Homemade Chocolate Zingers

• For the devil's food cake:
• 1/2 pound unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup hot coffee
• For the cream filling and chocolate frosting:
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened, divided
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, divided
• 1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup chocolate syrup
• 1 pinch salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350u0b0 F. Grease an 8 x 8-inch square cake pan.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add the sugar and eggs; beat until lightened in color. Add the cocoa, baking soda, vanilla extract, and salt, then mix well. Beat in the flour in 3 additions, alternating with the sour cream (begin and end with the flour). Add the hot coffee and mix until a smooth batter forms.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick tester comes out clean, approximately 40 to 50 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting and cooling completely on a wire rack. Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and transfer it to the freezer until it is partially frozen, about 1 hour.
4. Level the top with a serrated knife (if needed) and cut it into 12 even fingers.
5. For the cream filling, whisk together the milk and flour in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency. Remove the pan from the heat source and transfer the mixture to a shallow dish, and refrigerate until completely cool.
6. In a mixing bowl, cream 1/2 cup softened butter and granulated sugar until well-combined. Add the cooled milk mixture and whip on high speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, beat until well-combined. Transfer to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped. Cut a slit lengthwise on top of each snack cake and pipe in a little of the cream in the centers.
7. For the frosting, place the cocoa powder, the remaining confectioners' sugar, and butter in a large mixing bowl. Beat until just incorporated. Add the chocolate syrup, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until well-combined. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large Cake Icer Decorator Tip (#789) and pipe the frosting on top of each cake. Alternatively, you may spread the icing on top of the cakes with a spatula, then drag the tines of a fork through it to create an authentic appearance.
8. Store the cakes in an air-tight container for up to two days (if they last that long!).

cake, butter, light brown sugar, eggs, cocoa, baking soda, vanilla, salt, flour, sour cream, hot coffee, chocolate frosting, milk, flour, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, sugar, vanilla, cocoa powder, chocolate syrup, salt

Taken from food52.com/recipes/33052-homemade-chocolate-zingers (may not work)