"Top Tier" Devil's Food Cake with Sour Cream-Fudge Frosting

A decadent devil's food cake made with high-quality milk chocolate and natural cocoa powder, layered with a rich sour cream-fudge frosting. This elegant 5-inch layer cake is finished with organic roses for a beautiful presentation.

6 servings

2 hr 40 min

Published October 4, 2025

Ingredients

•¼ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
•1 ounce high-quality milk chocolate
•¼ cup boiling water
•¼ cup buttermilk
•⅔ cup cake flour
•½ teaspoon baking soda
•¼ teaspoon salt
•⅓ cup dark brown sugar
•¼ cup sugar
•¼ cup canola oil
•1 piece large egg
•½ teaspoon vanilla extract
•8 ounces high-quality milk chocolate
•¼ cup unsalted butter
•⅔ cup sour cream
•4 teaspoons light corn syrup
•1 to taste organic roses
•2 piece cake pans

Cooking Instructions

1.
Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter two 5-inch cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; butter parchment. Combine cocoa powder and milk chocolate in medium bowl. Pour 1/4 cup boiling water over; whisk until mixture is smooth. Whisk in buttermilk.
10 min
2.
Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in another medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat both sugars, oil, egg, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add flour and cocoa mixtures; beat until blended (batter will be thin). Divide batter between pans.
10 min
3.
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached, 28 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks; peel off parchment. Turn over; cool on racks.
45 min
4.
Place chocolate in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Add butter and stir until melted, then add sour cream and corn syrup and whisk until smooth. Let frosting stand at room temperature until thick enough to spread, about 20 minutes.
30 min
5.
Using serrated knife, trim top of cakes to make level. Cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on platter. Spread 1/4 cup frosting over, leaving 1/2-inch border. Top with second cake layer, cut side down. Spread 1/4 cup frosting over, leaving 1/2-inch border. Top with third cake layer, cut side up. Spread 1/4 cup frosting over, leaving 1/2-inch border. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread 1/3 cup frosting over top and sides. Chill until frosting is set, about 30 minutes. Keep remaining frosting at room temperature.
45 min
6.
Spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.
15 min
7.
Arrange roses atop cake and serve.
5 min

Ingredients

•¼ cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder

•1 ounce high-quality milk chocolate

•¼ cup boiling water

•¼ cup buttermilk

•⅔ cup cake flour

•½ teaspoon baking soda

•¼ teaspoon salt

•⅓ cup dark brown sugar

•¼ cup sugar

•¼ cup canola oil

•1 piece large egg

•½ teaspoon vanilla extract

•8 ounces high-quality milk chocolate

•¼ cup unsalted butter

•⅔ cup sour cream

•4 teaspoons light corn syrup

•1 to taste organic roses

•2 piece cake pans

Cooking Instructions

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Butter two 5-inch cake pans with 2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; butter parchment. Combine cocoa powder and milk chocolate in medium bowl. Pour 1/4 cup boiling water over; whisk until mixture is smooth. Whisk in buttermilk.

10 min

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in another medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat both sugars, oil, egg, and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add flour and cocoa mixtures; beat until blended (batter will be thin). Divide batter between pans.

10 min

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached, 28 to 30 minutes. Cool in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn out onto racks; peel off parchment. Turn over; cool on racks.

45 min

Place chocolate in large metal bowl. Set bowl over saucepan of simmering water and stir until melted and smooth. Remove bowl from over water. Add butter and stir until melted, then add sour cream and corn syrup and whisk until smooth. Let frosting stand at room temperature until thick enough to spread, about 20 minutes.

30 min

Using serrated knife, trim top of cakes to make level. Cut each cake horizontally in half. Place 1 cake layer, cut side up, on platter. Spread 1/4 cup frosting over, leaving 1/2-inch border. Top with second cake layer, cut side down. Spread 1/4 cup frosting over, leaving 1/2-inch border. Top with third cake layer, cut side up. Spread 1/4 cup frosting over, leaving 1/2-inch border. Top with remaining cake layer, cut side down. Spread 1/3 cup frosting over top and sides. Chill until frosting is set, about 30 minutes. Keep remaining frosting at room temperature.

45 min

Spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover with cake dome and store at room temperature.

15 min

Arrange roses atop cake and serve.

5 min