Devils Food Cake

Devils Food Cake recipe makes three layers of old fashioned dark chocolate cake that is moist and delicious.

It was a Blue Ribbon Winner at the Guilford County Fair, North Carolina, in the 1970s.


When I started selling this cake, the old fashioned 7-minute frosting, sprinkled with freshly grated coconut was the most popular frosting.

However,  later the Creamy Chocolate Frosting for which I have provided a link below, became my most requested frosting.

You may want to try both to find which one best suits you.

Devils Food Cake Recipe

• 3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
  
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
  
• 2 eggs
  
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  
• 1 cup buttermilk
  
  
• 2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour
  
  
• 1/2 cup cocoa
  
  
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
  
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
  
• 1 cup boiling (or very hot) water
  
  

Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugar.

Add eggs one at a time, creaming well after each addition.

Stir in vanilla.

Add flour and buttermilk alternately, beginning with flour and ending with flour.

If using electric mixer, set on medium speed.

Mix in hot or boiling water.


This makes a thin batter.

Pour immediately into three greased and floured 8" or 9" baking pans.

Bake about 30 minutes in a preheated 350F oven.

Do not over bake.

Cool before frosting.


Frost with the 7-minute Frosting below, one of these scrumptious frostings


They all go well with this Devils Food Cake.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

Cream Cheese Frosting

Mocha Frosting

Or a favorite recipe from your personal collection.

Fill between the layers with vanilla, chocolate, lemon, or butterscotch pudding if you prefer.

This cake is delicious eaten plain, hot or cold.

It may also be served with ice cream (vanilla is excellent) or whipped cream.

7-Minute Frosting

• 2 unbeaten egg whites
  
  
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
  
  
• 2 teaspoons light corn syrup or 1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
  
  
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
  
  
• 1/3 cup cold water
  
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  
• 1 cup freshly grated coconut
  

Can use canned unsweetened flaked coconut.

Mix together egg whites, sugar, syrup, salt, and water in top of double boiler.

Beat together about 1 minute to blend well.

Place over boiling water in bottom part of double boiler on medium heat and beat for about 7 minutes just until stiff peaks form.


Be careful not to over beat.

Remove from heat, add vanilla extract, and beat until stiff enough to spread on cake.

Frost tops and sides of cake.

Sprinkle coconut over top and sides.

First Devil's Food Cake

• 3 squares unsweetened chocolate
  
  
• 1/2 cup butter
  
  
• 2 cups sugar
  
  

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  

• 5 eggs, yolks separated
  
  

• 1 cup sour cream
  
  

• 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
  
  

• 1 teaspoon soda
  
  

• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  
  
  

Melt Chocolate in sauce pan on low heat and set aside.

Beat egg whites until stiff and set aside.

In a mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Stir in vanilla extract 

Beat in egg yolks one at a time.

Sift together flour, soda and baking powder.

Fold in flour mixture and sour cream alternately.

Fold in beaten egg whites.

Pour into three round cake baking pans and bake at 350F. 25 to 30 minutes until they test done when probed with a knife or toothpick.

History Of Devils Food Cake

Devils Food Cakes were common in the late 1800s, and were just called Chocolate Cakes back then. 

But, a lady named Carolina King, a popular food writer in the 1920s-1930s made the first mention of the Devils Food Cake in her childhood memoir.

Related Pages

$100.00 Chocolate Cake

Cocoa Cake Recipe

German Chocolate Cake

Texas Sheet Cake

Return to Old Fashioned Cake Recipes


Home