pan? I was thinking of using a 11 x 18″ pan, and wondered if I would need more batter than this recipe.

    1. Hi Shirley,

      I think this recipe will do for that size pan. It will probably take 30+ minutes to bake, but be sure to use a tester to make sure it is baked through.

      Thanks, Zoë

  97. I made the cake in a 11 x 18 x 2″ pan and used 1-1/2 recipe and that was nearly perfect. It could have used more but it is fine

  98. I made this cake and topped it with chocolate cream it was like an explosion of happiness in my mouth, everyone loves it because it’s so moist so tasty……so hummmmmmm……
    Next time I will make a layer cake……
    Thanks for sharing
    Love your blog….

  99. Haven’t made this recipe for a while and today added an extra 1/2 cup of coffee by accident and it still turned out great! Guess, you can’t mess this one up.

  100. Hi! I made this recipe yesterday and got 36 beautiful cupcakes. I used Hershey’s natural cocoa. I asked my chocolate lover 7 year old daughter if it was good and she said -“No … it is D E L I C I O U S!!!” 🙂 I made the cream cheese frosting too but used honey and the result didn’t make justice to the cake had to change to nutella frosting…Divine! Guess will need to include dime Lyle’s on my next Amazon delivery. Thanks for sharing will be trying more recipes!!!

  101. hi Zoe! after reading the comments right down there regarding your devil’s food cake. i feel like i wanna give it a try but i am curious whether this chocolate cake recipe is too sweet or not sweet? If i’ll reduce the sugar, it might affect the texture.. and also is it too fragile to handle? i plan to bake a mini fondant cake using this recipe for my cousin’s coming wedding this weekend.
    Thank you and waiting for your reply. Anne

    1. Hi Anne,

      I always recommend trying a recipe as it is written, then you can make adjustments if it doesn’t suit your liking. I don’t consider this a very sweet cake, the coffee and rum really cut the sweet nicely. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

      Thanks, Zoë

  102. Zoe,
    I cannot wait to try this recipe. Do you have a recommendation for a good basic yellow cake? I want to try making a 12 layer cake.

    Thanks for such a wonderful blog,
    Angela
    PS I make a lot of Bin5 and love that blog too. Eagerly awaiting that new book.

  103. will this recipe fit for a 9inch bundt pan? if so, how can i adjust the baking time?
    if the recipe wont fit a 9inch bundt pan, how can i adjust the recipe? thanks so much!

  104. Lyle’s syrup is something we would buy in the south called “King’s syrup”. Our ritual was to take the syrup, mix it with a little butter, and dip our homemade biscuits in it! Such a treat. We did this 100’s of times….. Thanks for reminding me of it.

  105. What amount of coffee powder to use to make hot coffee?
    And when rum is not used then also how much more hot coffee is used to replace it?

  106. GREAT cake, Zoe … and now I too have my “go-to” dark chocolate cake. I used Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder (always excellent, always very chocolate-y) and the batter volume was perfect for two 9×9 squares for a square layer cake (my favorite shape for both appearance and cutting). I made it the night before so the cake would “set” and iced it in the morning. The birthday boy might just have eaten five slices — but then who’s counting? — and kids/grown-ups both were crazy for it. I love the dense, moist crumb and that it’s not so sweet. Thank you, thank you!

  107. Rarely am I inspired to the level to write a review. This is both a review and a thank you. These are truly special. I followed the recipes exactly. (Always like to do this first time out.) Where given choices, used buttermilk, rum and plain ol’ Hershey’s choc powder. Had to order the Lyle’s from Amazon, but SOooo glad I waited rather than substitute. Not only is the flavor special, it also did nice things for texture and consistency of the icing. The cake and icing recipes are each delicious, but the pairing of the two takes the finished product up a level. I enjoyed rave reviews! The only thing I may do differently next time is try using the brandy rather than the rum. Does anyone have feedback on that?

  108. Dear Zoe!
    WOW…this recipe sounds to be the best of the best!
    I just finished reading all the reviews in order to avoid asking the same question. So hopefully you’ll answer my questions.
    1. Can I use Brandy instead of Rum to make a cupcake less sweet?
    2. How do I store frosted cupcakes in a hot and humid weather?
    3. Do you have a similar great recipe for the kids cupcakes?
    Thank you so much for the recipe, I’m ordering the ingredients tonight!

  109. Hello Zoe!
    So I made these cupcakes yesterday. The texture was runny but baked perfectly! I filled the muffin cups 3/4 full. It took 23 min to bake regular cupcakes and 17 min for minis.
    The cupcakes are delicious, however we don’t taste neither coffee, nor brandy. I really wanted to taste both these ingredients in my cupcakes so I ended up piping into them some of the Kahlua. Zoe, do you have any tip how to make these cupcakes with the stronger coffee and brandy taste?
    Frosting: I actually liked the sower taste of the cream cheese. But my husband didn’t. Next time I’ll try to make the same cupcakes but with the chocolate frosting.
    I want to thank you for this recipe!
    P.S. Should I use the vinegar with the baking soda or the buttermilk takes care of it?

