Devil's Food Cake with Fudge-Nut Frosting

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Llightly grease the bottoms of two 9-inch round cake pans. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper or waxed paper; grease and lightly flour pans. In a medium bowl stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.

2. In a small saucepan heat chocolate and water over low heat until chocolate melts; stir thoroughly and cool slightly.

3. In a large bowl beat butter with a mixer on medium to high 30 seconds. Gradually add both sugars beating until well combined. Scrape bowl; beat 2 minutes more. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well. Beat in chocolate mixture. Add flour mixture and milk mixture alternately, beating on low after each addition just until combined. Beat on medium 20 seconds more. Spread batter into prepared pans.

4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks 10 minutes. Remove layers from pans; peel off paper. Cool on wire racks. Fill and frost cake with Fudge-Nut Frosting or No-Cook Fudge Frosting. Decorate with walnut halves.

Fudge-Nut Frosting

1. Clip a candy thermometer to a 3-qt. saucepan.* Combine chocolate, sugar, milk, corn syrup, and salt in the saucepan. Heat and stir over medium heat to dissolve sugar. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium, maintaining a moderate steady boil until mixture reaches 232°F, 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally (keep a very close eye on the temperature at this point). Carefully remove saucepan from heat and place on wire rack or pot holder. Add butter (do not stir or disturb mixture). Cool until 110°F, about 1 hour. Add vanilla. Beat with a mixer on low until frosting thickens and lightens in color, about 20 minutes (the mixture will have the consistency of a glaze initially but will set up nicely as it stands).

Tip

Temperature is very important to the success of Fudge-Nut frosting. Be sure to calibrate your candy thermometer before beginning. To do this, bring a saucepan of water to boiling. Check the temperature your thermometer registers in the boiling water. Add or subtract how many degrees off it is from 212°F when measuring temperature of frosting.

Cream Cheese-Fudge Frosting

Melt 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate; cool slightly. In a large bowl beat 8 ounces cream cheese, softened, with a mixer on medium for 30 seconds. Add chocolate, 3 T. milk, 1 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and a 1/8 teaspoon salt and beat until combined. Gradually add 6 1/2 cups powdered sugar until combined and spreadable. Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

*Tip

Temperature is very important to the success of this frosting. Be sure to calibrate your candy thermometer before beginning. To do this, bring a saucepan of water to boiling. Check the temperature your thermometer registers in the boiling water. Add or subtract how many degrees off it is from 212°F when measuring temperature of frosting.