Best Devils Food Vanilla Cream Spirals Recipes

TRIPLE-CHEESE SPIRALS

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil; add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, mustard and cayenne and stir with a wooden spoon to make a paste. Cook, stirring, until the paste puffs slightly, about 1 minute. Whisk in both milks and 1/2 teaspoon salt and simmer, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened and creamy, 6 to 7 minutes. Add the cheddar and jack cheeses and all but 2 tablespoons of the parmesan and whisk until melted; keep warm. Combine the panko, herbs and/or scallions, 1 tablespoon butter and the remaining parmesan in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the butter melts, about 1 minute; toss. Drain the pasta, reserving about 1 cup cooking water, and return to the pot. Toss with the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, then stir in the cheese sauce, adding the reserved cooking water if needed. Season with salt and top with the breadcrumb mixture.

CREAM-FILLED DEVIL'S FOOD CUPCAKES

Steps:

• For the cupcakes: Position an oven rack in the center of the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners, and lightly coat with cooking spray.
• Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Bring the cocoa powder, milk and 1/2 cup water to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat, and whisk until the cocoa dissolves into a smooth, thicker mixture, about 3 minutes. Stir in the vanilla, and set aside until just slightly warm to the touch.
• Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until combined and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Continue to beat while slowly pouring the cocoa mixture into the bowl (be sure to scrape out any cocoa that coats the saucepan) just until incorporated, scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to medium, add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Finish stirring by hand to avoid overmixing.
• Divide the batter evenly among the lined muffin cups, and bake until the cupcakes bounce back when gently pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let them cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Unwrap each cupcake, and use a small knife to cut out a small "plug" of cake in the middle of each bottom, cutting about halfway through the cupcake.
• For the filling: Beat the marshmallow, confectioners' sugar and butter with an electric mixer in a medium bowl until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large resealable plastic bag, and snip off one corner. Pipe the filling into the holes cut out of the cupcakes; use the plugs or scraps of the cake you removed to plug the holes back up.
• For the glaze: Combine the butter, chocolate, honey and salt in a small microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and poke a hole in it to vent. Microwave on high (at 100 percent power) for about 1 minute, until the butter and most of the chocolate is melted. Whisk until smooth; let cool, 15 to 20 minutes. Dip the top of each cupcake in the glaze, and let it set up, about 30 minutes.
• For the icing: Put the filled and glazed cupcakes on a rack set over a baking sheet or piece of parchment. Whisk the confectioners' sugar, butter and 2 tablespoons water together in a small bowl. Top each cupcake with a drizzle of icing; let harden, about 10 minutes. Put the finished cupcakes in fresh liners. The cupcakes can be baked, filled, glazed and iced a day ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

THE ULTIMATE DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms with parchment rounds; butter parchment. Stir together boiling water, cocoa, and chocolate in a bowl. Let cool 10 minutes. Whisk together flour, baking powder and soda, and salt in another bowl.
• In a mixing bowl, beat butter with sugar on medium-high until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl. Beat in vanilla, then chocolate mixture. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture in two additions, alternating with sour cream, until just combined.
• Divide batter evenly between prepared pans, smoothing tops with an offset spatula. Bake until a tester inserted in centers comes out with moist crumbs attached, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Let cakes cool in pans on a wire rack 20 minutes. Turn out onto rack, top-sides up; let cool completely. With a serrated knife, trim tops of cakes so they're level.
• Line the edges of a cake stand or plate with strips of parchment. Place one cake layer on stand, trimmed-side up, and spread 1 1/2 cups buttercream evenly over top. Top with remaining cake layer, trimmed-side down.
• Spread a thin layer of buttercream over top and sides. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes (this ensures a crumb-free finish). Spread remaining frosting evenly over top and sides. Cake can be stored in refrigerator up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before serving.