Recipe: Devil Dog Cake with Fluffy Marshmallow Frosting

DEVIL DOG CAKE

"This cake was inspired by Devil Dogs, the bone-shaped chocolate cakes with irresistible white goo sandwiched between their layers. You'll want to dive headfirst into this version, a tall layer of moist, dark devil's food with fluffy marshmallow frosting."

2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process) plus additional for dusting
1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups water
Fluffy Marshmallow Frosting (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F with rack in middle. Butter and flour an 8-inch square cake pan (2-inches deep).

Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.

Beat together butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well, then beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture and water alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined. Pour batter into prepared cake pan and smooth top.

Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 1 hour.

Transfer cake to a cake plate. Mound Frosting on top of cake. Dust with additional cocoa powder.

TIP:
The cake, without frosting, will improve in flavor if made 1 day ahead. Cool, then keep, wrapped in plastic wrap, at room temperature. Frost cake just before serving.

FLUFFY MARSHMALLOW FROSTING

2 large egg whites (pasteurized*)
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Combine frosting ingredients with a pinch of salt in a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water and beat with a handheld electric mixer at high speed until frosting is thick and fluffy, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat until slightly cooled.

*The egg whites in the frosting are not fully cooked. You can substitute pasteurized or reconstituted dried egg whites.

Makes 6 servings
Adapted from source: Ian Knauer in Gourmet magazine, February 2008