Ancho Chile Devil's Food Cake

==Ingredients==
* 1¼ cups cake flour
* ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 3 tablespoons pure ancho chile powder
* ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* ¼ teaspoon baking powder
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
* 1½ cups granulated sugar
* 3 large eggs (at room temperature)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* ½ cup buttermilk (at room temperature)
* ½ cup hot coffee
===Ganache===
* 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
* ¾ cup heavy cream
==Directions==
# Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F.
# Lightly grease two (9-inch) cake pans and line them with circles of parchment paper or greased wax paper.
# Sift flour, cocoa, ancho chile powder, cayenne, baking soda, baking powder and salt onto a sheet of wax paper.
# Sift 2 more times to mix and aerate.
# Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat at high speed for 30 seconds, or until well combined and smooth.
# Add eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated.
# Continue beating, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary, until light and fluffy, about 5 more minutes.
# With the mixer on a low setting, or using a rubber spatula, beat or fold in one-third of the flour mixture.
# Beat or fold in vanilla extract, half of the buttermilk and half of the coffee, then another one-third of the flour mixture.
# Beat or fold in the remaining buttermilk and coffee, then the remaining flour mixture.
# Spread batter evenly in prepared pans.
# Bake for 30 minutes or until the centers spring back when lightly pressed.
# Cool the cake layers in the pans on a wire rack.
# Invert each cake onto a plate.
# Trim the tops flat with a serrated knife.
# Spread one-third of the ganache over one layer.
# Flip the other layer on top, and frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining ganache.
# Put chocolate in a small bowl.
# In a small saucepan, bring cream to a scald over medium heat.
# Pour the hot cream over the chocolate.
# Working from the center out, gently stir to melt and blend until smooth.
# Let the ganache sit until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
# It should be spreadable, but still pourable.
# If the ganache doesn't have a smooth patina, blend in a few drops of cold heavy cream.
# A matte finish will dry to a mirror shine.
Category:Cake Recipes