Sympathy For The Devil'S Food Cake

• Sweet Spice
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon Grains of Paradise, or white peppercorns, or black peppercorns, crushed
• Cake
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 7 tablespoons natural cocoa powder, not Dutched
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons sweet spice mix
• 1/2 cup Guinness Stout
• 1/2 cup espresso or strong black coffee
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon apple cider or white vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup Marshmallow Fluff
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• a small handful of Red Hots cinnamon candies, finely crushed (optional)

1. In a small saute pan over low heat, stir spices until fragrant. Remove from heat and let cool. Store in a tightly-sealing glass jar.
2. Alternatively, if using whole spices, stir in pan over low heat until fragrant. Let cool. Grind in a spice mill and store the mix in a tightly-sealing glass jar.
3. Preheat oven to 340 degrees F. Set oven rack to middle. Grease an 8" cake pan with cooking spray, then line with parchment and lightly spray the parchment. (This is in case you decide to remove cake from pan and frost completely. But usually we just frost the top and eat it right out of the pan.)
4. Whisk flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, salt and spices in a medium bowl.
5. In a measuring cup, mix together stout, coffee, water, vanilla and vinegar. Stir into the flour mixture a few turns, then add your oil and combine until you have a smooth batter.
6. Pour into prepared pan. Place in oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Check with cake tester, which should come out very slightly moist. Remove from oven and let cool on rack.
7. FOR THE MARSHMALLOW BUTTERCREAM FROSTING:rnIn a medium bowl, mix together the Fluff, butter, confectioner's sugar and cream using a hand blender on high speed until smooth. This quantity makes just enough to frost the top of the cake. Double the recipe if you want more.
8. Turn cake out onto cake plate, if you're feeling fancy. Spread cake with frosting. Sprinkle crushed Red Hots over the frosting.

sweet spice, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, paradise, cake, allpurpose unbleached flour, sugar, natural cocoa, baking soda, kosher salt, sweet spice mix, stout, espresso, water, vanilla, apple cider, vegetable oil, marshmallow fluff, unsalted butter, sugar, heavy cream, handful of red hots cinnamon candies

Taken from food52.com/recipes/16201-sympathy-for-the-devil-s-food-cake (may not work)