I Recreated One of NYC's Most Famous Chocolate Cakes

One of my favorite things to do is recreate famous or popular recipes, and living in NYC, I never run out of inspiration. My Instagram feed constantly teases me with stunning desserts, and if you live here, chances are you’ve heard of the devil’s food cake at Claud. It features six layers of moist chocolate cake sandwiched with luscious chocolate frosting and coated in a thin layer of glossy ganache.

Now, I have to admit—I’ve never actually tried the original. So, to be safe, I’m calling this recipe more of an inspiration than a true copycat. That said, I had a few taste-testers compare my version to the real thing, and they said it’s pretty close! The only key difference? The original cake’s frosting leans more toward a chocolate pudding texture. Either way, this version is undeniably delicious and 100 percent worth the two-day effort.

Breaking It Down: Two-Day vs. One-Day Process

You can make this entire cake in one day, but if you have the time, I highly recommend splitting it into two. Layer cakes—no matter the size—always turn into bigger projects than I expect. Every time I allow myself to spread out the steps, I feel way less stressed and end up happier with the results.

Day 1: Cake & Frosting

•Bake the cake layers. This always feels like it should be the easiest part, but it somehow stresses me out the most. If that’s just me, great! But either way, getting the batter made, baked, and sliced in half is a huge win. Once this step is done, you’re already halfway there. At this point, you can either wrap the layers and chill them overnight or move straight to the next step.

•Frost & assemble. Making the frosting is my favorite part. Watching butter and sugar transform into a silky, chocolatey cloud is so satisfying. Once it’s whipped up, stack the cake layers with ¼-inch thick layers of frosting in between, then coat the outside. No need for a perfectly smooth, crumb-free finish—ganache will cover everything and hide any mistakes.

At this point, Day 1 is done! Transfer the cake to the fridge overnight. (Even if you're making this in one day, the frosted cake needs to chill for at least 30 minutes before adding the ganache.)

Day 2: Finishing Touches

•Make the ganache & decorate. The hard part is over! Now, all that’s left is melting the ganache, pouring it over the cake, and finishing it off with shaved chocolate or sprinkles. Because the cake will be chilled, the ganache will start to set pretty quickly. Use a spatula to help spread it out evenly over the cake.

That’s it! If you’re ambitious, you can do it all in one day—more power to you! But whether you tackle it in one go or break it up, don’t let the layers intimidate you. This cake is absolutely worth the effort—as much of a showstopper as it is delicious.

Have you tried the devil’s food cake from Claud NYC? Let me know in the comments!