    1. Hi Sweetmama,

      The coffee and brandy are there to give the cake a bit of a bitter edge, so the cake isn’t too sweet. You’d have to add a lot more to the recipe to actually get the flavor and it would throw off the recipe. One way to get the flavor is to brush a bit of coffee/brandy over the top of the cupcake after it is baked. This is called a “soak” and it is a traditional method of adding more flavor to a simple cake. Don’t add too much or the cupcakes will get soggy.

      Buttermilk provides all the acid you need in the recipe.

      Enjoy, Zoë

      1. Hello Zoe, thanks for response!
        And thank you for the five star recipe.
        Could you tell me what are your most favorite cupcakes, frosting and cakes? You’ve baked so many but which ones do you like the best?
        Thank you!

  110. I kid you not my taste buds went crazy looking at these photos. My mouth physically watered. This recipe looks amazing! I can’t wait to give it a try!!

  111. I have tried making this 2/3 of this recipe (with reduced sugar and oil to 3/4s of prescribed amount to balance out the sweetness and hydration). It can fill two (2) 8×2 baking tins. Crumbly, moist and superb flavor. Almost like the DFC cake box mix.

  112. Zoë, I baked these devil’s food cupcakes last night, a birthday treat for a friend. They are so delicious! Yes, definitely double up the frosting. It’s fun to work with and I might have gotten a little carried away. This recipe is in my Favorites file. Thanks!

  113. Oooh i made something very similar a few months ago, and it was delicious! Loved seeing how you had a different take on it. I’m definitely making this! thanks for sharing!

  114. Hi Zoe. Your devils food cupcakes look amazing. I’m making a cake for a friend’s 70th birthday which I’ll be decorating with chocolate cigarillos – they are pretty expensive and so I want to get it right and have been trying various recipes beforehand. I live in the UK and we would not usually use granulated sugar in a cake recipe – do you think the type we buy here is different or is there science behind your choice of sugar in this recipe. I have already had a couple of disastrous attempts with double chocolate and fudge cake recipes so I thought I would ask before I trying this one. Thanks

  115. when i see you type this is the best taking devil’s food, ever and after i see you using yummy yummy lyle’s, and after i read this not leaning to far into the sweet side of the rainbow, and then i see you using rum, and then not being able to stop my eyes from looming back to your selection of piped frosting designs… hello!?!? i sit here gobsmacked and happy and anxious and hungry. love love love everything about this beautifully photographed and constructed post.

  116. Whatever happened to the original recipe from years ago? I lost it and then did you updated one and they were a complete disaster. It was my go-to forever and now it’s a mess and I’m sad!

    1. Oh no Lucy,

      What happened? I will double check that nothing got messed up in my attempt to “fix” the directions.

      Thanks, Zoë

    2. Lucy I have the original recipe printed out lol it’s my absolute favourite chocolate cake I haven’t t tried out this new one yet

  117. Oh mygoodness ! I just found you on on Pinterest, I am so glad happy. .thank God I’m not diabetic, sweetsare what I crave and dessert for me is served before dinner and so often I’m too full to even eat dinnerg. The devil s’s food cake will be made tomorrow . I don’t know if you are still giving away one of your cook books, but if you are, please, consider me! I live in Texas and I love to bake! My husbandgained 29th pounds the first we were married. Hahaha

  118. These are the BEST chocolate cupcakes! I’ve made them several times and they always turn out beautifully. I’d love to see you work your magic on a vanilla cupcake recipe!

  119. I’ve used your devil’s food cake recipe about 3 times already (as cakes) and I receive rave reviews EVERY time! They’re so surprised at how moist it is and some even ask if I used boxed cake mix (how dare they! hehe!) The last time I made it, they swore I bought it from a store and just covered it in icing lol! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and ALL your recipes! (Your website is the first site I go to whenever I need to make something!)

  120. Hi Zoë – I love your website and instagram and have been following you for years because I’m a BreadIn5 enthusiast! I was wondering what conversion you use for cups of flour to grams. The internet gives so many different amounts, and I presume you have one that works best for your recipes. Thanks so much!

  121. Hi Zoe, I made these yesterday and they taste great, but all of the cupcakes stuck to the liners. I have never had this happen before and always use parchment liners. Any ideas why this happened? Also, I saw some dialogue in the comment section about the inclusion of both baking powder and baking soda, but I only see baking soda listed about. Should there be baking powder as well? Thank you.

  122. Hi…why is there no easy way to print your recipes without ads an photos and ten pieces of paper? I subscribe to your newsletter and want to try your fab sounding recipes but there is no easy print button that just prints the recipe…am I missing something???

