Devil’s Food Cupcakes or Cake Layers – Lauren Groveman

Ingredients

• About 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, for brushing or use flavorless vegetable spray
• 2 tablespoons plain cake flour, to dust the cake pans
• 2 1/2 cups prepared Buttermilk Pancake Mix
• 1/2 cup sifted non-alkalized (not Dutch-processed) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted before measuring
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/4 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 extra-large eggs, made tepid by submerging in a bowl of very hot tap water for 10 minutes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk, for cupcakes and 1 1/2 cups for cake layers