Classic Devil's Food Layer Cake with Whipped Cream

Name: Classic Devil's Food Layer Cake with Whipped Cream
Yield: Serves 12
Ingredients: 1/2 cup, natural cocoa powder; 2 teaspoons, instant espresso powder, or instant coffee; 1 cup, boiling water; 3/4 cup, packed dark brown sugar; 1/2 cup, plain yogurt, low-fat, or buttermilk; 2 teaspoons, vanilla extract; 8 tablespoons, unsalted butter (1 stick), softened; 1 1/4 cups, granulated sugar; 2 , large eggs, at room temperature; 1 1/4 cups, unbleached all-purpose flour; 3/4 teaspoon, baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon, table salt; 2 1/2 cups, heavy cream, cold; 3/4 cup, confectioners' sugar; 1 teaspoon, vanilla extract

Desserts or Baked Goods
Chocolate
Cakes

Appears in Cook's Illustrated July/August 1994

Starting with a Velvet Devil's Food Cake, the author tests each ingredient to produce the best six chocolate cake recipes, from a sour cream layer cake to a low-fat, low-guilt variation.

SERVES 12

TIME 1¾ hours, plus 2 hours 20 minutes cooling

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