When I went on the dessert tour in NYC back in May, it was based out of Manhattan only. On that trip, the only Brooklyn dessert place we made it to was the Brooklyn Farmacy. Of course that was delicious, but I was also introduced to another Brooklyn bakery on that trip, although in writing only.

There are many reasons that Laura and I are friends, but of course one of which is that we both enjoy baking. While staying in her apartment, I was handed three dessert cookbooks and told to read them. Of course I obliged, and I immediately wanted those books for my very own. Fortunately, my wonderful in-laws gifted me all three for my birthday!

Baked is a place that will not be missed on my next trip to New York, which will be in December. But until then, I will be making as many of their recipes as possible.

I made this Devil’s Food Cake with Angel Frosting for my husband’s grandmother’s birthday. Alas, it is not completely a Baked recipe. Unfortunately, my attempt at the Angel frosting failed, and due to lack of time, I was unable to try again. Therefore, the icing pictured above and below is a simple vanilla buttercream.

However, the cake is unlike any chocolate cake I’ve made before. I had seen coffee as an ingredient in other chocolate cake recipes, but I have always skipped past them. I do not drink coffee, and neither does my husband, so we don’t have any in the house. I was also wary of the notion that putting a cup of coffee would not create a coffee taste, only enhance the chocolate.

This is a rare instance that I’m ok with being wrong. I’m not entirely sure that the coffee “brought out the chocolate,” but it did temper the sweetness, which the recipe also mentioned. It gave the chocolate a different depth of flavor than usual, probably especially since it was mixed with dark chocolate and dark cocoa powder for this recipe.

I guarantee that I will make this cake again, not only because it was delicious but also because I absolutely must get that Angel frosting right!