    1. Hi Debora,
      The short answer is: we’re working on it! We have been adding printable recipe cards at the bottom of new recipes, but because Zoë has hundreds of recipes on her site, we haven’t gotten to them all yet! I went ahead and added a recipe card to this recipe for you so you can print it more easily. Cheers!

  123. 5 stars
    Zoe!! OMG!! THIS cake… My mom and I made it during our bake date via FaceTime today for my birthday. I’m an experienced baker and have made a thousand chocolate cakes in my life. THIS is by far the best one! I’m vegan, so I swapped out some things, but my mom followed the recipe exactly. We both couldn’t believe how fantastic the cake turned out. We baked it in a dark bundt pan at 325F for 60 min and decorated it with your cream cheese frosting and some raspberries. My entire family agrees that we never need to try a new chocolate cake recipe ever again! Thank you so much for making my birthday special. My dad, who doesn’t really like chocolate cake, already requested this cake for his birthday. I’m pre-ordering your book today! I can’t wait to see it and bake from it.

  124. I just bought a Miele oven and need to know if the recipes in Zöe’s book should be baked on ‘bake’ or convection bake.

    Thanks! Love the book.

  125. I made these for a fourth of July party this weekend and everyone wanted to know what “bakery” I purchased them from! They were absolutely delicious and pretty to boot! I added an large organic raspberry for the center of the frosted top surrounded by blueberries for a festive finish. The tartness of the berries bursting in your mouth with the backdrop of the lemon cream cheese was to die for! I also use Kerrygold butter for all my baking and this frosting was no exception. Kerrygold (grassfed Irish butter) is very gold so the frosting comes out more cream-colored. But absolutely delicious and I think using high-quality butter makes a HUGE difference in the finished product. Also, I used organic coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. It not only further brings out a deeper chocolate flavor, but it s MUCH HEALTHIER OIL than vegetable oil (which is a seed oil that causes inflammation in the body). I am an RN and holistic nutritionist so I substitute coconut oil for literally all of my baking. I melt it in the microwave and use the exact same amount the recipe calls for (coconut oil works excellent for brownie recipes too!). Coconut oil also provides a much richer, denser baked good (seriously, the cupcakes weigh twice as much). They also stay moister MUCH longer and don’t dry out. This is going to be my new devil’s food cupcake/cake recipe going forward. The cream cheese recipe is also the best I’ve ever tasted. BRAVO Zoe!!

  126. Hello Zoe and team

    Thank you for such a nice recipe. Can you please advise me on how to bake this recipe into layer cake? What size cake tins do I need to use and how many? This will be for a special birthday party so I want to give it my best shot.

    Please let me know-Thank you so much

    1. Hi Kiran,

      You can find the instructions for baking in 9-inch cake pans in the recipe below, but you could also use 8-inch pans for a thicker layer, which take closer to 30 minutes to bake.

      Enjoy, Zoë

  127. Thanks for these, Zoe… I love them!!
    I just made a fresh batch but I wanted some smaller ones to stash in the freezer for emergencies. So, in case this is helpful info for anyone… I got 48 mini cupcakes (baked them for 9 mins) plus 19 regular cupcakes (baked them 25 mins). Not sure why the regular ones took so long to bake, but hey! Now to find space in the freezer…

  128. Hello Zoe,
    I just came across your devils food cupcake recipe here. I’d like to know, you say make in a large 12 cavity muffin pan not a regular one.What do you mean by this?
    Am I supposed to use a pan that is for making actual muffins not cupcakes? Or are you calling cupcakes muffins? Or are we supposed to use jumbo cupcake pans? I have so many pans. I know different regions have different terminology for baking and supplies so I want to be certain of the details. I live in the United States.
    I’m very appreciative of your response.
    (*_*)
    Chelle

  129. 5 stars
    Another absolutely perfect recipe. These are amazing. They’re so moist, not overly sweet and were delicious paired with a dairy-free vanilla frosting on half and a dairy-free chocolate frosting on the other half. To keep the cupcakes dairy free I used soymilk with 1 tbsp white vinegar to replace the buttermilk. These were such a hit, I will be making them every year for my son’s birthday!

  130. 5 stars
    These cupcakes are terrific. I make any recipe that says ‘best chocolate cake recipe’ and this one met that criteria. I didn’t get the golden syrup so I used honey – will be making thesw again so I will try it next time. Used Valhrona cocoa – pricey but a must forr great chocolate cake. Cut the frosting recipe way down – it’s super good but I prefer mostly cake.

  131. 5 stars
    I made the devils food cupcakes in this recipe and paired it with my own recipe for frosting, so I can only speak to the cupcakes, but can I give this more than 5 stars? I love desserts as long as they are not too sweet. My husband, on the other hand, hates most desserts because they tend to be too sweet for him, which is unfortunate because I love to bake: Well, I made these for a dinner party, and we are both OBSESSED. He was devastated because I didn’t have extra for at home, so I made a second batch.

    1. We are so thrilled you and your husband enjoyed them, Liz! Thank you so much for coming back to leave a rating/review!

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