Devil’s Food Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Icing

Photography by Marcy Black Simpson.

This Devil’s Food Cake with Caramel Cream Cheese Icing is the perfect way to end a meal.

DEVIL’S FOOD CAKE WITH CARAMEL CREAM CHEESE ICING
 
MAKES 1 (9-inch) CAKE
Ingredients
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2½ cups sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2¼ cups Swans Down Cake Flour
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1½ teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup strong hot coffee
  • ⅔ cup whole buttermilk
  • Caramel Cream Cheese Icing (recipe follows)
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray 3 (9-inch) round cake pans with baking spray with flour.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar at medium speed until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
  3. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In a small bowl, stir together coffee and buttermilk. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with coffee mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Divide batter among prepared pans.
  4. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Spread Caramel Cream Cheese Icing between layers and on top and sides of cake.

CARAMEL CREAM CHEESE ICING
 
MAKES 6 CUPS
Ingredients
  • 2 (13.4-ounce) cans dulce de leche
  • 1 pound unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • 5 cups confectioners’ sugar
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, beat dulce de leche, butter, and cream cheese with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating until smooth. Refrigerate until thickened.

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