Devil Dog Cake

This cake was inspired by Devil Dogs, the bone-shaped chocolate cakes with irresistible white goo sandwiched between their layers. I haven't tried these, but they remind me of those Hostess Suzy Q cakes that many of us loved as kids. OK, I still love them! A variation of this recipe would be to cut the cake horizontally in half and sandwich the frosting inside rather than on top. Also, if a moister cake is desired, it's best to let the cake set for one day as it tends to be dry freshly cooled. See Cook's Notes at bottom!

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 6

Ingredients

• Cake

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

• Frosting

• 2  large  egg whites
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup light corn syrup
• 2  tablespoons water
• 1  teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. To make cake:.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch square cake pan (2 inches deep).
3. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
4. 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.
5. Add flour mixture and water alternately in batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing until just combined.
6. Pour batter into cake pan and smooth top, then bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 45 to 55 minutes.
7. Cool in pan on a rack 1 hour.
8. Transfer cake to a cake plate.
9. Make frosting:.
10. 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.
11. Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat until slightly cooled.
12. Mound frosting on top of cake.
13. Dust with additional cocoa powder.
14. Cooks' notes:.
15. • 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.
16. • The egg whites in the frosting are not fully cooked. You can substitute pasteurized or reconstituted dried egg whites if salmonella is a problem in your area.